172 - Navigating Intergenerational Trauma with Tracey Yokas

Tracey Yokas creates stuff. When she isn't writing about mental health and wellness, she can be found playing with paint, glitter, and glue. She shares about her family's journey with mental illness so others will know they are not alone. She is dedicated to supporting women in the journey towards authenticity, and fulfills her mission by creating safe spaces where art, words, and vulnerability meet in dynamic community. Tracey earned her master's degree in counseling psychology from California Lutheran University and lives in Newbury Park, CA, with her family.

You can find her on Facebook (@traceyyokascreates) and Instagram (@traceyyokas) or on her website, www.traceyyokascreates.com.

Her memoir: Bloodlines: A Memoir of Harm and Healing. (Pub date: May 7, 2024)

Summary

In this interview on the Ruthless Compassion podcast, Dr. Marcia Sirota speaks with Tracey Yokas, a retired sociologist and author of “Surviving Alex: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss, and Addiction,” a poignant memoir about her son Alex’s struggle with addiction and his tragic death from a heroin overdose. Tracey shares her journey of transforming personal grief into advocacy, emphasizing the importance of compassionate approaches to addiction rather than punitive measures. She discusses the stigma surrounding addiction, the need for public health strategies, and the significance of harm reduction methods in addressing the ongoing crisis of substance use in society.

Key Points

• Tracey Yokas retired from academia after over 30 years at Rutgers University.
• Her son Alex died from a heroin overdose in 2015, prompting her to shift her research focus to addiction.
• “Surviving Alex” is a memoir that combines personal narrative with a call to action for families affected by addiction.
• Tracey emphasizes the therapeutic power of writing and speaking about grief and loss.
• She advocates for a public health approach to addiction rather than punitive criminal justice measures.
• She highlights the importance of harm reduction strategies and multiple treatment paths for addiction recovery.
• Tracey discusses the societal stigma surrounding addiction and the need for greater understanding and compassion.
• She is actively involved in advocacy work and aims to educate others about the realities of addiction and recovery.

Key Quotes from Tracey Yokas:

“Throughout our journey, I discovered countless families facing similar challenges. However, I found a lack of personal narratives that captured the mother’s perspective and the family’s experience.”

“It took me a significant amount of time to understand that I couldn’t dictate the course of my daughter’s illness, no matter how much I wanted to help.”

“To truly support my daughter in a healthy way, I needed to confront and heal my own unhealthy behaviors that were affecting our relationship.”

“Engaging in creative activities has become a profound passion for me; it not only combats perfectionism but also nurtures self-acceptance and awareness within a supportive community.”

“If we neglect our own well-being, we inadvertently teach our loved ones that they should do the same; prioritizing self-care is essential for everyone’s growth.”