Family Addiction Network
A Compassionate Community for Families with Addiction
Opinions of presenters do not necessarily reflect those of the Family Addiction Network.
PLEASE NOTE: For information on past meetings, please go to the Past Meetings page.
2026 Meetings
​Tuesday March 17th - 7:00 -8:30pm
West Long Branch Community Center
115 Locust Ave., W Long Branch, NJ
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Nervous System Regulation to Manage Stress
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You will want to attend this one!! This is the cornerstone of self care,
whether you are caring for a loved one with Substance Use Disorder,
or simply need some powerful tools for regulating YOUR nervous system,
this is going to be experiential and informative!!!
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Daily stressors can feel overwhelming. This presentation offers simple, science-backed somatic tools to help you stay grounded, calm, and resilient through it all.
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You’ll learn:
* Breathwork techniques to quiet the stress response and bring your body back into balance.
* Mindful movement to release tension in the fascia and support a more flexible, adaptive nervous system.
* Easy grounding practices you can use anytime during holiday chaos or emotional overwhelm.
* Approachable science that explains why these tools work.
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Come as you are and leave with practical rituals you can use daily to regulate your nervous system and move through life with greater ease.
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We are excited to have Sydney Pentland to share her much needed knowledge and expertise on this subject!
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Sydney is the Owner of Vital Breathwork, a business focused on educating individuals, businesses, community-based organizations about the effects of stress on daily life and overall health. By emphasizing nervous system regulation and using holistic methods like breathwork, somatic exercises, and mindful meditation, she helps reduce stress, balance emotions, and empower others to enhance their mind-body connection and reclaim their personal sovereignty.
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Before starting her business, Sydney worked as a program manager and grant coordinator for various non-profits and the Department of Education in New Jersey. Throughout her career, she observed a significant gap in mental health services for the marginalized, at-risk communities she served, particularly in addressing rising levels of distress. As a domestic violence survivor who also struggled with chronic health conditions due to PTSD, Sydney is now deeply passionate about advocating for access to holistic wellness practices and education on nervous system regulation within public health programs. Today, she shares her love of community and holistic treatment as the Community Engagement Specialist & Somatic Coach at The Archangel Centers, a substance use disorder treatment facility in Tinton Falls, owned by the Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino.
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Outside of her professional life, Sydney is a proud mom to a wonderful 6 year-old girl. She enjoys reading, swimming, yoga, and crocheting ;especially at the beach! She also loves watching comedy TV, spending quality time with friends and family, and keeping up with the latest celebrity gossip.
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Hope to see you there!
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​Tuesday February 17th - 7:00 -8:30pm
West Long Branch Community Center
115 Locust Ave., W Long Branch, NJ
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February is Heart Health Month! In flow with that, Susan Marco will share with us about heart coherence, which can be a powerful addition to your self-care.
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When you love someone impacted by substance use disorder, your heart is often under constant strain - emotionally and physically.
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Heart coherence is a simple, evidence-based practice that helps regulate the nervous system by bringing the heart, breath, and mind into alignment. When this happens, stress hormones decrease, emotional clarity improves, and the body shifts out of survival mode.
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For family members, heart coherence isn’t about fixing anyone else, it’s about supporting your own well-being. It can help calm anxiety, reduce emotional overwhelm, strengthen boundaries, and support heart health during prolonged stress.
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Join us as we explore how heart coherence can become a practical, everyday tool for resilience, regulation, and self-care - especially when life feels uncertain.
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Because caring for yourself is not selfish. It’s essential.
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Hope to see you there!
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​Tuesday January 20th - 7:00 -8:30pm
West Long Branch Community Center
115 Locust Ave., W Long Branch, NJ
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Healing from Violence
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This is a tender topic, but an important one.. What do you do, or how do you handle when you think there is violence involved, or know it. And even if this is not part of your story, this presenter has a lot of wisdom to share about resilience and recovery!
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Kim Ciccone is a domestic violence advocate and community care liaison who uses her lived experience with domestic violence, mental health challenges, and substance use to bring awareness, compassion, and hope to others. Her story reflects the deep connections between trauma and the ways people cope, as well as the strength it takes to rebuild. By transforming her pain into something bigger.
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Kim now speaks to empower individuals and families, reduce stigma, and remind others that healing is possible and that something beautiful can grow from even the hardest experiences.
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Our presenter this month is an amazing woman with so much wisdom to share. She is a survivor of many things, and is an advocate for people getting the real help they need. Beautiful, inside and out, I hope you will come and support and be supported!
Hope to see you there!
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