Your future is in your hands. You just have to plant the right seeds.
– Master Choa Kok Sui
Your future is in your hands. You just have to plant the right seeds.
– Master Choa Kok Sui
– Master Choa Kok Sui
– Master Choa Kok Sui
In 2021, Joe Brady found inspiration for Unicorns & Polka Dots while he and his wife, Karen, were raising their two grandchildren after the tragic loss of their daughter, Brianna, to an accidental opioid overdose.
Our vision is the promise of brighter days ahead for individuals struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) and their families on their journey to recovery.
–Unicorns & Polka Dots
Changing the stigma or perception of SUD takes a village. The road to recovery can be rough. Individuals and their families struggling with SUD often need help navigating the fragmented recovery process. With your help, we’re building a recovery college for SUD offering resources for prevention, treatment and recovery.
Unicorns & Polka Dots is continually adding events and programming that benefit individuals and families struggling with substance use disorder (SUD).
Over 70 men and women in recovery joined Unicorns & Polka Dots for our second Overcoming Fear Firewalk Event on September 28, 2024. The evening was filled with inspiring messages, strategies to help participants face and overcome fears, and stories sharing individuals' struggles and support. Participants had the opportunity to walk on crushed glass, bend steel rods by working together, break boards, and walk on hot embers.
As one participant stated, "This was life changing! I feel so empowered to tackle whatever life throws at me."
On September 19, The Hudson Community Foundation (HCF) hosted an impactful, live panel discussion titled "Breaking the Silence: Reducing the Stigma of Substance Use Disorder & Accessing Resources". Unicorns & Polka Dots' founder, Joe Brady, participated in the event, along with Dr. Nicole Labor, DO, FASAM. The event was live-streamed on HCF's Facebook page - www.facebook.com/myhcf.
Unicorns & Polka Dots hosted the first of two personal self-defense workshops on August 1 and it was a great success!
Conducted by Sam Rosenberg, founder of Live Ready and internationally recognized expert on personal safety, the event gave participants first-hand knowledge, insights and hands-on training for defending themselves.
One participant stated, "This was the very best and most informative workshop I have ever attended! My self-confidence is skyrocketing!"
Part 2 of our self-defense series will be on Thursday, October 10. Click here for more info or to register.
Unicorns & Polka Dots is excited to announce an upcoming event: Introduction to Chakras.
Join us on Saturday, August 3 at Journey Church Auditorium to learn the ancient wisdom of chakras and how to harmonize your mind, body, and spirit.
This is a FREE event for anyone in recovery who registers here or texts 440-653-0352. Space is limited to the first 25 registrants.
On Thursday, June 13, more than 150 people gathered to hear Dr. Nicole Labor deconstruct and addiction and provide valuable insight into substance use disorder (SUD).
The lecture given by Dr. Labor was fantastic and extremely well received.
To view the video of this event, click here.
Unicorns & Polka Dots and Dr. Nicole Labor were recently featured in a segment on Cleveland's NBC affiliate, WKYC.
Joe Brady and Dr. Labor discussed the upcoming event and what attendees can expect to learn during the presentation.
On Saturday, March 16th, Unicorns & Polka Dots was pleased to host a Yoga and Mindfulness Workshop for those in recovery. The event was very well attended!
A special shout out to our instructor, Mandy McIntyre, CEO of Levelup-Consultants (and a board member for Unicorns & Polka Dots) for such an awesome session.
As one participant noted, Unicorns & Polka Dots continues to offer workshops and events that are relevant and powerful to the healing process. And an extra special thank you to Tom Truelson with Forest Historical and Specialty Roofing for donating yoga mats for all participants.
On January 18, 2024, Mr. Bob Willis, CEO of Credit Repair Resources, conducted a fantastic workshop for men and women in recovery to discuss best practices to help restore and rebuild damaged credit. Bob also destroyed a number of myths surrounding the credit topic.
As one participant stated, “This workshop was phenomenal – I learned so much about the strategies and activities to practice to position myself for a solid and favorable credit record. Thank you to Unicorns & Polka Dots for bringing such a valuable resource to our recovery community!”
To learn more about Credit Repair Resources, visit www.crr760.com
Unicorns & Polka Dots is excited to announce that we have recently formed a Recovery Council, comprised of a select number of men and women in recovery.
Joe Brady, founder of Unicorns & Polka Dots states, "The wisdom, insights and ideas the members of our Recovery Council can share will provide valuable guidance as to how best to leverage our time, energy and activities to further strengthen the chances for successful recovery. Additionally, the information they share will continue to fuel our passion to make a significant difference in the lives of those working so hard in their recovery journey."
On September 27, 2023, Joe Brady, founder of Unicorns & Polka Dots, was one of several panelists who spoke to medical students at Case Western Reserve University regarding his experiences and perspectives on the impact of opiate use disorder on affected family members.
This was part of the medical student elective course on the opioid epidemic. Panelists and other family members affected by opiate use disorder also participated in the event.
On Saturday, September 16, over 130 people joined us for a moving night facing and overcoming fear.
Two speakers helped participants unleash their personal power to understand the role fear plays in our lives and how to overcome it. We got a greater understanding of the powerful mind-body connection and how it works in our daily lives.
If we can share one takeaway from this powerful event it would be this: developing and implementing strategies to manage and navigate through fear will allow you to generate the upward mobility to keep making progress and realize your dreams.
Participants were also able to take part in various events including breaking boards, walking on glass and firewalking (walking on hot embers).
The fight against substance use disorder (SUD) is never ending. Since its inception in 1998, nearly 2,000 people have successfully completed the Judge Larry A. Jones Drug Court program, benefiting not just the individuals involved, but also the community in which they live. On September 8, 2023, hundreds of people helped the Greater Cleveland Drug Court celebrate its 25th anniversary.
During the ceremony, the Court honored Joe Brady, founder of Unicorns & Polka Dots, for his work to help those battling substance use disorder in memory of his daughter, Brianna.
Unicorns & Polka Dots partnered with Kim's Martial Arts and held a six-week self-defense boot camp. The program was enthusiastically received and planning has already started to offer the program on a long-term basis, opening it up to a larger recovery-based audience.
Source: National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics
Source: National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services
Source: CDC
Dr. Glenn Doyle
Join us in the fight against substance use disorder (SUD).
Westshore Unitarian Church 20401 Hilliard Ave. Rocky River, OH 44116
Join us for an engaging and insightful experience that will forever change the way you view substance use disorder (SUD).
Led by Dr. Nicole ...
Westshore Unitarian Church 20401 Hilliard Ave. Rocky River, OH 44116
Stella Maris Auditorium 1320 Washington Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113
Unicorns & Polka Dots, in conjunction with Credit Repair Resources, is offering a credit repair workshop for individuals in recovery.
This is...
Stella Maris Auditorium 1320 Washington Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113
Additional dates & times to come
Unicorns & Polka Dots is providing monthly workshops on the strategies and value of networking to support the Edna House and their establish...
Additional dates & times to come
Unicorns & Polka Dots, in tandem with Kim's Martial Arts in Avon, Ohio, will be hosting a six-week course in self-defense for women in recov...
Music Box Supper Club on the West Bank of the Flats, Downtown Cleveland
A powerful evening filled with speakers who will share impactful education including entertainers—comedy, music and artists—who are in recov...
Music Box Supper Club on the West Bank of the Flats, Downtown Cleveland
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.