In this Q&A, our Founder & CEO, Ben Mushlin, LCSW, explores why supporting the whole family, not just the individual, is central to helping adolescents and young adults build real, lasting resilience.
Ben discusses the rising prevalence of behavioral addictions like sports betting, gambling, and gaming, and how today's digital environment is creating new challenges for young people and the people who love them. Throughout, his message stays grounded in the values that guide our work at Searchlight: meeting people where they are, addressing the roots of addiction rather than only its symptoms, and equipping families with practical tools for the long road of healing.
In this episode from How Did You Get Here? hosted by Maya Kruger, Ben Mushlin, LCSW shares his journey from addiction to recovery, exploring the complexities of his identity as an adopted individual and the impact of generational trauma. He discusses the challenges of healing the inner adolescent, the importance of community in recovery, and the ongoing process of self-compassion. The conversation delves into the nuances of addiction as a coping mechanism and the significance of understanding one’s past to build a healthier future.
In this segment from NBC News Former Whippets Addict Gives Warning About Dangerous Drug Trend which aired in February of 2025, Ben Mushlin, LCSW, gives expert opinion on the dangers of Nitrous Oxide use, the rise of Galaxy Gas and brands like it, and the effect that Whippets are having on individuals
Ben Mushlin, LCSW, was featured as an expert voice in this piece from Real Simple offering a clinical and compassionate take on why today's news environment overwhelms us, and how to engage with it more intentionally. Ben reframed the problem as one of scale rather than weakness: our nervous systems evolved to track local threats, but are now asked to absorb "a war here, a financial shock there, a disaster somewhere else, all before lunch." The distress, he explained, lives in the gap between how much we care and how little we can do about most of what we take in. As he put it, underneath the compulsion to keep scrolling, there is almost always care.
Ben Mushlin, LCSW, Founder and CEO of Searchlight Therapy, was recently featured in Authority Magazine's "Mental Health Champions" series, which spotlights leaders working to promote mental wellness. In a wide-ranging conversation, Ben shares the personal recovery journey that shaped his career, the story behind founding Searchlight Therapy, and his vision for closing the gap in care for adolescents and young adults who need more than weekly therapy but less than residential treatment. He also speaks candidly about reducing stigma, the rise of behavioral addictions like sports betting and gaming among young people, and why families must be treated as essential partners in the healing process rather than left waiting in the hallway.
The interview also offers a look at the practices that sustain Ben's own wellbeing — from staying rooted in his recovery community to drawing on the wisdom of Rumi and Thich Nhat Hanh — along with his advice for anyone hesitating to pursue meaningful work: "The world doesn't need you to be finished; it needs you to be willing."