Best-Selling Author and Addiction Recovery Speaker Brandon Novak to Speak at Holy Family University

The May 6 event also features Nicholas Emeigh, associate executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Bucks County PA.

Holy Family University welcomes best-selling author and addiction recovery speaker Brandon Novak. The event will be held on Saturday, May 6 from  10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Holy Family University, Campus Center Gymnasium, 9801 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114.  The event is free to the public, and the venue includes free parking. This event is being sponsored by Holy Family’s Collegiate Recovery Program.

In addition, this event features Nicholas Emeigh, associate executive director of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Bucks County PA.

Novak is a skateboarder from the renowned Powell-Peralta team, an MTV celebrity (Viva La Bam, Bam’s Unholy Union), an alumnus of the Jackass motion picture series, a star of the legendary CKY skateboard video series, and author of his best-selling addiction memoir Dreamseller. He has made several appearances on The Howard Stern Show (in which he received recognition for one of Stern’s Top Ten Outrageous Moments.) Novak was also a guest host to Bam Margera on Sirius XM’s Radio Bam, and guest host on the TBS series Bam’s Badass Game Show.

Novak travels the country as an addiction/recovery public speaker, in an effort to raise awareness and help addicts and their families find the treatment they need.

Emeigh is a mental health advocate and public speaker with 7 years of continuous recovery from mental illness and substance use, and is a survivor of three suicide attempts. He proudly serves the community as Associate Executive Director for NAMI Bucks County PA providing help, hope, awareness and opportunities to Bucks County’s 640,000 residents.

Nicholas has frequently been called upon by local media outlets for comment as a fierce advocate for his peers – fellow human beings living with mental illness and substance use disorders. 

Holy Family University’s Collegiate Recovery Program supports a culture of recovery for students impacted by mental health concerns and addiction. The Program, supported by a grant from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation in collaboration with the Association of Recovery in Higher Education, supports students who are experiencing addiction, believe they may have an addiction, are in recovery, or have someone in their lives with addiction.

Guests will also have access to a resource fair. Featured organizations include

• Abbey's Bakery
• Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital 
• Family Services of Montgomery County 
• Project Transition
• Sanare Today 
• Plus a range of services and organizations supporting individuals impacted by mental health concerns and addiction.

For more information, or to feature your organization in the resource fair, please contact:

Patrick McElwaine, PsyD.
Associate Professor and Director, Graduate Programs in Counseling Psychology
267-341-4014  
pmcelwaine@holyfamily.edu