Solo Arts Heal with Alex Kaplan

Alex, a Philadelphia native and LA transplant, was trained as an actor in the University of Miami’s conservatory and transitioned to a career behind the camera as a producer and director for the past decade.

Today, Alex is the Co-founding Executive Director & Chief Vision Officer at Of Substance (OfSubstance.org), an innovative non-profit revolutionizing addiction and mental health treatment, education, and support, using premium entertaining short films as a tool for deeper healing, growth, and transformation.

After surviving his own battles with addiction, Alex recognized the power of story as a tool in his recovery and found an exciting way to use his filmmaking experience to help others on their paths of overcoming struggles of shame & isolation. The biggest thing he learned on his journey is that his issue was far less about using substances than it was about WHY he used substances; It was about shame, isolation, a fear of not belonging, and a fear of not being good enough.

Alex and his co-founder Brian Gallagher built Of Substance to help us all recognize that we’re not alone in these feelings and to positively transform people’s relationships with themselves, others, and their beliefs in what’s possible.

“Our film “Trapped” is not simply for those of us who struggle with substance use, it’s for all of us who feel trapped sometimes. Hopefully Trapped will help us all better empathize with one another, recognizing and relating to the feeling and experience. This film helped my mother stop asking me “Why can’t you stop drinking?” and finally move our conversation forward to “I see you, I love you, I’m with you.” Our hopes are that this film can do that for you and your loved ones as well.” – Alex

 

Watch the performance here: