Making Amends and Securing Ongoing Recovery There was a blog in the Huffington Post recently addressing the issue of amends. Speaking of active addictive behavior the writer described himself as one who didn’t take responsibility for his actions, who was subject to the thoughts of others for his understanding of self, thereby leaving himself vulnerable
Drop That Last Vice: Quit Smoking
Drop That Last Vice: Quit Smoking November 21 marks the Great American Smokeout, the 38th time that the American Cancer Society has sponsored the day. ACS offers the day as a target for smokers to quit. For one day, but ideally, forever. The list of diseases that smoking causes is long and the list of
Six Reasons a Gender Responsive Addiction Treatment Program is Best
Six Reasons a Gender Responsive Addiction Treatment Program is Best State and local Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations alike are becoming increasingly aware of the ways that race, class, and gender affect social issues. Drug addiction, poverty, and crime are all intertwined with these factors. A gender-responsive treatment program takes these issues into account. Drug treatment
How to Tell if My Son or Daughter is Struggling with Drug Addiction
How to Tell if My Son or Daughter is Struggling with Drug Addiction Today’s parents are under a great deal of pressure. Many are working more than one job just to keep the bills paid and food on the table. Raising children becomes even harder when you have to make the choice between working to
Recovery Month
Recovery Month Every September, SAMHSA sponsors Recovery Month to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover. {SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration} Addressing the real problem, bringing real change In honor of Recovery Month, I’ll celebrate 5 years of sobriety in November.
Managing Anxiety in Recovery from Addiction and Eating Disorders
Managing Anxiety in Recovery from Addiction and Eating Disorders Anxiety and anxiety disorders are a very real part of the struggle one faces when living with an eating disorder, addiction, or co-occurring disorders. Anxiety is more than just the feeling of stress. It is a combination of heightened nervousness, restlessness and constant worry, which is
RECO(very), a new kind of patient care
“Coming out of rehab was not the end of the story but the beginning. Getting sober is one thing—I did it hundreds of times—but staying sober is a daily challenge in which there are moments when it comes together and I felt certain I’d done the right thing, then times when it was painfully hard,”
Coping with End-of-Summer Transitions
Coping with End-of-Summer Transitions Stress is a major factor in most cases of addiction relapse. Life transitions are by definition stressful. So it follows that anyone in recovery, and especially in the early stages, does well to approach transition periods with extra caution. That also applies to “regular” transition periods such as the end of
What is EMDR?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a method for helping the brain resolve inner conflict. What does this mean for a potential client? Your brain can resolve inner conflict! Most clients come into my office hoping to resolve some emotion or behavior that is blocking them from living the way they want to. These
Change the Viewing, Change the Doing – Meditation as a Fear Conqueror
Change the Viewing, Change the Doing On a daily basis our society requires us to operate within a great amount of tunnel vision through activities such as driving, reading, and the ubiquitous use of electronics. Focusing with our eyes directs energy. In tunnel vision everything is focused with visual emphasis, no other senses are in