Yea, that’s how I felt when the addiction research industry started - and continued - to talk about trauma. (Now that I think about it, The Brady Bunch is a good reference for this blog post. Those kids were YOUNG when their respective parents died. They had an understood “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule about talking about their grief and...[ read more ]
Introduction to Intervention I recently shared that I was going through my old blog posts and site copy to update to person first language.* I came across one of my first blog posts on the Myth of Readiness. In it, I discuss how it’s a commonly held belief that a person with a substance use disorder (SUD) needs to “be...[ read more ]
Party Time! In an older blog post titled “What Do I Do At Parties,” written to support persons in early recovery navigate social settings in which there will be alcohol, I wrote the following paragraph: “Finally, let’s be honest about the “how can I have fun without alcohol?” The answer to that is as varied and individual as there...[ read more ]
COVID 19, A New Normal and Being Tired “I’m so tired. Is that normal?” If you’ve ever been in therapy with me, you probably know I avoid the term “normal” in my clinical practice. I don’t find it helpful as most of the topics people ask the “normal” question about are highly contextual and in a range. Examples include...[ read more ]
Grief I forgot an assignment last month. Now, that might not seem like a big deal, but I am in in a Doctorate program; I have participated in a LOT of academics. I have 3 degrees and several certifications; I have done an s-ton of assignments, and never forgotten one until last month. Why? Grief. Did you know forgetfulness is...[ read more ]
Your Definitive Guide To a Happy Sober Holiday Season - Tools And Tips Welcome to the Tools and Techniques Entry. So far, you’ve reviewed your current status of recovery in general, and you’ve assessed your upcoming holiday specifically. Today we’ll build a list of tools and techniques that can help you curate a holiday season that you enjoy free of...[ read more ]
Your Definitive Guide to a Happy, Sober Holiday Season - People, Places, and Traditions “The Holidays” Those 2 words create feelings, emotions, and begin a series of automatic responses in people. For some, “the Holidays” creates feelings of fun, festive, family celebrations. They remember and anticipate laughter, Aunt Jen’s sugar cookies, Dad’s turkey, and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade...[ read more ]
Your Definitive Guide to a Happy and Sober Holiday Season - Accurate Status Assessment It’s common for newly sober persons to be concerned about “The Holidays.” Totally understandable. The holidays bring together many of the elements known to challenge sobriety or a recovery program: family, celebrations, cultural expectation of partying with alcohol, time demands, official and unofficial parties, money and...[ read more ]
The Science of Woo: Laughter Before I went to sleep last night, I laughed so hard tears were rolling down my cheeks. When I woke up this morning, my sides hurt. The same thing happened yesterday. This is a special and delightful weekend for the Recovery Therapist. My daughter graduated from college yesterday. That is, of course, one of my...[ read more ]
The Science of Woo: Gratitude “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson It was 1991 and a pleasant enough day. I was not employed, but had been...[ read more ]
