Blog

Celebrate with a New Brain

image of human body and dna

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 ]

Gratitude is a tool; not a panacea

I believe in an intentional gratitude practice. There is science behind it. Since dropping down to “just” one job setting (my business for self/private practice), I have been working on developing a more consistent a.m. and p.m. routine which includes a gratitude practice. I am a certified Appreciative Living Leader; a way of structuring a spiritual and personal development practice...[ read more ]

But, What Do I Do At Parties?

a champagne glass with confetti to show you can have fun without alcohol

But, What Do I Do At Parties? One of the first questions I get asked early and often in working with clients who are trying to change their relationship with alcohol is “But what about parties?” Here are some of the forms that question takes: What do I do when someone offers a drink? What do I say when someone...[ read more ]

Your Definitive Guide To a Happy Sober Holiday Season – Tools And Tips

desk with holiday items to show that you have to plan to have a successful sober holiday

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

holiday cookies to remind readers of the need to be intentional about crafting a sober holiday season for success in substance abuse recovery

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

Happy Sober Holidays require planning but can be fun

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 ]

7 Reasons You Should Start a Gratitude Practice Today

a gratitude word scramble to reinforce the idea of gratitude as a recovery skill in substance abuse recovery

7 Reasons You Should Start a Gratitude Practice Today November is known in the Recovery Community as “Gratitude Month.” Go to a 12-Step Meeting in the month of November, and the selected topic is even more likely to be “gratitude.” (In case you are not aware, gratitude is a common meeting topic the other 11 months, too.) Meeting attendees are...[ read more ]

One Small Happiness: The Power to Change the Things You Can

a picture of a seasonally decorated part of my house to support celebrating small joys

One Small Happiness: The Power to Change the Things You Can   It’s the end of Spring Break. I’ve spent the day refreshing my home. And reflecting – mostly reflecting that my Spring Break wasn’t as productive as I had planned. Many of you reading know that I have a job role as an Administrator/School Counselor at a small private...[ read more ]

Resentment and Forgiveness: Which Brain Are You Building?

“Your resentment trains you to see evidence of your rightness.” Briana and Dr. Peter Borten (The Dragontree)   The above quote was part of my meditation material this morning. In 1939, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) identified resentment as a significant issue for persons with a substance use problem, and science has since produced significant research supporting the need for healthy habits...[ read more ]



24618 Kingsland Blvd 2nd Floor, Room 8
Katy, TX 77494
On the left hand side of the CLS building

recoverytherapist@joanneketch.com
(281) 740-7563


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