One of the hardest loves is the love for yourself. Why? Because it’s a deceptive concept. First of all, it seems so attainable—after all, you […] Read More
Tag: healing centered engagement
This post was also featured at Wisconsin Voices for Recovery. It’s funny how many people still consider addiction (substance use disorder) a thing that it […] Read More
Imagine an ad that reads: “David was experiencing anxiety, depression, lack of sleep, and morning shakes. When medications and attempting to moderate proved less and […] Read More
Our lives often begin in the realm of fantasy. Because what is childhood if not one big world of where the impossible seems absolutely possible […] Read More
I very much enjoyed interacting with other adoptees at the Indiana Adoptee Network 3rd Annual Conference in Indianapolis. Here I’m sharing my perspectives in a […] Read More
I was honored to present at the American Adoption Congress 40th Annual International Conference in Washington, DC. U.S.A. I shared my perspectives in a seminar […] Read More
One of the most rewarding, but also the hardest aspects of recovery, is being able to right some of the wrongs done in the past. […] Read More
One of the buzzwords of the last few years has been “self-care”—it moved from the offices of therapists to the outside world (self-help world, new-age […] Read More
Becoming free from substance use for the first time is a scary concept for most people with addiction. After all, you’ll no longer have access […] Read More
In my quest for self-discovery, as well as in my work as a professional, I’ve been astonished to find out how complex the issue of […] Read More
The myth of a person with a substance use disorder as a romantic and tragic figure remains a popular subject of films and books. Just […] Read More
I’ve heard many people say that they want to get clean and/or sober. Many of them have gotten sober. But many have never managed to […] Read More
I am honored to announce that I have accepted a position with the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Department […] Read More
When I first started going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, I did feel a strong sense of belonging. In the meetings, I heard people talk about […] Read More
I’m just going to straight-out say it: There’s no way the words “alcoholic” or “addict” are ever going to become words that evoke pure compassion […] Read More
Guest Blog at AA Beyond Belief: THE RIGHT WAY TO RECOVER? GASLIGHTING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION
The term “gaslighting” comes from a 1938 play called “Gaslight,” and it’s a story about a wife and a husband who’s set out on making […] Read More
The reasons for addiction, like snowflakes, have one thing in common—they are all absolutely unique. The intricacies of a snowflake pattern can be an easy […] Read More
Every day hundreds—thousands?— of persons with a substance use disorder make a decision to quit. How many of them actually do something about it right […] Read More
Recovery should be your number-one priority. Period. When you’re a person with substance-use disorder, you must spend the rest of your life fighting not to […] Read More
Unlike any addiction memoir you’ve read before, Parallel Universes: The Story of Rebirth, examines identity and what it means to be an adopted secularist in […] Read More