I Don’t Have a Hole in my Soul
I got physically sober in a hospital setting, which was followed by a residential treatment stay. There, I was introduced to a 12-step program, which
August 3, 2020
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Where to Go Now?
Consider these statistics from the recent AddictionPolicy.org COVID-19 survey: Twenty percent of respondents reported increased substance use since the COVID-19 pandemic began. One in three
July 27, 2020
Slow Down
In the past few months, many of us have been forced to really slow down. Whether we’ve lost our jobs, had them suspended, were told
July 13, 2020
Whose Recovery is Best?
Recently, there has been some upheaval in the recovery circles—especially the traditional ones, such as AA—about the article “The Patriarchy of Alcoholics Anonymous” by Holly
July 6, 2020
Don’t Stay Stuck
There are certain emotions that are more damaging to our well-being than others. Those emotions are guilt, fear, and shame. Yet many of us inexplicitly
June 19, 2020
Feeling Sorry for Yourself vs
Feeling Sorry for Yourself
It’s a given that the stories of people with trauma are tragic. It’s how we deal with those tragedies that decide on how successfully we
June 12, 2020
Doing it Better?
I’ve noticed something on social media that’s reminded me of something that used to happen in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous: people boasting about the
June 7, 2020
AA Beyond Belief Podcast: Adoptees and Addiction
Does relinquishment and/or adoption make one more susceptible to addiction? Are they froms of trauma? What should relinquishees in recovery avoid, and what should they
June 6, 2020
Solutions, Not Problems
Like an addiction, recovery too is stigmatized. Not a lot of people share with the world that they’re in recovery from addiction or trauma. Unlike
June 2, 2020
Safe Spaces
As the world slowly starts to loosen some of the restrictions with stores and public spaces opening, people are worried about safety. It seems that
May 28, 2020
Where to Next?
As the world is cautiously discussing easing down some of the restrictions and reopening businesses and institutions, people in recovery have an interesting dilemma to
May 25, 2020
It’s Not You – It’s Your Trauma
I’ve seen a lot of entrepreneurial and non-for-profit initiatives happening ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, and the lockdown. People are helping each other with
May 19, 2020
The Dangers of Boredom
One of the most difficult aspects of shelter-in-place orders is boredom. Anyone on social media can attest to that—people are posting funny memes that talk
May 15, 2020
Nonessential Addiction
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a progressive, chronic condition. There is no cure for it, and the only way to ensure recovery from it is
May 13, 2020
Guest Column at AA Agnostica – Acknowledge Your Reality
Thanks to AAAgnostca for sharing my post Acknowledge Your Reality The only “good” thing about COVID-19 is that with the current measures of social distancing,
May 11, 2020
Happy Mother’s Day Moms
Mother’s Day can be a very confusing time for adoptees/ relinquishees. Why? Because our lives are complex. Our relationships, or lack of relationships, are complex.
May 8, 2020
It’s What We Do About Fear and Failure That Matters
With the “New Reality” we’ve been forced to accept comes many new expectations. It’s easy to feel discouraged or downright depressed abandoning those expectations we
May 5, 2020
Take Care of You and Yours
If you’re like many people, you’ve probably learned a few things about yourself during this time of a mandatory lockdown. Whether good or bad, some
May 2, 2020
Guest Column at AA Agnostica – It’s Not You, It’s Them: How Zealots Threaten Your Safety
Posted on April 29, 2020, at AA Agnostica.org: It seems to me that now, more than ever, religion and religious beliefs have been at the
April 29, 2020
Get Calm and Carry On: Patience, Endurance, and Persistence Required
Like many of us, I’ve been spending a lot more time on social media lately because of the pandemic, and I’ve been noticing a troubling
April 27, 2020
