Tag: trauma

One of the hardest aspects of addiction is that it doesn’t just affect the person having it. I’ve talked about families of people with substance […] Read More

For me, one of the aspects of healthy recovery is learning about who I am and staying rigorously honest with myself about my reality. This […] Read More

One of the biggest misconceptions about addiction is that it’s some kind of a moral failing or a weakness and that the person with the […] Read More

Summer has ended. And with it the frenzy of celebrating in the sun, the garden parties, the patios, the BBQs, the long, lazy days on […] Read More

You’re here because you found out about me through the grapevine, maybe saw something on social media, maybe you’ve got my book. If you’ve been […] Read More

Sometimes when I think about my own recovery, I am amused at how demanding it can get. Or how demanding it used to be – […] Read More

I’m sorry, darling, but this is just not working for me anymore. It’s not you, it’s me. Or, perhaps I should say, it’s not me, […] Read More

For many people in recovery, there comes a time when it all becomes so… boring. Yup. The meetings, the retreats, the group sessions, the therapy, […] Read More

There’s so much more to sobriety than just quitting. I’ve learned that – and continue to do so – over the years since putting down […] Read More

There’s been lots of debate about addiction being a disease going on for as long as we’ve been identifying it as a problem. If we […] Read More

As an addictions specialist, one of the questions I often ask myself is: WHO is recovery for? It’s for myself as someone who has a […] Read More

“Trigger” is a very popular word in recovery circles and it has permanently entered our everyday language – you can read and hear it in […] Read More

There’s an adage in 12-step groups that says “principles before personalities,” and it’s a simple reminder that everyone in recovery should worry about the recovery […] Read More

According to two definitions, “dislocation” can mean “disturbance from a proper, original, or usual place or state” or “injury or disability caused when the normal […] Read More

There’s a misconception that with sobriety your life becomes amazing as you bask in the happiness of clean living and all of your problems seem […] Read More

One of the biggest enemies of recovery is complacency. There’s nothing wrong with feeling solid and sure in your sobriety, but when too much self-satisfaction […] Read More

As I’ve written before, substance use disorder (SUD) – a.k.a. addiction – is a complex and complicated disorder – one whose management can sometimes resemble […] Read More

Maybe it’s the promise of a warmer weather, my first foray to my happy place this spring (my lake retreat), or just a general feeling […] Read More