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Karpman’s Triangle Welcome back to our 3-part series about the family in addiction and recovery. In our last post, we explored some ways that addiction is damaging to family members and the family unit as a whole. Today, we’re going to look at some habitual patterns that can get in the way of a sustained […]

The Impact of Addiction on the Family Whether we want to believe it or not, addiction does not just impact one person. It spreads its tendrils out and touches the whole family. For the person misusing substances, getting honest about how their chemical use impacts their loved ones and effectively working with and through the […]

Trauma-Informed Care There was a time when trauma was seen as something experienced by relatively few people, and events and circumstances that are now understood as harmful and traumatic were even seen as preventive. Incest is an example. According to Bessel van der Kolk, in his book The Body Keeps the Score (2014), incest between […]

This year, 2020, has been something, hasn’t it? The COVID-19 Pandemic has altered the way we live generally – how we shop, if we socialize, how our children go to school, how we work.  It’s affected many people financially and even residentially. It’s also altered how we find support in our recovery from addiction. Where […]

It’s that time of year again. Thanksgiving has just ended, and Christmas is around the corner.  Whether you celebrate or don’t, the holiday season is upon us – even in 2020, the year of COVID-19.   On the surface, this is the time of year when twinkle lights go up around the neighborhood, Christmas songs […]

Nearly 15 million American adults have Social Anxiety. If you’re one of them, you know what a challenge it can be. It’s hard to enjoy life when you feel nervous, anxious, or panicked in social situations.   If you’ve suffered from Social Anxiety for some time, you’ve probably tried lots of different things. You may […]

During my Master’s Degree back in 2001, I worked at a residential addiction treatment center in Hawaii. When I walked in on my first day as a practicum student, I still had a ways to go in my degree, but I had some ideas of what kind of work I’d be doing – my parents […]

January 1st kicked off a new decade. It was time to open a new calendar and turn a new page.  The new year was supposed to be filled with possibility, adventures, and positive change.   The first lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 22, 2020.   The event might […]

Life can be really hard sometimes.  For many people, life’s hardships feel very difficult, but they are able to reach out for help from family, friends, or healthcare providers. For others, life’s hardships feel impossible, and rather than finding solace in social connections, they may isolate. Their pain can become overwhelming, and their need to […]

There are many pathways to long-term recovery from addiction.  One of those includes Sober Living Homes.  In this post, we’ll explore why moving from inpatient treatment or detox into a Sober Living Home might be a good idea.   Sober Living Homes are group homes that act as a bridge between the regimented therapeutic structure […]