Kinder is Stronger: The Case for Self-Compassion
Kinder is Stronger: The Case for Self-Compassion When you have experienced a traumatic event or developed post-traumatic stress disorder, it is difficult to have self-compassion. The wounds and untreated symptoms from living with trauma are frustrating, making it hard to go easy on yourself. Yet, developing self-compassion is an important part of overcoming the past […]
While We’re Focused on Opioids, Alcohol Abuse Remains a Leading Cause of Death
While We’re Focused on Opioids, Alcohol Abuse Remains a Leading Cause of Death Did you know that according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), nearly 88,000 people “die from alcohol-related causes annually, making it the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States”? In fact, recent statistics show that […]
Three Meditation Myths that Keep You from a Healthier Life
Three Meditation Myths that Keep You from a Healthier Life Meditative practices offer a simple, intuitive approach to improving your life and mental well being, yet many who could benefit from meditation are quickly deterred by misinformation. Meditation is not difficult, it has a huge positive impact on the brain, and anyone can make […]
What to Look for in an Addiction Treatment Center
What to Look for in an Addiction Treatment Center I very often get letters from frustrated, frightened parents of grown children who are addicts. These family members are desperate for help because they have sent their loved ones to countless treatment facilities to no good end. The addicts are still using and the family […]
Skeletons in the Closet: Three Health Conditions We Need to Talk About
Skeletons in the Closet: Three Health Conditions We Need to Talk About Not every topic is considered “polite.” There are some subjects people are encouraged to avoid in general conversation, like religion and politics. But certain health conditions are too often swept under the rug to avoid perceived embarrassment, and as a result people are […]
Don’t Give Up: How to Maintain Hope for the Addict in Your Life
Don’t Give Up: How to Maintain Hope for the Addict in Your Life I frequently receive late night calls, especially on the weekend, asking for help for a person with substance use disorder in need. Last weekend, a colleague needed a placement for a long time alcoholic. The alcoholic had previously “failed” at two facilities, […]
Four Reasons to Get Sober this Easter
Four Reasons to Get Sober this Easter Spring is a time of incredible transformations. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that freezes over the winter, the ground is usually just thawing out around this annual holiday that marks the end of winter and the long lead up to summer. Finding the “right” time […]
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: 3 Reasons You Can’t Ignore Trauma
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: 3 Reasons You Can’t Ignore Trauma When you face difficult times, you have two options: work through the difficulty you’ve encountered or try to avoid it. For many who have lived through a traumatic experience, going around or burying traumatic memories can feel like the only feasible […]
Yes, You Can: Four Ways to Strengthen Your Resilience
Yes, You Can: Four Ways to Strengthen Your Resilience Everyone knows someone who’s been through a horrifying experience, yet somehow manages to keep smiling. People like that usually come to mind when we lose it over small things, like having trouble finding a parking spot or unloading the groceries only to realize we forgot the […]
Why Me? Four Ways Spirituality Can Help You Cope with Difficult Experiences
Why Me? Four Ways Spirituality Can Help You Cope with Difficult Experiences People have always sought answers to the unexplained. From our earliest days humanity has searched for a deeper meaning to existence, especially in the face of unbearable conditions and experiences. Despite the long-running rift between science and spirituality, new research suggests that […]