On March 20th , 2013, something happened that changed my entire life and way of living. I can only hope and pray that this change is forever. I started drinking around the age of 14 but was introduced to alcohol much earlier. When I was about 4 or 5 years old, I would sneak up

I’ve been a photographer since I was 11 years old. I had my own darkroom and loved everything about the hobby. As an adult, I worked as a Still Man for commercials and movies and shot tons of modeling composites. Once my addiction progressed, I neglected photography like I did everything else. Fast forward to 10

In my previous posting to this site, I discussed the importance of Step 1 and ways in which it can be worked. In this post I will discuss Step 2 in similar fashion. Step 2 reads as follows: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Thoroughly working Step

  “We need to learn to stick to our boundaries and not bend” Sign up for Sherry Gabas Course HERE Sherry Gaba, LCSW  is a Psychotherapist, Life Coach, and Certified Recovery Coach specializing in individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy and maintains a private practice in Westlake Village, CA, as well as providing phone and skype

  In today’s world, recovery from addiction typically starts in rehab, followed by addiction focused outpatient therapy, 12 step meetings, and step work. Most of the time, as recovering addicts grow comfortable with their sobriety, they rely less on professional help and more on 12 step support groups and continual working of the steps. This,

  I quit drinking, That was hard; it was imperative, it was time, I had hit bottom. It was still hard. I quit taking drugs. Again, it was crucial; it was life saving, and it was hard. Working the steps: hard. Living life on life’s terms: hard. Learning to do things clean and sober for

   Slowly my need for alcohol diminished. I was no longer afraid of facing my emotions. When my life hit that famous rock bottom in 2013, I didn’t go to a meeting or to treatment. I didn’t even accept that alcohol was playing a part in the disintegration of my ability to get through life’s

Many recovering addicts choose to seek help in therapy as well as twelve step rooms. Sometimes this begins with a stay at an inpatient rehab followed by standard outpatient therapy. Other times addicts skip rehab and seek standard outpatient treatment right away. Either way, therapists who specialize in addiction treatment (and even those who don’t)

  Despite being born into movie star fame and wealth, Carrie Fisher still didn’t manage to escape addiction and ill mental health. She was an outspoken advocate for both throughout her life and wrote books and screenplays about the issues. Carrie Fisher was the daughter of movie star Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher, some

  It seems that each time my friend and I read a couple of chapters for my review, we see that the topics mesh effortlessly. I can’t imagine two more closely connected chapters than the topics of domestic abuse and violence and shame. We are reminded by Rosemary O’Connor, the author of this book, that