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

“I just want to be happy.” That’s a pretty common reply to the question, “What do you want in life?” So what is happiness? What causes it to be present and what causes it to flee? Is the problem with Happiness that we treat it like a noun, believing Happiness is a fixed destination much like a point on a

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)

  Theme parks. Party themes. Theme songs. Are you catching the theme? Themes are a way of organizing a big picture category, a vibe, a value, a guiding principle. Disney chose the theme “The Happiest Place on Earth” and everything associated with this franchise is driven to fulfill that experience. Resolutions are the typical theme of

 A few weeks ago, I got up early on a gorgeous Sunday morning. My plans were to take a nice long hike with my dogs, enjoy a cup of hot coffee on the deck then head off to church. My old lab was sniffing a bush, poking her big in and then suddenly she was completely

  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

  Have you ever noticed the best runners cross the finish line with a flourish? They save a burst for the end. They cross the line as winners. As we approach the finish line of 2016, do you find yourself looking at the goals you wanted to achieve while thinking or saying, “What’s the use,

********************************************** I am simply here today Just right here My mind is not in other places Hazy and unclear My eyes aren’t glued to glowing screens Reclining on my rear My memories aren’t wandering Lost in painful years I am simply here today Just right here My face is not in judgment mode Nose up

It’s been quite the year at I Love Recovery Café. We celebrated our one year Anniversary in September and The Café has developed into something I wasn’t quite expecting. Actually, I didn’t have expectations as such, it was a leap of faith and a turn of fate – you might say. But looking back over

  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