Read Part I of Ricks story here “On my second day in Germany, I got so drunk that the hangover lasted for three days…….” I drank and got drunk almost everyday that I spent in Germany. When I first got there, I fell in love with their beer and food. I never drank American

  I remember the first time that my father looked at me—really looked at me. I was in his car when my eyes caught a ray of sunlight pouring in through the windshield. He said something like, “Oh! Wow, baby girl. You really have light brown eyes!”  For the first time in my life, I

Raising a teenager can be challenging enough on a good day, let alone when they suffer from mental health and or addiction struggles. We long for our “little girl or boy”, the sweet and compliant child in awe of their parents. But, every parent who has lived through the teen years can tell you about

  If you think successful people lie, cheat and steal, you may be right, but it may not be what you think. Successful people take responsibility for the images they create and the things they tell themselves. Right out of the chute, we each come with the greatest computer on the planet. As complex as

Trauma and the 12 step meeting is the rebel 12 step group where the tough conversations take place Dr. Jamie Marich is definitely one of my favorite people in the recovery community. Her wisdom, knowledge, passion and professionalism towards her work is undeniable. She is not only brilliant in her field on a clinical level,

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

  Are You Ready For A Challenge? It wasn’t a resolution It was a revolution A mindset A sudden, complete change In my theme of Alignment, Abundance,and Adventure I wanted more Which meant I needed less. I needed less of what didn’t serve me I needed less of what dragged me down I needed less of what reminded

  “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