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

  “I wanted to design a course that was a one stop shop as well as having access to a supportive community. It’s kind of what I wish I had when I came into recovery first.”   Following on from our last podcast with Dawn Clancy of Growing Up Chaotic, we disucss Dawns new first ever

   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,