The hardest challenge I faced when I entered early sobriety was figuring out where I fit in. You may think I’m joking, but for me, something that fundamental was so difficult to decode and understand. I was caught between two lifestyles; being a party girl, and trying to remain social, but without the drugs and alcohol. I
“You might as well face it you’re addicted to Love” I really love that song. But it also kinda makes me cringe because it reminds me of how I used to think about love. I wasn’t addicted to love. I was addicted to being owned, admired, shown off. Plastic love with no depth. I’ll
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
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
The process of Recovery is all about learning to listen to our truth. When we tap into this place within, we practice listening to our voice more and become aware that we’ve had it all along. Getting down to causes and conditions allows us to tap into being quiet and as we continue to do
In the early stages of sobriety, most recovering addicts are so focused on staying sober and keeping up with the basic necessities of life that they forget about their need to be happy. And for a while this is fine, as establishing and maintaining sobriety can require a person’s entire focus for many months. Eventually,
I will never forget the first time I heard the phrase Surrender to Win. It was shared at one of the 12 step meetings I attended in early recovery. It’s a very powerful statement….but what does it mean? I give up? I’m a loser? My life is just over? I am a failure? Instead of
Sexual trauma and co-dependency….finding the connection will be interesting. In Rosemary O’Connor’s book about taking care of ourselves in order to take care of our kids, she discusses two topics that go to the core of our self-esteem. Trauma consists of a deeply distressing or disturbing experience and it affects us on all levels: physical,
Teens, by nature, are curious about sex, often to an extreme. Thus, it can be difficult to separate normal adolescent sexual behaviors from addiction. That said, teens absolutely can be sex addicts. In fact, as the internet has provided increased access to sexual content and contacts, therapists have seen an equal if not larger increase
Carolyn Elliott is my latest mentor and probably the most bullshit free teacher I’ve ever had. She has taught me the essence of being fearless and thorough, which is spoken about often in the recovery world, but rarely have I seen it……until now. This exquisite woman doesn’t just sparkle, she sizzles. When I came across