Blog

Staying Sober & Happy It can be all too easy to think of the recovery journey as one long slog devoid of joy or fun. After all, at the center of sobriety is a big list of “do nots”—as in: “Do not have a drink with your friends.” Or: “Do not go to parties where...

Road Work Ahead You are driving along the highway—maybe a road you have traveled many, many times—when you notice a sign announcing that construction is scheduled to begin soon. You might not think too much of it at first. But once the work begins, your commute gets...

Joblessness & Addiction: Which Comes First? Here’s a common brain teaser: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? We all know you need a chicken to get an egg (let’s agree we are talking about chicken eggs). And we all know you need an egg to get a chicken. So...

Generally, when we think about narcotics, we tend to think of illicit drugs like heroin. But narcotics are common in prescription painkillers. Now known more commonly as opioids, these drugs can be extremely helpful for someone struggling to manage pain....

Gratitude & Your Sobriety Back in the 1970s, singer-songwriter Mac Davis was a big deal. Among his biggest hits was a song called “Stop and Smell the Roses.” In the chorus, Davis sings: You got to stop and smell the roses You've got to count your many blessings...

Sometimes it seems like stress is going to overwhelm us. There is always a new deadline to meet. There is always a challenging relationship to manage—at home, at work, or both. There are bills to pay (when is that due?), and household upkeep (how long has it been...

Sugar & Your Recovery Late in the year, it can seem like the whole world is sprinkled with sugar. There are cookies and cakes and pies and candies and peppermint hot chocolate and pumpkin spice lattes. Everywhere you look, you’ll see something sweet to eat or...

Let’s face it: A lot of us are working a lot of hours. A lot. Sometimes it is because our primary job is extremely demanding. Maybe we are in a job where there is too much to do, not enough people to do it, and a management approach that rewards a willingness to work...

We all feel anxious from time to time. And you can probably remember plenty of times when you felt an acute sense of anxiety. Perhaps you had a big test, interview, or audition coming up. Maybe you needed to make a major presentation or give a speech to a full room....

Parenting Is Hard No matter how many kids you have or how old they are, there seems to be a never-ending stream of challenges. Can you afford all the diapers you need? Do you remember how to do long division? Can you get kid one to soccer practice and kid two to piano...