Young and cheerful friends sitting and fry marshmallows near bonfire at night time on the nature Every one of us goes through times where we feel bogged down by negative emotions, triggered by traumatic or stressful events, and just generally at the end of our ropes. All this negativity can

Around this time of year, love is in the air and people everywhere are ready to celebrate that love with the ones closest to them. Sounds perfect, right? Well, if you don’t have that special someone to share the holiday with this year, you may not be feeling like celebrating.

Hands holding binoculars on green background, looking through binoculars, journey, find and search concept. Protecting your recovery at all costs must be emphasized at all stages of recovery.  Relapse starts well before a person picks up using a drink or a drug, so developing insight into your relapse triggers is

Why can’t they hear anything I say? How to overcome the challenges of communicating with a loved one struggling with addiction   Communicating with someone you love is not always easy.  Too often, conversations end with disagreements, misunderstandings and even broken relationships. If you are struggling to communicate with a

Elderly senior person or grandparent’s hands with red heart in support of nursing family caregiver for national hospice palliative care and family caregivers month concept Enabling and caregiving both involve a strong desire to love, help and nurture another person. These desires are amplified, often with a sense urgency and

Early recovery is often described as an emotional rollercoaster ride. Elation and relief can quickly turn into anger or shame as feelings come flooding back after being masked by substances for so long. Starting a recovery journal is a helpful way to make sense of these conflicting emotions. As the

The countdown to the holidays is on!  For many, holidays mean delightful aromas, twinkling lights and celebrations with friends and family. For some, along with the anticipation of sharing joyous times together comes the realization that the holidays can be challenging when you’re in recovery. But, there is good news!

  celebration, holidays and people concept – happy family having tea party at home In recent years, connecting and spending quality time with those we love has been increasingly difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, though, we have adapted and found ways to work alongside the pandemic so that

  When someone says, “Hey, how’s it going?” in passing, do you take a moment to think about your response? Or by way of verbal muscle memory, do you reply, “Good — and you?” Often, you probably respond and keep walking, not even stopping to hear what the person has

  Substance use disorder is something that impacts everyone in the wake of the disease…especially family members, close friends, and loved ones. When someone you love is suffering from the disease, they act in ways they would not typically act under normal circumstances. This can consume your life, and can often