Finding Purpose

August 14th, 2019 | Posted by TJ Woodward in Addiction & Recovery | Health & Wellness | Integrative Living | Mindfulness | Spirit Recovery Blog | Uncategorized - (Comments Off on Finding Purpose)

When we talk about purpose, we generally refer to something in the outer realm, something we want to do. We tend to believe that if we achieve this thing or that thing, then we will acquire what we want, whether that’s fulfillment or happiness or a better standard of living. We often look at our …
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Addiction is a Brilliant Strategy

August 3rd, 2019 | Posted by TJ Woodward in Abuse | Addiction | Addiction & Recovery | Addiction Discussions | Alcohol Addiction | Counselor Education | Drug Addiction | Health & Wellness | Integrative Living | Love Addiction | Mindfulness | Spirit Recovery Blog | Uncategorized - (Comments Off on Addiction is a Brilliant Strategy)

We often hear addictive behavior described in other terms—as a disease, or as a coping mechanism. Both can seem inherently negative in connotation. They suggest that that there’s something wrong that needs to be fixed. “I am an addict and that’s what’s wrong.” In the western medical model, the problem is the disease of addiction, …
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What is Spiritual Disconnection?

July 16th, 2019 | Posted by TJ Woodward in Addiction | Addiction & Recovery | Addiction Discussions | Addiction Education | Health & Wellness | Integrative Living | Mindfulness | Spirit Recovery Blog | Uncategorized - (Comments Off on What is Spiritual Disconnection?)

“I am whole and perfect in every way.” From a spiritual perspective, life’s journey can be seen as an attempt to reclaim this truth. In fact, even our addictions can be a result of our attempts at restoration. Even our addictions can come out of the attempt to restore the connection to our true nature. …
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What is Unresolved Trauma?

July 2nd, 2019 | Posted by TJ Woodward in Addiction & Recovery | Health & Wellness | Integrative Living | Mindfulness | PTSD | Spirit Recovery Blog | Trauma - (Comments Off on What is Unresolved Trauma?)

The word “trauma” can bring to mind certain ideas or associations. War zones may come to mind, or serious accidents, or the loss of someone close to you, or childhood abuse. You may have read about research on the physical, mental, and emotional impacts of PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) on returning soldiers and victims of …
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For Mother’s Day, Consider This: Is Your Mother Driving You To Drink?

May 12th, 2017 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Addiction | Alcohol Addiction | Parenting | Relationships | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on For Mother’s Day, Consider This: Is Your Mother Driving You To Drink?)

All holidays are stressful. It’s either the good stress of trying to do all you have planned for those you love or the dread you feel about again being in certain family situations that you felt you “escaped” as an adult. Or maybe it’s a combination of the two. As complicated as family gatherings are, …
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How a Sober St. Patrick’s Day Can Be a Sexual Turn On

March 17th, 2017 | Posted by Patricia O'Gorman, PhD in Addiction | Girly Thoughts | Relationships | Sexuality | Women's Issues - (Comments Off on How a Sober St. Patrick’s Day Can Be a Sexual Turn On)

Are you making BIG plans for St. Patrick’s Day? Consider making this St. Patrick’s Day a sober one—for your sake.   Pub Crawl, Anyone?   St. Patrick’s Day used to be a day for families to celebrate the best in Irish culture. This included everything from proudly marching in a local parade to the “wearing …
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Incorporating the Principles of 12 Step Recovery into Addiction-Focused Therapy: Step 1

February 9th, 2017 | Posted by Rob Weiss in Addiction | Alcohol Addiction | Drug Addiction | Prescription Drug Addiction - (Comments Off on Incorporating the Principles of 12 Step Recovery into Addiction-Focused Therapy: Step 1)

In a previous posting to this site I wrote about the basic ways in which addiction treatment specialists and other therapists can fold 12 step principals and themes into therapy. In that article I discussed the belief that clinicians treating addicts should generally steer their clients toward the external social support and guidance offered by …
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Preventing Relapse: Best Practices in Addiction Treatment

January 8th, 2017 | Posted by Rob Weiss in Addiction | Addiction & Recovery - (Comments Off on Preventing Relapse: Best Practices in Addiction Treatment)

Back in the 1990s, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) published a monograph intended for use by therapists dealing with alcohol dependent individuals. Essentially, the NIAAA recommended that clinicians steer their alcoholic clients into Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) while simultaneously incorporating the principles of AA’s twelve steps into therapy sessions. The NIAAA’s monograph …
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Holiday Sanity and Sobriety: Tips for Recovering Addicts

December 13th, 2016 | Posted by Rob Weiss in Addiction & Recovery | Alcohol Addiction - (Comments Off on Holiday Sanity and Sobriety: Tips for Recovering Addicts)

The holiday season is supposed to be overflowing with joy. Most people, however, find themselves dealing with stress and anxiety more than any of the happier emotions. For recovering addicts in particular, the holidays can be a difficult time of year, as all of the extra emotional discomfort can and often does trigger a desire …
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