
Sometimes we need a study to prove something we have known for a very long time—that we have been feeling bad about ourselves for as long as we can remember. Read it and Weep In an article originally published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention and blogged about by …
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"depression", Addiction, anger in women, book clubs, dieting, feeling bad about yourself, girly thoughts, grief, hope in taking charge of your thinking, hormonal changes, impossible images of perfection, over eating, over-drinking, self-sabotage, speaking to girls in your family, too much wine, weight concern in childhood, working a second shift at home

Have you ever gotten something really wrong? Have you ever based your conclusions on little fact and many feelings, and as a result you painted a truly erroneous picture for yourself of what you were dealing with? I know I have, and recently. My latest error didn’t begin with misunderstanding a Facebook post, …
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"trauma", Addiction, assumptions, Children, council on alcoholism, fantasies, friends, geographically challenged, girly thoughts, Grand Island, Grand Island Nebraska, major wrong assumptions, Nebraska, new york city, toxic self-talk, trauma and addiction, women, women empowerment

Four years ago when my book, “The Law of Sobriety: Attracting Positive Energy for a Powerful Recovery” came out I knew there had to be ways to get my message out besides the book so I did speaking engagements, tele-conferences, workshops, television and radio interviews; but something was still missing. I knew there was more …
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"recovery", Addiction, law of attraction, law of sobriety

It has long been understood in the vernacular of the addictions field that those whose “lives become unmanageable” through excessive use of drugs and alcohol may be trying to “drown their pain.” While initially, addicts may feel they have found a way to manage a pain-filled inner world, this synthetic form of mood management can …
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"depression", abusive family, ACOA, Addiction, anxiety, avoidance, childhood development, constriction, cycles of reenactment, developmental deficits, emotional triggering, fight or flight, high-risk behaviors, hypervigilance, impulsive behavior, learned helplessness, modulate emotions, mood management, numbness, physical abuse, rigid psychological defenses, self-medicating, sexual abuse, substance abuse, survival guilt, traumatic bonds, traumatic memory, trust issues

“Dear Higher Power, I come to you seeking help.” With that simple sentence and heartfelt sentiment I, a self-identified recovering Roman Catholic, made a dramatic surrender and concerted effort to connect with my Higher Power. In Twelve Step recovery this is expressed in Step Eleven, “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact …
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12 step recovery, 12 steps, Addiction, faith, higher power, relationships, romantic relationships, sobriety, step 11
I just started another college semester this week, and in that very first class the discussion centered on what is really important in making a first-class addiction counselor. As discussion progressed, a student came to a conclusion, “ that experience seems to be the only way to really know counseling.” That’s not quite true. I …
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Addiction, substance abuse
I sometimes notice substance abuse professionals who believe they understand addiction concepts and behaviors when, in fact, they don’t. One main reason for this false impression is that they have a profound belief that naming a particular behavior or concept, explains it. A more technical term for this naming problem is the phrase called the …
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Addiction, addiction assessment, Addiction Treatment, critical thinking, fallacy

I was a recent speaker at a “Theology on Tap” lecture. This speaker series takes place in the fun, relaxed setting of a local pub, and my topic, of course, was my latest book, The Resilient Woman. All was going well when I was asked, “Who are your models for resilience?” I had an …
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"trauma", Addiction, heroine, Patricia O'Gorman, resilient, role models, woman, Women's Issues