My business takes me to all sorts of exciting places to see and experience all sorts of things. But few things give me more joy than to watch a family successfully maintain a boundary hold with a loved one. I put it right up there with watching the recovery “light come on.”An addiction boundary hold […]
June 29, 2013
Age-Specific Treatment and Family Involvement Are Key
Young adulthood is a period of self-discovery and exploration. Many are experiencing life on their own for the first time while trying to figure out a path for the future. Pressure to balance work, school and a social life can sometimes be challenging and leaves some looking for an escape. In a world where popular […]
June 28, 2013
Anger Disguised as Boundaries
In my years working at treatment centers, I’ve watched a lot of clients come and go. One thing you always determine when a new client lands in your treatment center is the strength of the family supporting him or her. Quite often you would hear from another team member, “the family is strong, they want […]
June 25, 2013
Codependency Defined
Am I a Codependent? So often this is the question loved ones of addicts and alcoholics have to ask themselves. Before we go too far lets first define what codependency is. Merriam-Webster defines codependency in the following way: a psychological condition or a relationship in which a person is controlled or manipulated by another who […]
June 11, 2013
Focus on the Solution Rather than the Problem
Addiction is a family disease. Wherever there is addiction there is enabling. Addiction is like fire, and enabling is the oxygen that addiction needs to continue to burn. Not only is the addict suffering, but the family suffers as well. It is so easy to stay focused on the problem, and as an addict I […]
June 11, 2013
What is the REAL problem in addiction?
Addiction and alcoholism have such a stigma attached to them. The belief is that the addict should be able to stop if they really wanted to, and that since they aren’t that person is weak-minded, less-than, or just a mental defect. We can look at our cities and see the struggling souls that live under […]
May 24, 2013
Funny Thing Happened on the Way Home From Rehab
As I write this, I’m sitting on a plane as I return home from taking a client to treatment after an intervention. This person began the process of recovery from heroin addiction last night as they checked into a treatment center. In the row of seats behind me is a man who I have to […]
