Front Porch Thoughts

Shame. Stigma. Isolation. Pain. Just a few of the symptoms of the struggle faced by millions suffering from mental health conditions.  By dedicating a month to supporting those who struggle with mental illness, we raise awareness of the need...

Mother’s Day. How is it for you? The family systems illness of substance use disorder has a way of upending The Day. That’s the insidious nature of this disease: it is an equal opportunity destroyer of self-esteem and happiness.  We...

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of...

If you yourself are at peace, then there is at least some peace in the world. Thomas Merton React or respond. The choice is always ours. Whether we choose a measured response or an emotionally charged reaction is the...

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”  C.S. Lewis Regrets. Over the years I have spoken with many parents about the impact of addiction on their families...

Hope. Isn’t that what this holiday season is about? As families gather to celebrate both Easter and Passover for the second time in Covid, we all are invited to reflect on the power of hope in our lives.  Both...

You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith...

Sometimes as the parent of an adult child struggling in addiction, your life can feel like treacherous maze. There are so many twists and turns to trying to get your adult child help and ride out the chaos and...

We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening,...

Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today. Will Rogers  Reminiscing about times past is a delightful thing to do in a perfect world.  Families gather to enjoy old home videos and look at photo albums together. They...