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I celebrated 30 years of recovery earlier this week at a 12-Step fellowship meeting.   That’s 10,976 days — one-day-at-a-time.   When I first began to attend those fellowship meetings, I never dreamed I would someday be what they call an...

During the years my son was in a heartbreaking addiction free fall, nights were my enemy. Particularly the middle of the night.  For years it felt as if I set an alarm for 2 am. I would wake up...

When my son was struggling in active addiction it was pretty easy to see what his part of the problem was.  The chaos and self- destruction resulting from his alcohol and drug abuse was front and center in our...

Encouragement. I was desperate for it when we were struggling in the family system disease of substance use disorder. And it was in very short supply. Addiction – which impacts every member of a family – can wear you...

Father’s Day can be an excruciating 24 hours for families struggling with the systems illness of addiction. There are so many perfect Hallmark card expectations of how family relationships are supposed to be. All together painful. Before our son, JP,...

We’ve got your back. That’s the spirit of those active in recovery communities. They understand the battle against addiction from the inside. Because they have walked a mile – or 10,000 miles – in your shoes. Over the years, I have had...

At the risk of sounding like a lite weight, I’ve really come to  really appreciate those short encouraging quotes that come up on social media feeds.  I know some are a little overused. (How many warrior princess- posts can you...

Like so many, I start the day with a time of spiritual reading, reflection and prayer. To be honest, many mornings I am trying to just focus my sleepy eyes on the words and gulp down a cup of...

Thankfully, I lived in a home committed to a 12-Step way of life in my early adulthood.  Seeing family members restored to the best version of themselves through participation in 12-Step fellowships and friendships was a game changer for...

It’s Mother’s Day and this year has forced so many families to celebrate at a great distance. For some of us that distance existed long before the disease of Covid-19.  It existed from the fallout of the family systems...