Featured in Alumni

Good ole cross-addiction, the act of laying down one addiction and picking up another. Drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, toxic relationships, shopping, and even eating all stimulate the brain's "pleasure center." For most of us in recovery, we can all recall a time when we convinced ourselves we needed to take a break ... Read More

Growing up, I always heard about ‘what a man should be.’ My dad would talk about it, TV and movies would preach it, and other kids in school would talk about it. Generally, a man should be the strong, silent type who never complains and takes care of their own personal problems. This was an ideal that was widespread ... Read More

The complicated thing about anxiety is that it’s not something we wear on our sleeves. I can only speak for myself, but when anxiety kicks into my life, there are not too many visible signs. Of course, it can be if I am dealing with something horrible. Mostly, I just get quiet and sit pretty still when the anxiety ... Read More

Living with anxiety is an exhausting ordeal. The constant fixation on what can happen next in life is something that can isolate you from enjoying anything you have in the present. The human mind is the most powerful thing in the world; if anxiety is a real issue for you, you know how delusional your anxiety can be if ... Read More

I have a confession to make. Despite being a writer, I don’t know all the letters of the alphabet. I don’t know y. Some of you may have groaned, some shook their heads, and others laughed. “Dad jokes” and in my world, mom jokes, are the cringe-worthy jokes that I enjoy the most. While I will never make a career as a ... Read More

There are not many things better in life than witnessing something so comical that it produces a guttural belly laugh. Why is it so great? Laughing naturally releases endorphins into your brain. Endorphins are the 'feel good' chemical that gets spread in our brain when we enjoy something. Think about eating that ... Read More

When describing my recovery journey, I do not say that I am recovered. This suggests that recovery ends. I think it is quite the opposite. Recovery and wellness, for me, is an ongoing journey. Recovery is a continuation of willingness to learn new things and admit the lessons learned along the way. The main lessons I ... Read More

I tend to cringe a little when I hear people use the word ‘spirituality.’ That’s not at all a knock against the practice, I believe I am a very spiritual person, but I found in early recovery it was a term used so much for way too many things. I include myself in that statement. I used it too much. When I got out of ... Read More