Expert Columns

“When am I ready to date in my recovery?” It’s a very common question and a source of much discussion and even debate in recovery circles, from therapy and 12-step groups to blogs, forums, and chat rooms. There can be different answers, too, depending on who you talk to. We decided to consult one of our in-house ... Read More

If a global pandemic has taught American workers anything, it is that they matter and that their health and safety are a priority. The “Great Resignation,” a trend in which more Americans have reportedly quit their jobs than at any time since the U.S. Labor Department first began keeping track of employment stats, has ... Read More

Treatment for a mental health issue like anxiety, depression, or addiction typically begins with a phone call. Whether it is made by the individual seeking treatment or a concerned family member in need of support, this first call is critical to getting help; but it also can seem scary when you don’t know what it might ... Read More

Not everyone with a drug or alcohol addiction did poorly during the pandemic. Some people in recovery fared better. That is the conclusion of psychiatrist Anna Lembke and author of Dopamine Nation, in an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross in August 2021. When asked how the pandemic had affected various addictions, ... Read More

“Tough love” has become a catchphrase in the recovery community. It can have various connotations but in its broader sense is a way to answer the question of how to love someone with addiction while exercising healthy boundaries. Naturally, this can be very challenging. As it is, knowing how to love anyone can be ... Read More

“Burnout” is an increasingly familiar phenomenon lately. The term has come to describe the experience of record numbers of Americans, whose work lives became unsustainable or overwhelming during the COVID pandemic. Burnout is largely “an occupational phenomenon,” according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO's) ... Read More

Whereas a return to normal life after Covid once seemed far off, today many Americans are thankfully returning to the office and other aspects of pre-pandemic life: dining out, workouts at the gym, worship, the theatre, kids’ sporting events, and so on. With this return to more of a sense of normalcy, many people are ... Read More

An estimated 50 million Americans, or one in five adults, live with chronic pain, according to 2021 data published in the journal Pain. It is a serious medical condition that like other medical issues requires treatment. Sometimes, though, stigmas around chronic pain can make life worse for people who live with it. ... Read More