Oh my grief by MaryBeth Cichocki
“Now he is gone, and I’m told I have to accept and go on. How does a mother learn to accept the death of her youngest child? There are no magic pills that will make my shattered heart whole again,” wrote MaryBeth Cichocki in her 2015 post, Coping With a Son’s Death by Drug Overdose.…
Read MoreWhat to Say to Someone With a Drinking Problem
What to say to someone with a drinking problem? Where to begin! If you’re reading this post, you have likely been hurt, frustrated, concerned, angered, and/or scared by a loved one’s drinking. You’ve likely tried talking, yelling, cajoling, negotiating, looking the other way, believing their promise(s) to stop or cut down, but so far, nothing’s…
Read MoreWhy Was His Abuse So Extreme?
“Why was his abuse so extreme?” was the question recently asked by a reader of one of my blog posts. She had described her loved one’s behaviors over the course of several years, a loved one who had a severe alcohol use disorder. His behaviors directed at her were so mean-spirited, despicable, and twisted, and…
Read MoreEmotional Sobriety – Guest Author Kate Adermann
Emotional sobriety vs. just abstinence is a significant piece to one’s success in “living” their lives in recovery from alcohol or other drug addictions (substance use disorders). As today’s guest author, Kate Adermann, explains, “[t]he only thing worse than being caught up in active addiction is to live an abstinent life without having emotional sobriety.” …
Read MoreChildren’s Books to Help Talk About Trauma | ACEs
“Do you know of any children’s books to help talk about trauma | ACEs?” asked one of the attendees at a recent presentation I gave. It was titled, Building Resilience Through Understanding Substance Use Disorder and It’s Impacts on Others. It was one in a series of three talks I’m giving on this topic. In this case it was for the San Joaquin County Office of Education and the San Joaquin County Children’s Services Coordinating Commission.
Read MoreEating Disorders and ACEs | #ComeAsYouAre
Understanding the connection between eating disorders and ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) formed the basis of the final stage of my bulimia recovery. The #ComeAsYouAre hashtag on Instagram shared in this post title was part of the National Eating Disorders Association’s (NEAD) 2019 Eating Disorders Awareness Week. As NEAD explained its objective, For us, Come as…
Read MoreGetting Sober While Also Grieving
It’s difficult to imagine trying to get sober from substance use disorder while also grieving the loss of a beloved parent. Grief, in and of itself, can be overwhelming and difficult to move through. But to also be treating a sever substance order at the same — having to turn away from the “thing” that…
Read MoreParenting With ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
Parenting with ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) can be devastatingly hard for both the parent and the child. The Center for Youth Wellness in San Francisco has launched a new blog for parents who are parenting with ACEs as part of its StressHealth.org initiative. But First – a Bit About ACEs – Adverse Childhood Experiences Background…
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