Do They “Have to Want It?”
Do people "have to want" recovery? Reality is more complicated. We can give options, be open to process, and change our own behavior.
Author: Dominique Simon
Dominique launched Allies in Recovery in 2003. Her work has been featured on HBO and NPR. She is a facilitator and a trained speaker on issues of addiction and the family. She has worked extensively developing and evaluating federally-funded substance abuse programs for organizations and clinics throughout Massachusetts and New York. With an interest in recovery and substance abuse that spans 20 years, she sees a huge need to help families develop the skills to help a loved one recover fully in a supportive, whole, and lasting way in their families and in their communities. Her mission is to have Allies in Recovery fill that gap.
What Does It Mean to Be an Ally?
Being an ally means stepping up, learning to see chances to be a change agent -- for slow, methodical change.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
Embrace "beginner's mind"; make mistakes and learn; practice until the tools become automatic. Remember that change happens incrementally.
Building Your CRAFT Muscle
Begin with considering what you need to do. This leads to self-care, changing you, but also allowing your loved one new possibilities. Building Your C…
What Do You Do When You’ve Hit the Wall?
Emotions feel unmanageable? Step back. State them briefly, then take care of yourself. Give yourself compassion and patience.
Handling the Call Saying Treatment Is Terrible
You get a call: treatment is bad, and they want to leave. Hold the line. Tell them they can get something good from the situation.
What Do You Want, and What Do You Need?
When you're dealing with difficult circumstances and the actions of others, it's important to shift focus from external to internal, to pause and chec…
Interview with Christina Dent about Her Book ‘Curious’
Christina Dent discusses her new book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction. Christina grew up in a cons…
Trust, Hope, and Expectation
When it comes to hope, trust, and expectation, what's our part, and what's the part of others? Hope is ours. It's internal, doesn't damage anyone, and…
The Season of Expectations
Having expectations for others can be a difficult trap. When we have ideas about how things should go, we often try to manifest those expectations and…