Working on my Own Recovery
She is facing some hard truths as she looks back on the past ten years of her husband's addiction. He is finally sober, but he has yet to acknowledge …
Recovery for Family member
Tough Love? Really?
Tough love, I was told, was the only hope I had left. So I tried it and things got worse. I hated it and it didn't even work. Then I developed a perso…
Podcast: “Interview With Laurie’s Son Tommy”
In today's podcast, Laurie's son Tommy opens up about his experience with SUD with a very moving account of surviving a terrifying overdose. This stro…
Podcast: “How Useful Are These Support Groups Anyway?”
In this week's podcast, Laurie and Annie compare support group experiences. They discuss what is helpful and what works, the importance of being among…
Podcast: “Annie and Laurie Tell Their Own Stories”
Laurie and Annie tell their own stories as mothers facing an addicted loved one. They discuss their backgrounds and family dynamics, speak about their…
Please Don’t Tell me to Detach!
If you are the bystander watching this brutal disease from the front row, what do you do? Detach from someone you love as they are spiraling? What doe…
Reaching Level 10 Stress…and Stepping Away
The long-term stress I experienced caused me to become very forgetful, hasty in my decisions, confused and socially awkward. I also noticed that durin…
Is Your Hope at the Mercy of Others?
Through recovery work, I have learned to stop expecting people to be different and to reduce the frustration that comes from trying to cause a person …
You Oughta Be Ashamed of Yourself!
Positive reinforcement, as basic and childlike as that sounds, is a motivating force for progress. Speaking to someone’s goodness despite their wron…
What I Did to Get Better
If I'm out at a party at a friend's house, staying present in the party, in the moment, and enjoying every single moment with them, because that's whe…
