Once you’ve achieved sobriety – you’ve gotten clean and sober from alcohol or drugs – you might be tempted to think that you’ve done all you need to do. If it’s one thing that research studies have taught us, however, it’s that people in recovery who fail to actively work it are destined to relapse. […]
Why You Need To Work The Steps in Recovery Read More »
Searching for ways to help improve your recovery chances? This is a good sign that you’re on the right track. But recovery from substance abuse or process behavior addiction, as you know, isn’t always smooth sailing. It’s easy to get a little lost somewhere along the way. We’ve done some of the legwork for you
10 Secrets To Do Better In Recovery Read More »
Let’s face it. There are many things we all wish we could do over again – including those of us who are in recovery. In fact, it’s not stretching it to say that those in recovery anguish more over what’s happened in the past than most people. This is especially true during the first few
Facing Your Truth In Recovery: Sometimes It Hurts, But It Gets Better Read More »
Maybe you suspect this about yourself. Maybe you know it. But when you’re in recovery, doesn’t it often seem as if you’re gripped by the same type of obsession you once displayed toward drug or alcohol seeking and use? In a way, it’s very hard to change our behaviors – even when it’s for the
All or Nothing How to Avoid the Trap of Perfectionism in Recovery Read More »
With 23 years in recovery, Patricia (Pat) Womack has a unique way of connecting with her clients. “I’ve been to hell and back,” she said, “so while I may not know exactly how a client is feeling, I can tell them that I’ve been there and that I understand. It’s not just something I read
An Interview with Patricia Womack: Residential Counselor at Promises West Los Angeles Read More »
From being abused as a puppy by her original owners and being attacked by other dogs to surviving a handful of car accidents and two bouts of cancer, Chances, the lovable, often scarf-clad Boxer mix you’ve likely seen around Promises Treatment Centers, has been through a lot. But Patricia Meyers, Chances’ owner and Clinical Director
Chances the Dog: A Symbol of Recovery and Second Chances Read More »
You’ve heard of self-fulfilling prophecies, right? Well, when it comes to recovery from addiction, going around with a sour outlook is not only a miserable way to exist, it also can put a serious crimp in your recovery chances. Naturally, you want to do all you can to both jumpstart your sobriety and to ensure
Bad Expectations: How a Negative Outlook Can Ruin Your Recovery Chances Read More »
If you are among the millions of those in recovery who regularly attend 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) meetings, you already know that the Twelfth Step work involves sharing the A.A. message with other alcoholics – and that such an endeavor can help keep you sober. But there’s a lot of confusion over how you get
What it Means to be of Service to Others in Recovery Read More »
When you complete treatment for substance abuse or other addictive behavior and are beginning your recovery, you’re probably a little familiar with what to expect during those first few days and weeks. But having learned a bit about what will possibly happen and actually living it are two different things. Then, there’s the whole what
The First Year in Recovery: What to Expect Read More »
If you’ve just come out of treatment for drug or alcohol abuse, or if you are welcoming home someone from treatment, the prospect of what to expect during the first 30 days in recovery is probably pretty frightening. There’s good reason for that. In fact, the early days of recovery are the most critical. It’s
The First 30 Days in Recovery: What To Expect Read More »