Archive for December 2019
True Beauty
About a year ago I sat in a large circle in a group therapy session that John Stewart was leading. John started by asking everyone in the circle to identify something beautiful about themselves. He said, “Tell everyone in the circle something beautiful about you.” I was startled and a little uncomfortable. I had never…
Read MoreMiracles
Maybe your mind works like mine. Maybe you are skeptical of stories like this. Read on and see what you think. I have an old silver dollar I keep in a red velvet case. It was my Grandfather’s. He bought a bunch of them after they stopped making silver coins. After he died, my Grandmother…
Read MoreAnother Year, A New You
As 2019 comes to a close, you can look back on the changes you have made in your life. Every day that you have lived sober and mentally healthy is a testament to how amazing you are. You are actively choosing, every day, to be a better person, to live a better life, and to…
Read MoreAbout Last Summer
You came, you worked, you laughed, and you cried. Embark Behavioral Health is more than just a day camp or summer camp, though. The work you did here was meant to change the way you think, the way you view life, and to change your actual life. Not just now, but forever. Hopefully, you also…
Read MoreDoes Social Media Keep Me from Being Connected to Others?
Social media is great for being informed about other people that we care enough to follow. How else would we know what Aunt Betty had for breakfast? How would we know what crazy thing our friend’s dog did this week? Learning about friends and family is how many people live now, taking the time that…
Read MoreUsing Social Media as Your Superpower
The headlines always focus on the negatives of social media. There are always stories of cyberbullying and abuse, often transferring into real-life tragedies. Or there are stories about social media being a negative influence on people, or how much time is “wasted” on social media. It’s about time that you start making headlines for using…
Read MoreStanding on My Own
Just like a toddler learning to walk, recovering from mental illness or substance use can be like learning something for the first time, too. Sure, we thought we knew how to do life. But then we realized that we weren’t actually walking, we were limping or crawling mentally. Now we have taken the first steps…
Read MoreHow Do I Know if I’m Addicted to Social Media?
Social media can be very enticing. It can suck us in and then it can be hours before we even realize what time it is. Some apps are specifically designed to keep us checking around the clock. With others, it is the constant stream of content that keeps us coming back and clicking day and…
Read MoreTechnology Versus Reality
Virtual Reality used to be a dream, but now it is actually a reality. Perhaps in more ways than one. With how dependent we have become on technology for school, work, entertainment, and communication, our realities are practically all virtual now, we are always looking at a screen somewhere. Do we still know the difference…
Read MoreFinding My Voice
We started by losing control. Whether it was mental health or drinking or drugs, we had enough behaviors that we had to seek treatment. Now that we have worked through the treatment process, we are working our way through life. As we continue to find what helps us to be our best person, we also…
Read MoreThe Darkest Shade of Night
I have an old iron box that holds things that are important to me. A pearl necklace my mother wore. A shark tooth from Mexico. A medal I earned once upon a time. It is a simple thing. Metal and fabric. It’s even kind of ugly. But it is a symbol of an important day…
Read MoreAn Experiential Family Approach to Healing BPD
We were huddled around a bonfire during a heat wave in July. Julie’s mother was holding an empty bottle of painkillers in her hand. She raised the bottle and held it over the flames. I had led scores of burning ceremonies for students over the years, but I’d never had a parent spontaneously participate before.…
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