PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
Love Transforms Through Understanding and Faith
I am a proud father and grandfather of three grown children and four beautiful grandchildren. I was raised in a major city in the Midwest. My family was deeply affected by substance use disorder. My father battled alcohol addiction for years, but he finally stopped...
The Hardest Lesson in Parenting How I Found Peace in Loving My Adult Child Exactly Where He Is
We are a family of four. My husband and I have two children, a daughter (22) and a son (23). We are a close family, and I had so much fun raising both of our children. I always wanted a son and a daughter (I actually wanted twins) and I am thankful that...
The wisdom is in the group
For this child, we have prayed. Our son Ben was what people refer to as our "rainbow" baby, he was born after the loss of a child due to a miscarriage. He represented hope and renewal, and the entire family was excited. He came into our family, and I loved seeing...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
The Freedom I Found in Letting Go
When I first got sober, I thought I had crossed the finish line. I had fought the battle against substances, surrendered to the reality of the powerlessness of my disease, and made the decision to start over. What I didn’t realize at the time was that sobriety wasn’t...
Finding Purpose in the Pain: A Journey from Despair to Empathy
As I sit here reflecting on the days of my past, I find myself transported back to a time when my life was consumed by addiction. It was a time when heroin dictated my every decision, and I felt like a spectator in my own life—watching from a distance as I spiraled...
Finding Hope Through Community
Someday the pain will end. Someday the frustration, the agony, the struggle to make sense of it all will meet at the intersection of our limited human understanding and reality and hopefully give us peace. It’s getting through day to day that is the true...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
A Caring Approach: How Parents Can Help
Last month, we discussed the fact that parents and loved ones can unintentionally create a barrier to healing because stigma can be so prevalent in the addiction world. Stigma, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, is...
Breaking the Silence: Why Your Loved One May Be Holding Back the Truth About Their Problem
Part 1 Have you ever heard people say that an addicted person is really in denial about their problem? Well, I’m here to tell you that I don’t really believe that is usually the case. Sure, they may be denying that fact to you. This much I know to be true. I believe...
Holiday Harmony: Crafting a Plan to Handle Holiday Triggers
With December upon us and the holidays closing in, it is very important to recognize all the various emotions and thoughts that take place during these last months of the year. The holiday season tends to be commercialized as a time of joy, celebration, and family...
