PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
What I Had to Unlearn to Truly Love My Son
I am a mother of two sons and one daughter, and a grandmother to a grandson and granddaughter. I want to share the story of my son, Chance. Chance had a normal childhood. He was active, fun, and kind—but also a bit of a daredevil. He liked to push boundaries, bend...
Delayed Growth: A Parent’s Path to Boundaries
I am the parent of two stepdaughters and a grandparent to seven grandchildren. When Kathy was five years old, her mother and I became a family. From an early age, my stepdaughter Kathy stood out as bright and capable. Unlike her older sister, she didn’t seem to need...
A PAL Mom’s Story of Hope
I am the parent of two sons, two stepsons, and also two grandchildren. Like so many parents, I never imagined the long, painful journey of loving someone with addiction. No one is prepared for it. Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) helped me more than I can ever...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Only a Mother’s Love
Mother’s Day used to be complicated for me. Not because I didn’t believe in it… but because I didn’t know where I fit in it. There was a time in my life when I wasn’t showing up as the kind of daughter any mother would feel celebrated by. I was the one creating chaos....
Purpose to Pain
It had four walls. A front seat, a back seat, and a windshield that turned the Phoenix sun into something almost unbearable. By mid‑morning, the heat would begin to rise, and by afternoon it pressed in from every direction—thick and unmoving—making it hard to breathe....
When Spring Comes
There were years when I didn’t believe spring would ever come.Everything felt like winter—cold, uncertain, and stuck. From the outside, I’m sure my family wondered if anything good could grow from what addiction had done to all of us. Trust felt frozen. Hope felt...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Loving Your Adult Child Without Losing Yourself
Reflections for Parents — Especially Moms — from a Counselor’s PerspectiveAdapted from The Four Seasons of Recovery, by Michael Speakman, LISAC (PAL Founder) One of the hardest truths parents must face is this: love alone is not always enough to change addiction — and...
When Helping Hurts: Shifting from Parenting a Child to Parenting an Adult
Adapted from The Four Seasons of Recovery, or Parents of Alcoholics and Addicts, By Michael Speakman (founder of PAL) As parents, helping our children feels instinctive. When they are struggling, hurting, or stuck, our first impulse is to step in, smooth the road,...
Spring: A Season of Hope in the PAL Recovery Journey
Spring: A Season of Hope in the PAL Recovery Journey In The Four Seasons of Recovery, Mike explains that recovery unfolds in predictable stages, much like the seasons of the year. Each season brings different challenges and opportunities for parents. As we approach...
