PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
Finding Understanding Friends and Greater Peace
My wife and I wanted to have children, but we had infertility problems. We lived in Europe for over a year, and many people were praying that we might be able to have children. It was incredibly exciting when, on the very day we returned to the U.S., we discovered...
We Thought We Were Alone—Until We Found the PAL Family
My son Marcus was born active. It seemed like from day one he was on the go, but I didn’t realize just how much that would impact our lives. Friends would always tell me how busy he seemed to be. I never really noticed because this was ‘normal’ behavior for me. He...
Finding Strength, Boundaries, and Hope Through PAL
I am the mom of three children, one son, one daughter, and one baby in Heaven. I also have two stepsons and four grandchildren, with one in Heaven. My first child, Justin, was a bright, talented child with lots of energy! Early on in grade school, he had some...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Sobriety Wasn’t the Finish Line—It Was the Starting Point
When I got sober, I thought I had arrived. I imagined that crossing that line, finally removing the substances, meant the hard part was over. But I quickly realized that stopping wasn’t the end. It was the beginning. Sobriety wasn’t a finish line; it was the moment I...
Love in Action
There was a time when the idea of “boundaries” and limits felt like rejection to me. Any time someone told me no, created distance, or didn’t immediately come to my rescue, I internalized it as abandonment. I was stuck in survival mode, and I viewed love through the...
From Self-Centered to Selfless: How Giving Back Became My Lifeline
There was a time when I didn’t know where I fit in the world. I wore a thousand masks trying to become whoever I thought people needed me to be, but I never felt comfortable in my own skin. I chased external validation, escaped through substances, and spiraled deeper...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Facing Powerlessness
As the loved one of a person struggling with an addiction, it is so easy to stay focused on their recovery. Some pray to God over and over again to heal them, to make it stop, to give us wisdom on how to help them. And these are good things to do, we are looking for...
Finding Serenity: The Empowerment Dynamic
Last month, we explored The Drama Triangle, and learned how easy it is to get stuck in the drama and chaos that our addicted loved one creates in the midst of their illness. When we take on the roles of rescuer, persecutor, or victim, our behaviors, thoughts and...
Loosening Our Grip: The Karpman Drama Triangle
“It’s like standing at the edge of a cliff, and they keep jumping off the cliff, and I keep pulling them up. No matter how many times I pull them back up or beg them not to jump, they just keep jumping. I know I need to let go of the rope,...
