PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
Learning to treat our son as an adult, and learning that there is hope
I was a divorced mother of 4-year-old twins, “Jerry” and “Cherry,” when I remarried. We had another son soon after. Our twin’s biological dad was rarely there for them, and both were rebellious in their teen years. Jerry was very intelligent as a youngster. We...
It’s Okay for Me to be Happy
Our family consisted of mom, dad and three children. I was married for 20 years to an abusive man who regularly beat and humiliated everyone in the family. When I finally left, my daughter Nancy had just turned 12. Her brother had already moved out and her older...
Were my daughter’s issues caused by mental health or addiction?
My husband and I have been married for 25 years. We had two daughters, a little over three years apart. From the beginning Teri was extremely sensitive and creative. She really loved her older sister and even as a baby her face would just light up when she came into...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
25 Million People Can’t Be Wrong
When looking at stark statistics these days, it can be easy to lose hope. So many souls lost to the disease of addiction – especially these days with the proliferation of fentanyl-based drugs littering our communities. And while it’s important to stay informed – to be...
A Taste of the Lifestyle
One of the great regrets of my life, at a certain time, was the effect I believed I had on my brother in my early days of addiction. While we can pontificate on the nature of this beast – the way addiction as a disease works and manifests itself in individuals – I...
Blaming someone else for my struggles
In my disease I felt like life was unfair on a daily basis; that things were constantly “happening” to me with little provocation on my own part, and that I’d never be able to find peace or serenity as long as these outside forces continued to work against me. I...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Holiday Season Preparation
I get many questions this time of year about navigating the holiday season with an addicted loved one. This is understandable, being that this season can bring all the family dynamics (positive and negative) front and center. Depending on the family’s past holidays...
Let’s Talk About Gratitude
It’s November! Let’s talk about gratitude. There is no better medicine to lift our spirits than a quick account of our blessings. What an incredibly powerful tool for changing our perspectives for the better. The happiest most resilient people I meet always seem to...
Is Relapse Part of Recovery?
I would like to share some of the most common questions I receive about relapse. I will answer them from an overview perspective and in a general sense. Relapse is a big topic, with many variables that are case specific. I don’t think it can be covered thoroughly in...
