PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
Expectations
It can be hard to maintain a positive attitude at times. It can be a challenge when facing hardship and struggle to keep a smile on your face. Sometimes during these holiday seasons, the effect of depression and anxiety can be magnified. Culturally speaking, these are...
Attending PAL Meetings For Myself – And my Son
I think perhaps the hardest thing for me to understand about my son’s addiction was how the sweet, curious, creative, thoughtful, loving, energetic little boy I spent so many afternoons with after school became such a totally different person.Just about every day...
Moving Forward with Hope
Our family has struggled for 12 years on and off with our 32-year-old son John’s addictions. My husband of 35 years and I and my 30-year-old daughter have been overwhelmed. After John was born we had our daughter three years later. Growing up they both played sports –...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Change, Restoration and Healing are within Reach
I can remember autumn seasons filled with joy, laughter, thanksgiving, and family congregation. Beautiful swaths of orange, red, and yellow dotting the Northern Arizona forest. Recollections of time spent together, experiencing moments of happiness, gratitude, and...
Finding hope in the midst of addiction
My husband and I share a blended family of five adult children. I have three sons and my husband has two daughters. We have been married for eight years. Two of my three sons struggle with addiction- my oldest son age 38 and youngest son age 33. To the best of my...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
A House United
A House UnitedOne of the first things parents who have a child abusing drugs and alcohol can ask themselves is, are we one the same page about how we want to respond? The answer varies, but is often no. This is one of the critical issues that will need to be addressed...
The Three Cs
The Three CsIn my 25 years of working with parents of those suffering from substance use disorder, few concepts or perspectives stand out as much as “The Three Cs”. The concept comes from the Al-Anon Family Groups, but the idea has spread to countless other family...
Being Uncomfortable to Grow
Sometimes We Have to Get Uncomfortable in Order to Grow Having a child with an addiction can create a lot of chaos and discomfort in a family. Most people who find themselves reading this blog will know this from first-hand experience. Participation in a parent...
