PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
Delayed emotional growth
Jake was the first-born child in our family, and like all moms and dads, we had aspirational dreams and hopes for his future life. His childhood included a Christian school for the first few years, above-average grades, and playing multiple sports. Our family attended...
PAL meetings helped us stand a little taller
We have a rather large family with three children, two in-laws and multiple grandchildren. Our addicted loved one was a total joy growing up. Our child never met a stranger because everyone became a friend, and he could very easily get an entire room laughing at one...
PAL provided a way to cope with the hurt
I’ve had the privilege of participating in my local PAL meeting and can say the weekly materials that are shared, as well as the amazing support from other participants, have helped me get through some pretty dark days. My child began self-medicating at around...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
The Bear
I’ve been watching, sometimes even re-watching on occasion, a show called The Bear in recent months. It’s probably the most honest, unflinching portrayal of what it’s like living in the unrelenting shadow of trauma, anxiety, and mental illness I’ve seen on screen,...
Pushing through life’s struggles despite the pain
I’ve been talking a lot lately. To alcoholics, addicts, homeless people, neighbors, co-workers, family, friends, people I don’t know and people I know well. Sometimes I over share or volunteer things about myself that are pretty raw and occasionally unhinged, but...
Be thankful for how you learned life’s lessons
I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I've consistently been stubborn and obstinate when it comes to learning lessons and taking advice; there is something innate in my personality that tends to balk at suggestion, a burning desire to experience things firsthand...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Families and Addiction, a podcast
Dr. Aaron Weiner, licensed clinical psychologist, recently sat down to do a podcast with Dr. Brian Licuanan, a friend and colleague to discuss families and addiction. Dr. Licuanan is an author, speaker, and board-certified psychologist practicing in...
Protecting our behaviors with excuses keeps us stuck
Have you ever become aware of an unpleasant part of yourself that you didn’t want to see? Becoming self-aware is a foundational principle and an inevitable part of the process of change. We must learn to step back and observe ourselves from a distance, so we can...
The Unknown
What do we do when we feel powerless towards other people, places, and things? What do we do when the unknown takes over our thoughts? Let’s first talk about what powerlessness is. It is a feeling or idea that we lack control of what is happening in our life. When...
