PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
Growing through the pain
My wife and I have been married for 31 years and have two children. Our daughter is 23 years old and our son, David, is 21 years old. Growing up, David was always a very sensitive child. He was very well behaved, didn’t get...
Finding the support I need
I am the mother of two grown children, a girl, and a boy. I have one grandson and two granddaughters. My husband and I have been married for 40 years. My children were involved in several sports and activities, and we were very involved in...
Not our family
My husband and I have a son and a daughter. Their childhood was wonderful for all of us, as we spent weekends in the summers at the lakes and winters at the sand dunes. Our children were the ones whose others’ parents always said, “Man,...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Practicing Gratitude
This time of year always instills in me a deep sense of gratitude. As the leaves change color and the weather cools down, I often find myself reflecting. The dark days behind me strike such a brilliant contrast to the light that permeates my now daily...
Vignettes – Part 4
June 2013 - 12th St & Maryland It’s 2:00 a.m. I’m crouched under the awning of a neighborhood bar’s entryway and it’s pouring. Sheets of rain splatter against the asphalt, coating my face with a cold mist but I don’t notice because I’m high, again....
Vignettes – Part 3
2013 Bruised, broken, emaciated, exhausted, and sick. I’m using meth and heroin in a hotel room in Glendale. I’ve been up for three days; when I look at the carpeted floors, they vividly appear to be alive with crawling bugs. I close my eyes and try to...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
It’s not your fault
As a therapist working with those struggling with addiction, it is hard to watch family members not knowing what to do. Always wondering, “Where did I go wrong?” Although I do not have a loved one who’s battled the beast, I have...
Hopelessness — A Common Condition for Parents
For an addicted loved one’s parents, the shock of the situation and then the often-frustrating continued drug or alcohol use (“Why won’t he or she stop using these drugs?” “How can he or she not know what the risk is?”) can...
Responsibility: Put Down the Microscope and Pick Up the Mirror
When I started PAL back in 2006, my motivation was to help parents. I was working in a treatment center, and I was seeing a trend of more and more young people coming into treatment and honestly their parents were a mess. That...
