PAL Blog

Read stories and insights from parents and experts in addiction recovery. Everyone has a story, and by sharing, we can empower each other, and find paths forward – together.

A Parent’s Story

Articles by Parents Like You
Finding my recovery path

Finding my recovery path

​            My husband and I have three adult children.  We’re a typical family. I was a stay-at-home mom, I volunteered at each of my children’s schools through the years, we were active in our church, we took family vacations, we cheered...

One Day at a Time

One Day at a Time

​ My family photos on social media are like most everyone else’s.  You know the kind with the perfect family, great setting and well dressed.  I’ve been married for 42 years to my amazing wife, and we have two children, two grandchildren and another on the way....

No Longer Letting the Chaos be in Control

No Longer Letting the Chaos be in Control

a​ I’m a PAL mom.  I am married and have two children – a son and a daughter. My son was always on the go 24/7. He was never a sit-around-the-house child.  He loved sports - at some point, he played just about every sport.  From an early age, he was smart. He excelled...

The View from Recovery

Articles by People in Recovery
Encourage the process of healing

Encourage the process of healing

​​​​ Happy New Year! Here we are again, on the cusp of another new era – the next chapter of our lives ready to unfold with each passing day. I’d like to thank you all for being here with me on this journey - this dissection of days passed wherein I’ve mined both...

Spending Christmas all alone

Spending Christmas all alone

​​​​ Almost nine years ago during this holiday season my journey of recovery began in earnest. There were a lot of stops and starts along the way (several pitfalls that I fell into), but 2014 saw me in the most physically and mentally broken I’d ever been. Liver...

This is only temporary…

This is only temporary…

​​​​ I’ve been exhausted lately. Over the years I had forgotten how tough it can be to get acclimated to a newborn’s sleep schedule – those early morning hours where you just drift off in peaceful slumber only to be jolted awake moments later by a seemingly endlessly...

From Counselors

Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Only I can be responsible for my own happiness

Only I can be responsible for my own happiness

​         I will never forget the feelings of worry and fear that consumed me during the early years of my journey with my sons. Over time, I learned from my PAL facilitator and fellow PAL members that if I allowed those feelings to consume me, it...

Drama-Free Holidays

Drama-Free Holidays

​            Journal entry December 25, 2011: “I’m not sure I would have had children if I knew I would have to endure a day like today.” Can you relate to this? There was a time when I would have been too ashamed to share that with you. Since...

Am I being Manipulated?

Am I being Manipulated?

​             Herein lies an irony: the person who is trying to manipulate you views you as having greater strength or power than he or she does. — George H. Green and Carolyn Cotter, Stop Being Manipulated George Green and Carolyn Cotter...

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