PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
It’s a process
I am a PAL mom, I am a grateful believer in Jesus, I am a wife of an amazing man of God, and I am a mother of four children (my husband is the stepparent to my children). My second oldest, Christopher*, has always been extremely bright....
Finding the blessing
My family includes my husband and me (we have been happily married for over 35 years), our three adult children and several grandchildren. My addicted loved one was always the class clown. School was a breeze and all the...
Hope for the Future
When our son was born, my husband and I were so excited and full of anticipation for his future life. It was clear at a very young age that he was different from other children. He was more active, more agitated and it was...
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
Being present in the moment
I’m present. I’m home sick and have been up all night with a 7-month-old baby but I’m present. Some vitamin B and coffee combined with the exhaustion are creating an odd hyper awareness in me but it’s ok and I’m here for it. I sit with my son out back on the...
There is a purpose in the pain
When I was 15 years old, I had grand aspirations for what my life would look like. I was obsessed with music and playing the guitar and my dream was to be a songwriter who wrote hits and toured the world. I loved reading and writing. I’d get lost in...
Living through the pain
In 2012 I lived at my drug dealer’s apartment. Our arrangement consisted of me providing transportation in exchange for a blanket on the floor in the living room and the occasional free hit of heroin, meth or marijuana. When I was physically able, I delivered...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
What does recovery look like?
Have you ever said, “I think he is sober,” or “he says he is sober.” I hear this often at PAL meetings. I also remember saying those words during the years both of my sons were active in their disease. As parents we desperately want to...
Why is recovery such a long journey? Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint
One thing I regularly hear from people revolves around their desire for their loved one to get sober. However, there is an important distinction between sobriety and recovery. Frankly, “getting sober,” is usually the simple part. Don’t get me...
Four T’s of a high-quality recovery program
One thing we all hope for and want to see in our loved ones is long term recovery. Two questions I have been asked many times by both family members and those that are in treatment are: how long will this take and what can I...
