PAL Blog
A Parent’s Story
Articles by Parents Like You
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 power of unconditional love
I'm a PAL mom who started a PAL meeting in my local community. I've been married for 44 years and have two biological children and two “adopted" daughters that call us mom and dad. Between them I'm a grandma of three boys and two girls....
The View from Recovery
Articles by People in Recovery
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...
Vignettes
November 17, 2012 16th Street and Glendale. Phoenix, Arizona I’m barely scraping by. I’ve left the halfway house again in my brazen denial of reality – my utter consumption with staying intoxicated fish-hooking me into another miserable situation. I’m in a...
From Counselors
Articles by PAL and Partner Counselors
Is accepting the same as condoning?
We talk often about acceptance in our PAL meetings. Acceptance is also spoken of frequently in substance use treatment programs as well as in AA meetings. On page 417 of the fourth edition of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous it says,...
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
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...
