MAT vs. “White-Knuckle” Sobriety: Why You Don’t Have to Choose Suffering

The truth? Early sobriety can feel brutal. Lonely. Raw. Like your skin got ripped off and now you’re expected to walk through life smiling. Some days, just brushing your teeth feels like climbing a mountain. If you’re here, chances are you’re in that place—new to sobriety and wondering if it has to hurt this much. […]

Why Recovery Coaching Can Be the Turning Point

You’re scared. And tired. Your child’s behavior has changed so much it feels like you barely recognize them—or worse, like you’re walking on eggshells around them. You’ve tried talking, tried consequences, tried not losing hope. But nothing seems to stick. When your child or teen is in distress, it can feel like you’re stuck between […]

What a Partial Hospitalization Program Really Looks Like (And Why It Can Work for Your Adult Child)

There’s a moment no parent prepares for—when the fear shifts from “Will they get in trouble?” to “Will they survive this?” Maybe your adult child has relapsed. Maybe you’re watching them spiral and wondering how much longer they can function like this. You want help. Real help. But you’re unsure what level of care makes […]

5 Signs You Might Benefit from Medication-Assisted Treatment (Even If You’re Not Sure You Want It)

There’s a specific kind of stuck that’s hard to describe. You’re not in full-blown crisis. You’re not ready to call yourself “an addict.” But things aren’t working either. Maybe you’ve tried to cut back and felt worse. Maybe you’re worried that seeking help means giving up part of who you are. Especially when it comes […]

“I’m Not an Alcoholic, I Just Drink to Cope” — Why That’s Still a Red Flag

You don’t drink every day. You show up to work. Your life hasn’t fallen apart. So how could alcohol be a problem? Here’s the catch: Coping through alcohol doesn’t have to look chaotic to be unhealthy. In fact, the most common red flags are the ones that hide behind high-functioning lives. For many people, the […]

I Didn’t Want to Die—But I Couldn’t Keep Living Like That: How Opioid Treatment Gave Me a Way Out

I wasn’t planning to end my life. But I also wasn’t making any plans to keep living. That’s the space I existed in during the worst stretch of my opioid addiction. It’s hard to explain that middle ground to someone who hasn’t been there. You’re not suicidal in the way people imagine—no note, no goodbye, […]

“I Swore I’d Never Touch Pills Again”—5 Moments That Brought Me Back to Opioid Treatment (and Myself)

I used to believe that relapse erased everything. That it canceled out the progress, the growth, the 90 days I spent learning how to breathe without opioids. I believed that slipping meant starting from zero again—and worse, that it made me a failure. But I was wrong. Relapse doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means something […]

Can I Love Them and Still Let Go? What You Should Know if Alcohol Is Ruining Your Relationship

When someone you love is caught in alcohol addiction, it can feel like you’re drowning beside them. You want to help. You don’t want to walk away. But you also can’t keep losing yourself in the process. This is the silent crisis so many partners, spouses, and family members face. You love someone deeply—and their […]

I’m Not an Alcoholic—But I Know This Isn’t Working: 5 Myths That Keep People From Getting Help

You don’t have to crash your car, lose your job, or alienate your family to question your relationship with alcohol. Sometimes, it’s subtler—like waking up with shame after a “normal” night out. Or noticing how often you look forward to that first drink, and how hard it is to stop at one. Maybe you’ve wondered […]

No One Knew I Was Drinking That Much—How I Hid It, and How I Finally Asked for Help

I didn’t fit the stereotype of an alcoholic. No missed shifts. No slurred speeches at dinner parties. No broken bottles or dramatic scenes. I went to work, packed school lunches, responded to emails, and even volunteered once in a while. From the outside, I looked fine—responsible, productive, maybe a little tired. But underneath? I was […]