Recovery from substance use disorders is an incredibly challenging journey, but it’s also one of the most rewarding paths a person can take. Every individual in recovery deserves to be celebrated, no matter what their recovery looks like or how they define it. This September, during Recovery Month, the Minnesota Department of Human Services is …

Living with a mental health diagnosis can put you at risk of getting tangled in a maze of social media apps. Persistent and practically addictive features such as “likes,” impressions, and notifications have defined the last two decades of online media. If you feel empty amidst all of this, you are certainly not alone. While …

“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” Karl Barth I have been remembering joy—the exuberance of youth, the thrill of nature’s beauty, the energy of feeling connected. I have missed joy, her delight with both the spectacular and the ordinary. Anxiety, fear, and doom have permeated the last several years. They roll in like a …

I have been in recovery for almost thirty years and have been part of a 12 Step group for the same amount of time. In this article, I would like to share some struggles I have had with the idea of Higher Power – an important concept in recovery through the lenses of the 12 …

I learned a lesson about grace when I experienced its flipside a number of years ago, after I was laid off from a corporate communications job in health care. Seeking employment, I dutifully worked my network, including a breakfast meeting with a woman I had recently worked with. She had just started a new job …

If you are like most Americans, you own some type of smartphone. It might be in your hand right now as you read this article. Take a glance at it and consider how it has changed your life. It has been a tool to capture memories, stay informed, and keep in touch with friends and …

Brushstrokes on Matt Moberg’s artwork reflect a kinetic energy. Addiction’s bared teeth show up in the fangs of the wolf, the jaws of the bear, the wild-eyed terror of the horse. The animals and people reveal intensity, edginess, tension. In one piece, his wife’s body bends taut with anxiety. In yet another, his grandpa’s eyes …

Minnesota North College nets funding for training counselors, changing lives of students in recovery The shortage of mental health professionals in Minnesota, including those working as licensed alcohol and drug counselors (LADCs), has been well documented. One in four jobs in the field is currently vacant, according to an April Minnesota legislative report. At the …

We feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions. This issue we talk to Robyn Alliah of River Valley Behavioral Health and Wellness Center about using art therapy in recovery and mental health. What is art therapy? Art therapy uses art media, the creative process, and the resulting …

Returning to school as an adult posed a serious threat to my mental health. Balancing a full-time career, full-time university, and full-time recovery was a significant challenge. For five years, I focused primarily on surviving the process of obtaining my master’s degree. Late nights, lack of sleep, and excessive procrastination all made the road to …