If the religious organization where you grew up talked about addiction, would it tout fear, morality, punishment or “tough love?” Or would there simply be the sound of crickets? If so, Pastor Ed Treat wants to invite them to attend the Center of Addiction & Faith’s third Addiction & Faith Conference, October 7-9, 2021 in …

The Phoenix · Don’t Love Them to Death. Get Help. Intervention is a highly effective way to get someone into addiction treatment. When it’s led by a professional interventionist, that is. Plenty of people try on their own to convince the addicted person to stop using and go to treatment. They might even stage their …

I grew up as a girl with so much potential. I was musically inclined and became a bit of a prodigy. What I may have lacked in academic achievement I made up for with people skills and likability. But by the time I hit puberty it became evident that something was wrong with me. I …

“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” —Excerpt from “The Hill We Climb,” Inauguration poem by Amanda Gorman The world today is in on-going recovery. Why? you might ask. Think about the past eighteen months: A pandemic (which is not yet …

People in long-term recovery know the drill. They have been down. They got up. And they’re staying up. With some training and supervision, they can share their experience, understanding and reassurance with others who are recovering from substance use disorder. In fact, they may be able to help others become ready and willing to seek …

We feature an expert in the mental health and substance use disorder field to answer questions. This issue we talk to Dr. Lynsey Miron of Rogers Behavioral Health about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and how it relates to substance abuse disorders. Q: What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessions, compulsions, or both, that …

Most of us don’t think much about what type of person we are. We have a hard enough time attending to the practical details of daily living—staying virus-free, caring for children, paying the bills, having enough food in the house, and knowing what our next project is at home. Few of us would choose having …

As a woman in long-term recovery and a regular contributor to The Phoenix Spirit, I have written about my experience finding sobriety, struggling with and addressing cross-addiction, and being a part of a 12-step program. What I have not yet shared is that I am a trauma survivor, and how addressing my trauma has been …

The Phoenix · Pause Human freedom involves our capacity to pause, to choose the one response toward which we wish to throw our weight. —Rollo May Consider the pause. A delay in responding. A No to reaction. A time to assess. The pause is a place to evaluate options. Pause to stop automatic reactions. Pause to regard another perspective. Pause to mitigate …

“My life was going great until one day at the office this good looking guy, Sam, a computer consultant, came on our floor and I just couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. Co-workers said, “Marty, he’s a nerd. He’s not your type. Leave him alone.” Did I listen to them? No I didn’t. As …