What is This Thing Called Addiction RECOVERY?
This is not a trick question. Nor does it have a “right” answer. However, there is a wise old saying by Yogi Berra that sums it up, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” And with addiction recovery, it is up to each one of us to define […]
Gratitude, Thankfulness and Recovery in the Real World…
I went away to a retreat last weekend. I was feeling a bit “rusty” in my recovery and decided I could use a tune-up. One of the things that hit me like a gong at a Buddhist temple while I was there, was the fact I had stopped doing a daily check on the […]
The Wood TV Interview – Sanford Outpatient Center
Thanks to Wood TV and Emily Linnert for this fabulous piece on Sanford Outpatient Center. Our newest facility is located in Suite #101 of the landmark, Grand Rapids Masonic Temple. Serving those with substance use disorders (SUDs) in another lovingly restored historic space. Wood TV Interview – Sanford Outpatient Center
What Does it Mean to Fail? Open Up to Imperfection!
Confronting the “F” word in early recovery… In addition to my clinical work, I also do freelance gigs in the community. Over the weekend, I had one such engagement. For whatever reason, I wasn’t quite myself that night. Walking into the workshop, I felt uneasy – dread creeping in. You see, I have a […]
The Power of Words in Recovery – The Best of Excursions Magazine
We are all seeking pleasure in our lives. Especially those new to recovery. After a long stretch of misery cloaked in the “reward” of an addictive substance, folks who have quit their drug of choice are looking for the real deal. Listening to Our Readers… Many of our Excursions articles stand the test […]
I’m an Expert on Cravings…
The wall of words… I feel like I’ve become a bit of an expert on cravings. It’s been hard not to, given I am an addict through-and-through and my brain likes to crave things… How the Brain Craves… After I quit booze I became very aware of how my brain craved. I spent many, […]
Warning – Bariatric Surgery Can Lead to Alcohol Addiction
There are times on the road to wellness, when the only thing one can say is, “No fair.” I remember thinking no fair when six months sober, a long dormant eating disorder popped up like the head of a Hydra. Just when I had my alcohol use disorder (AUD) licked, another trial presented itself. […]
Michigan Recovery – Hiking Your Way to Sober Success!
I was at a presentation last month. An august fellow in a well-cut suit was so excited about his topic (convincing us that voting to legalize recreational marijuana was a bad idea), he actually jumped up and down at the podium. DO (jump)! NOT (jump)! ALLOW (jump)! THIS TO HAPPEN IN MICHIGAN (jump, jump)! Sometimes I […]
I Am Wickedly Rebellious (Sober)
One of the things I love most about being sober is the notion that it’s a wickedly rebellious act. It is! Think about it. An alcohol soaked world… We live in a world that is literally soaked in booze. Every social occasion, gathering, celebration, achievement, commiseration, high point, low point and Friday night is […]
Toxic Masculinity – The Hidden Trauma in Men’s Lives
Updated 4/29/2024 Human suffering is all around us. We learn of untold, hidden trauma—sexual abuse, bullying, domestic violence, early and sudden deaths of loved ones, exposure to combat, life-altering injuries, etc. It makes us wonder how men and women survive and move on to live life after traumatic experiences. Heroic stories of survival and […]
