Figuring Out the Formula for Long-Term Recovery
I’ve been in recovery for eight and a half years. During that time, I have evolved into a completely different person: I lead an intentional and healthful life with a sense of purpose and meaning. I have never felt so alive and so empowered. My journey wasn’t easy, but it absolutely was worth it. […]
Childhood Experience and Addiction – Hole in the Soul
Childhood Experience and Addiction – Hole in the Soul I grew up in a family where my dad died when I was only 6 months old. My mum re-married and because of that, my brothers and I had a different surname than she and my stepdad. We wanted to keep our father’s name. All this […]
Deception as a Defense in Addiction – Third Stage of Change
This article is the 3rd in our series of 4 articles on the primary defenses of addiction. In this article we will focus on deception as a defense in addiction. Families and loved ones are the brunt of deception by those developing a substance use disorder (SUD). This defense is not only acted out […]
Art Therapy for Women – Limelight Interview
Art therapy for women (and men) has always been a part of Sanford programming. And according to Art Therapist Jess Kimmel, the first thing she says to a group is, “show me”. Of course, when she asks someone to “show” her something, she’s actually asking them to show themselves. Sanford embraces art therapy as […]
Justification of Addiction – The Second Stage of Change
This is the second article in our series on the defenses of addictive disease. There has been an unintended distance between our first article and this one, so please go back and review the article Denial of Addiction – the First Step of Acceptance to refresh your thoughts. This will put your head in […]
Calling All Alumni – Virtual Groups During COVID-19!
There has been a spate of articles, webinars and Zoom presentations talking about the negative impact of COVID-19 on those in recovery from addiction. Isolation, limited in-person connection, and uncertainty are just a few of the stressors that affect everyone during a pandemic. But those with substance use disorders have additional challenges. And Sanford […]
Thinking vs Acting – the First Steps to Recovery
Making changes to your alcohol habits is a massive undertaking. It can take months – years even – to get to the point where you actually stop drinking. And that’s okay, because transformation is a long process and it starts from deep within. Often things can be moving well along in the direction of change […]
Sober Curious: Does Moderation Management Work?
I promise I am not researching moderation management for myself. It’s been a while since the little guy in the red jumpsuit on my shoulder has whispered, “Who would it hurt if you had one glass of red wine with dinner?” In fact, he’s been too busy the past three months to bother me, convincing […]
Denial of Addiction – the First Stage of Acceptance
In our last article, we reviewed what it feels like to be a person developing a substance use disorder (SUD). We are now beginning a series discussing the dynamics and defenses used by people as they develop an SUD. The primary defenses used as addictive disease progresses are denial, justification, deception, and manipulation. Denial, […]
A Thank You Note to My Sobriety in Uncertain Times
Many years ago, I co-owned an art gallery. Art is a business characterized by booze-laced openings. And if the truth be known, I kept a bottle of plonk in my desk drawer in our distressed-brick communal office for the “down times”. When I look back on the genesis of my active addiction, Spiller Vincenty Gallery […]
