Ask Rae: Adult Children of Alcoholics Breaking the Cycle
Dear Rae: I am an adult child of an alcoholic (ACA), and I am in a relationship with someone who drinks too much and is abusive when he does so. I keep trying to “fix” the situation and drink more to make myself less anxious. This is not my first time falling for someone with […]
What is a Hangover? Why Aren’t Hangovers a Deterrent to Drinking?
Ahh, the morning after. Those who have overindulged the night before rise like zombies holding coffee cups to their foreheads. They dig in messy purses and junk drawers for painkillers and stomach settlers, piecing the previous evening’s events together like tattered scraps of paper. No one with a hangover wants to see the sunrise or […]
Seasonal Affective Disorder – It’s Not Just the Winter Blues
Updated 2/11/2026 There are many things to love about living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. But let’s admit it – winter can be a tough season for those of us who live in the Midwest. Unfortunately, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is more than just a case of the “winter blues.” It can cause mood swings, anxiety, […]
101 Sober Things to Do to Beat the Winter Blues
Updated 02/09/2026 Are you feeling the winter blues? There are many wonderful things about living in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan, but there is a but: the winters are long. Variations on the color white blanket many of the things we like to do. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real issue when the days are short and […]
Supportive Living – When It’s Not Safe to Go Home
Around recovery meetings, folks always say you need to change people, places, and things to manage an addiction. But what happens if you don’t have the option to change your current situation? If you live at home with parents or siblings who use, for example. It makes long-term recovery look daunting and can keep an […]
Dry January – What are the Lessons We Learn?
During the holidays, I was extolling (as one does when loved ones gather) about the relative ease of my recovery from an acute alcohol use disorder. I am nine years sober, and at this stage of the game, not drinking has become as much of an affectation as my omnipresent wine glass used to be. […]
Deadly Combination – DO NOT Mix Alcohol and Cannabis on the Road
Highlights from a new study by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health show an increase in simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use among adults 21+ in the U.S. from 2008 to 2019. Researchers examined data and responses from more than 800,000 participants. They found that simultaneous use was almost twice as prevalent […]
New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work? Implementing Change with GUSTO
Updated 12/30/24 Welcome to 2025! In your social circles, the “buzz” is probably about New Year’s resolutions. Did you make any? I want to share some perspectives on how humans make behavioral changes, such as resolutions or adjustments to our relationships and lives. Resolutions & Change When it comes to a resolution for […]
What is the One Gift Your Family Will Not Return?
The Season of Hope and Family Recovery This is the season of hope, joy, and the giving of gifts to honor that hope and joy. A season of this type applies to all people who practice traditions of their culture or faith. I am the Family Program for Addiction Treatment facilitator at Sanford Behavioral Health. […]
These 10 Excuses are the Enemy to Your Recovery. Do Any Apply to You?
It’s the holidays—the time for pageants at church and school, office parties, and family responsibilities. As a person in recovery, I can remember this time of year while in active addiction. On top of the crushing TO DO list of everyday holiday tasks, there was the exhausting schedule of drinking, planning to drink, and […]
