Beliefs and Actions
I have mentioned in previous blog posts that parents in crisis often act on what I perceive to be false beliefs. Some examples of this follow: they think they can ...
What is Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, or Marijuana Hyperemesis?
There is a trend in our society to view marijuana use as harmless. While there is a large body of research documenting marijuana’s harmful effects on the developing teenage brain, ...
Do Alternative Peer Groups Work? What the APG Recovery Research Says
One of the rising concepts in the teen and young adult drug and alcohol recovery world is the alternative peer group (APG) recovery approach as an effective follow-up approach to ...
A House United | Presenting a United Front
One of the first things parents who have a child abusing drugs and alcohol can ask themselves is, are we one the same page about how we want to respond? ...
The Three C’s
In my 25 years of working with parents of those suffering from substance use disorder, few concepts or perspectives stand out as much as “The Three Cs”. The concept comes ...
Pause When Agitated or Doubtful
Regularly, I hear baffled parents recount interactions with their addicted children, wondering things such as: "Why did I agreed to that? How did I get talked into this? I can’t ...
Judging Yesterday’s Actions With Today’s Information
Looking for a surefire way to ruin your day, month, year, even all your golden years? Try this… let’s judge yesterday’s actions with today’s information. Take what you know today, ...
Give It Away to Keep It
How can parents continue to grow and develop in their recovery over time? Parents often come to their first meeting feeling hopeless and the first thing they usually learn is ...
Sometimes We Have to Get Uncomfortable In Order to Grow
Having a child with an addiction can create a lot of chaos and discomfort in a family. Most people who find themselves reading this blog will know this from first-hand ...
Modern Teens and Marijuana – A Talk With The Doc About Teenage Substance Abuse
We interviewed Dr. Scott Nelson, PhD to ask him some questions about teens, drug use, and information for parents. Dr. Scott Nelson is a native of Michigan, who came to ...
How Drugs Affect The Brain of a Teenager
Learning to respond to teenagers with drug problems has always been a challenge in the drug addiction and mental health world. The differences between the effects of drugs on teens ...
Acceptance
Let’s begin by borrowing what is fondly known as “the acceptance page” from the book, Alcoholics Anonymous. This excerpt comes from one of the personal stories of recovery. It is ...
