By Jennifer McDougall Addiction is not just an individual struggle—it affects entire families, creating a ripple effect of emotional, physical, and financial turmoil. Watching a loved one battle substance abuse is heart-wrenching, especially when they’re in denial about the problem. The resulting strain can fracture family bonds, creating lasting traumaContinue Reading
By Dr. Susan Finley “Strumming my pain with his fingers Singing my life with his words Killing me softly with his song” — Roberta Flack Great musicians/bands CONNECT people. All over the world, fans gravitate to music that makes them FEEL something: “I relate to the lyrics,” “I feel theirContinue Reading
By Dr. Kerri Heath Are you ready to be healthy? Sick of waking up with a hangover, running out of money, and feeling the heaviness of drama that you have created while intoxicated? If you find yourself hitting a wall, but get stuck in the cycle of substance abuse, whyContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “Poison is in everything, and nothing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy.” – Paracelsus. Imagine yourself staring down a hungry saber-tooth tiger. Your natural reaction would be: (a) try to escape or (b) defend yourself. In dangerous situations,Continue Reading
By Dr. Kerri Heath It will be difficult to overcome an addiction without a true spiritual practice. Substances are able to numb the pain when you are feeling lost, depressed, discouraged, or disappointed with how things have turned out. However, substances will not make any of your pain go away. TheyContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.” -Chinese Proverb What is the connection between diet, nutrition, and addiction? Each has a direct effect on our brain chemistry, our mood, and our physique. Maintaining a nourishing diet and balancedContinue Reading
By Dr. Kerri Heath Sitting in the Zen garden at Passages one afternoon, a client who had only been there for a few days came and sat with us. It was a peaceful day with the soft sounds of the waterfall in the background and the beautiful views of theContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to” – Willem Dafoe The following is a Q&A provided by the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA). What is Drama Therapy? NADTA defines drama therapy asContinue Reading
By Dr. Kerri Heath “The cure for pain is in the pain.” -Rumi If you are searching for a rehab center, you are probably experiencing a lot of pain. The substances may no longer be working to numb the pain. You know that it is time to heal this painContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “You have to throw a gold brick into the uncertain waters of the future, and have faith because there will be many difficult days before you will see the returns start rolling in…” -P. T. Barnum Elephants in Captivity Have you ever attended a circusContinue Reading
By Dr. Kerri Heath A person gets addicted to feeling good, so they use anything they can to find that state. If you or a loved one is addicted to something, it is essential to realize that you are really addicted to the feeling that substances bring. Addiction is aContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” Warren Buffett If a habit or old behavior brings about the desired result, why stop doing it? Change is only initiated when the solution to a problem startsContinue Reading
By Dr. Kerri Heath “You will see it when you believe it.” –Wayne Dyer This is a very tough question to answer. An addict is someone whose life is controlled by alcohol or drugs. Anyone who has struggled with substance abuse has told themselves many times that they “have itContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC Mindfulness is the ability to steer clear from worry and anxiety bringing one’s attention to the present moment. Feeling overwhelmed and ill-equipped to deal with life’s challenges is not uncommon early in sobriety. The use of drugs and alcohol is no longer an option, norContinue Reading