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Untapped Keg Podcast Episode
I was thankful to have the opportunity to join in with Untapped Keg for an important conversation about addiction, recovery, boundaries and more. Enjoy my awkwardness, friends.
Live.
Will I always struggle with some aspect of the after-effects of my experiences? I don’t know, maybe. And that’s okay. But it’s also okay to move forward. To create a new life. To experience joyful things. To live w/o being controlled by pain. To leave behind what doesn’t work. To let go of relationships that…
Complex Childhood Trauma
There are many layers to healing. Often, substance use disorder is the tip of the iceberg-especially if you experienced complex Childhood Trauma. I grew up with a parent who struggled with mental health issues and substance use disorder. For me, that meant my survial was lile my job. Every day. There were layers of consequences…
Remember to Heal Anyway.
There are always going to be people out there who criticize or judge or gossip about our decision to change our lives. And for those of us who come from unhealthy families, it can be confusing when family members are the ones doing it. How can these people, who know some of what we experienced,…
Stephen’s Center
I was humbled to be able donate my books to the resource library at Stephen’s Center! When I first started feeling the tug on my heart to share parts of my story, my hope was that my book would somehow, by the Grace of God, end up in rehabilitation facilities. I just wanted other hurting…
Out of the Shell.
The road to recovery. Often, people assume that this simply means sobriety. But for people who experienced complex childhood trauma for an extended period of time, “recovery” means something different. It’s more. It’s personal and diverse and it’s different for each one of us. Because we all react different to different, unhealthy, experiences. For me…
Origins.
Sometimes if I’m driving alone and in the area, I will stop here and reflect. This mobile home park is about a half-hour drive from where I currently live. The first memories I can recall were created here. I don’t stay parked outside for more than a few minutes, but there’s a part of me…
Early Recovery
I remember what it feels like to live in hiding. Afraid of what people would think if they knew the turmoil I held in my heart and fought in my mind everyday. I know what it feels like to want change but not know where to start first because your life is such a shit…
Focus.
I have always found it to be true, that what I’m focused on takes precedence over everything else in my mind. The rest fades into the background, getting lost in the muddled noise of my imperfect brain. So what I focus my energy on matters. I want my focus to be Jesus. Just Jesus. And…
Discovering Barriers Review
Escape
Chapter 8: Escape Outwardly, I was a rebellious teenager pushing limits, breaking rules, and defying authority. Inward- a girl pushing away real connections, breaking anyone or anything that tried to break through my walls, and defying anything that felt unsafe or asked for vulnerability. I was angry. Afraid. And obsessed with keeping myself safe. Long…
Mindset.
Don’t Give Up.
🖤 Do you know how deeply I believed that I wasn’t worth anything. That I wouldn’t ever contribute anything to this world. That a “person like me” didn’t matter? I tell you not to give up– because I know what that’s like. •••Do not give up – you have NO idea what God is going…
Freedom.
Freedom. For those of us in recovery, freedom means we are free to move forward. Finally, we aren’t surviving day to say. Drowning and gasping for something real to feel or hold onto. We are not tied or bound or held down by the things meant to take us down. We were held down and…
Boundaries
Do you know how deeply my mom’s feelings get hurt when I take my intermittent breaks from her life? It is so difficult. For her, and for me. For her because she doesn’t comprehend or understand or agree. For me, because I am aware. Fully conscious and aware that her feelings are hurt, and equally…
I’d Tell Her How Sorry I Am.
I started writing for her. I wanted her to know that I was so sorry.Sorry for ignoring her needs for 23 years.For hiding. For running. For numbing her.I was sorry for succumbing to the intensity of the pain and for continually extinguishing the light in her eyes to make sure she floated above and below…
Good Fruit.
I’ve been struggling a lot lately in this season of life. And I found myself laying in bed last night, scrolling with my phone in front of my face- searching the internet for answers that I’m not going to find on the internet. The thing is, is often, I know the answers to the questions…
Worth.
No matter how many times you fall, stand back up. I found hope at the bottom. God wastes nothing. He will take all of the pain and confusion, the hopelessness, and feelings of emptiness- and he’ll use it to show you your purpose. It’s never too late to start over again, even if you feel…
Accountability
I spent years blaming and replaying undeserved pain or unnecessary hurt again and again in my head. I suffocated, as I waited around for apologies and my spirit became infected by bitterness, regret, and self-pity. Wallowing is a damaging state to survive in. At some point we have to unpack, feel the pain, sit with…
Update from Brittany
(That photo isn’t mine. I didn’t create it. I don’t own it. Credit to anon.) Hello! Where have I been? How have I been? How have YOU been? I have been slacking big time here, I know. It has been so hectic and life things are making me tired. Our house is on the market…
Boundaries are for safety, health, & stability. It’s OKAY to have some.
Addiction Destroys Families. Change starts with you.
New things #BreakingCycles
Benefits of Groups
Addiction Recovery-Things that have helped me -3
Addiction Recovery- Things that have helped me -2
Addiction Recovery- Things that have helped me -1
Out of the countless tools and newly acquired skills that I have learned in the past seven years, one of the most important concepts that I had to accept is what I am going to talk about today. It sounds very simple, here it is: It is not my job to fix your problems.
Drug-Alcohol Prevention is Important.
Here are a few links: http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/talk_about_drugs.html http://www.drugfree.org/prevent http://www.dare.com/parents/Parents_Tips/Story2d13.asp http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/learn/twk_drugs http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting_challenges/talking-with-your-kids-about-drugs-and-alcohol.aspx