Recovery Emotional Suppression

Emotional suppression can quietly stall your progress, especially if you’re working through recovery—whether from grief, addiction, or a major life change. Pushing down uncomfortable feelings might seem harmless at first, even helpful, like a way to stay in control. But over time, it becomes a barrier to real healing. You can only hold so much … Read more

Understanding Emotional Eating

Emotional eating is something almost everyone experiences, yet many people don’t realize it’s happening until it becomes a pattern that’s hard to break. It’s more than just reaching for comfort food after a stressful day—emotions can subtly influence your appetite, cravings, and food choices in ways you may not notice at first. Stress, sadness, boredom, … Read more

Talking About Addiction Together

Creating a safe space to talk about addiction is crucial for making real change possible in any community. Hard conversations can feel intimidating, but when people feel comfortable and heard, healing and help can actually happen. I’m excited to walk through what it takes to encourage open dialogue about addiction and how to turn these … Read more

The Dangers of Self-Medication

If you’ve ever tried to handle addiction on your own, you know how tempting it is to reach for a quick fix or try to manage symptoms without professional help. Self-medication happens when people use substances, over-the-counter pills, or even herbal remedies to cope with cravings, withdrawal, or emotional distress tied to addiction. It might … Read more

When Motherhood Meets Addiction

Motherhood and addiction struggles are two topics that don’t often get discussed together, but they actually cross paths a lot more than people realize. It’s easy to imagine motherhood as a time filled with baby giggles and sweet memories, but that’s not always the real story, especially when addiction is in the picture. Speaking from … Read more

Why Journaling Helps You Heal

Journaling is often dismissed as something reserved for writers or those with ample free time, but it’s actually one of the most underrated tools available for anyone in recovery. After spending years talking with folks on their recovery adventure and trying journaling myself, I’ve seen firsthand how this simple habit can bring about some pretty … Read more

The Grief–Addiction Connection

Grief can strike without warning, unraveling routines and shaking how I see myself and connect with others. The pain can feel so heavy that I start searching for anything to ease it, even briefly. What many don’t realize is how easily that search can lead to substance use—a drink to calm the nerves, a pill … Read more

PTSD Nightmares lead to Relapse

Veterans working through recovery often face tough challenges, especially when unexpected triggers show up and threaten to throw everything off course. These nightmare triggers aren’t always obvious, but can pull the rug out from under steady progress. I’ve learned how surprising and powerful these triggers can be, so understanding what they are and how they … Read more

Women Veterans Heal from PTSD

PTSD and alcohol cravings can be challenging hurdles for women veterans, but with awareness, support, and practical strategies, recovery is absolutely possible. I know how stories from other female vets and finding the right resources can change everything when it comes to managing posttraumatic stress and handling the urge to drink. Here’s how women veterans … Read more

Why Veterans Turn to Alcohol

Alcohol is more than just a drink for many veterans. It can become a comfort, a distraction, or a way to quiet memories that linger after military service. I’ve seen how reaching for a bottle often feels like the quickest path to relief after returning home from the deployment chaos. For a lot of folks, … Read more