When I started my recovery journey in 2009, I thought sobriety was only about “not drinking.” I had no idea sobriety would become the avenue through which I would become human again, and find the way back “home” to my own heart. 

In the depths of my...

Relapse is one of my favorite subjects because I lived in it for two long years. After five years of sobriety, I found myself chugging warm chardonnay in a parking lot.

Relapse brought me shame. Shame brought me more relapse.

I would drink, feel like a failure (both the world...

Perhaps understanding how addiction hijacks your mind has given you clarity on why willpower will never be enough to get you sober for good. But perhaps it also made you feel a bit hopeless. 

I invite you to feel hopeful. Why? Because now you know what the problem is, and this...

Our mind is our own personal operating system. It’s the “command center” which has the programs that run our life. Our mind’s programs are supposed to protect us from harm, to keep us surviving and thriving. 

But then. 

Addiction arrives...

We don’t talk enough about all the feelings that happen in early sobriety. 

I've talked about committing to The Deep Yes, taking a first step, and understanding the elements of "The Work" of recovery (A Program, A Toolkit, A Community). I've also talked a lot about...

I’ve talked about making a deep, personal commitment to a new life with “The Deep Yes.” I’ve discussed the importance of following the decision we take with immediate action.

You’ve made the commitment to make a change. Now, the game’s on....

After your “Deep Yes” then the “What Next?” moment, it’s about ACTION.

Recovery is - and always will be - a verb. I used to think that once I made the decision to quit drinking, my life would magically change. I can now see that part of why I failed at...

“What next?” is where good intentions come to die. 

“What next?” is where most of us who struggle with addiction get stuck. Addiction robs us of the power to do “Next.” We make grand decisions in our heads to finally make a change.

We...

I’d had 5 years of sobriety the day I found myself in the parking lot of a CVS, pouring warm Chardonnay down my throat. That was the first day of my relapse: a two-year tumble back down the rabbit hole of addiction. 

Two years is more than 700 days. At least half of those mornings, I...

It was such an honor to appear on the SHE RECOVERS Podcast! I love any chance to connect with Taryn or Dawn, and their podcast honors and works through the idea that everyone is recovering from something.

In this interview, I talked about the ways that my past trauma detonated my use of alcohol,...

I often get questions about what I do and why someone would want a recovery coach when programs like AA are free. My job is to complement a program of recovery, adding a whole new layer on top of your sponsor—something more high level.

An important note here: I am a child of AA. I’ve...

This story is part two of my most recent post about what recovery in action looks like for me right now. Read it here.

Less than a month ago at lunchtime, while at work, I went up to the skyline - the one open-aired place in the building I used to call home. I sat on a chair under the sun,...