by Chris | Dec 10, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Other Addictions, Psychology & Therapy, The Twelve Steps
I’ve confronted addiction from several directions in my life: as a therapist treating people in recovery, as a codependent in an alcoholic family, and as a Catholic man trying to discern God’s will and action in the midst of the fear, rage, and despair that addiction...
by Chris | Dec 5, 2019 | Psychology & Therapy
I first came to learn about trauma through my first 12-step group. Many of the guys who had done intensive therapy would talk about it from time to time. Certainly, I had heard about PTSD, but my underdeveloped understanding of trauma led me to believe that only...
by Chris | Nov 28, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps
Reflecting upon my first Thanksgiving in recovery brings some vivid memories of a time in my life that was clearly full of grace. It had been about a month and a half since my last drink or use of any mind-altering drugs, and the fog that had been occupying space in...
by Chris | Nov 21, 2019 | Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps
I never wanted to stop drinking. I loved to drink. I realized I was an alcoholic in my 20s when I was in school in New York. I remember telling this to my brother, to which he responded, “You think?” I grew up in a middle-class home in northern Virginia. My parents...
by Chris | Nov 19, 2019 | Pornography & Sexual Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools
I remember a conversation that I had with my dad years ago. He said, “I don’t think I pray good.” He and I never really had these types of conversations, so I was taken by surprise. He prayed before meals, went to church, recited the rosary. And I...
