by Chris | Dec 17, 2019 | Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools
As the church enters a new liturgical year, She also marks the beginning of Advent. This is made evident by the color purple, which adorns the worship space and also the priests’ vestments. Each Sunday, a candle is lit, illuminating a path that leads us to hope, love,...
by Chris | Dec 12, 2019 | Pornography & Sexual Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Sacraments
Those of us who have fought the battle of habitual sin often times have had difficulty with the feelings and consequences of being caught in our sins. When we think back to the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, after the Fall, we recall that they hid...
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...
