Addiction
One Woman Finds Recovery from Addiction through God’s Grace
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 never drank. In…
Read MoreThe Grace of Group Therapy: Embracing A Life Without “Tea-Shade Glasses”
Some time ago, my life brought me to a point of humility, which made me realize I needed help. Through the help of my home 12-step group and therapist, I sought out an inpatient rehab facility. My 35 days in Tennessee not only provided me with the healing that I needed, but it rocked my…
Read MoreThe Hidden Addiction
I’m an addict. But you can’t tell by looking at me. I don’t have needle marks and I don’t smell of alcohol. I’m not a compulsive gambler or a shopper, either. I’m a food addict. And I hide it well. Most of my family members and work associates are unaware of my addiction. I’ve read…
Read MoreA Step Forward After Relapse
The chicken fat dripped onto the charcoals and sizzled and flared and smoked. And the baseball game was loud on the radio. The announcer between play by play activity talked about a frosty cold bottle of beer. Those simple words ended months of sobriety. It must be admitted that that first beer tasted so good.…
Read MoreHow My Family’s “Disease” of Addiction Became My Family’s Path to Sanctity
I was outraged when someone suggested that I suffered from a “family disease” when my child began using drugs. During the ebb and flow of our family’s now eight-year struggle with addiction, I have pondered the idea of addiction as a family disease. How could someone else’s behavior make ME diseased?! At the same time,…
Read MoreHow Scripture and Prayer Helped Me Overcome My Sexual Addictions
One of the keys to moving away from habitual sin is spending time daily with Scripture and in prayer. Most of us have heard this for years and our immediate response might be, “I don’t have time.” I felt this way 10 years ago. But I can tell you today, as I enjoy over three…
Read MoreA Simple Breathing Exercise for Becoming More Like Mary with Our Eyes Fixed on God
One of the tools that I learned as I went through the Consoling the Heart of Jesus: A Do-It-Yourself Retreat spiritual practice to help navigate challenging situations was a beautiful breathing exercise. Even today, over three years clean of my porn addiction, when feelings of frustration, anger, loneliness, and boredom turn my thoughts to fantasy…
Read MoreLust and Love: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Recently, I have been reflecting on how my porn addiction began in the first place. This took me back to a dark place in my life during college, when I had broken up with who I thought was the love of my life, which left me directionless and unstable. I had no passion for what…
Read MoreTheology of the Body and Recovering from the Harm of Pornography
“Every man who enters a brothel is looking for God.” This quote, attributed to G.K. Chesterton, is one of the foundational concepts of Saint John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body,” which is a collection of talks the pope gave on human sexuality. Theology of the Body (TOB) teaches that in the Garden of Eden…
Read MoreMercy and Glorification in the Wounds of Christ
As I write this, the thought that comes to mind is: “How do you put something so vast, infinite, and truly marvelous as God’s mercy and love into words?” For those of you reading this who may not know me or my story, I am a revert to the Catholic faith. I attended Catholic school…
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