porn and shame

Breaking the Cycle of Shame

“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.” ~ Brené Brown Recently, I was out to eat with a friend when her teenage daughter called several times in a row. My friend knew it was important or her daughter would not call repeatedly. She stepped away […]

porn affects ALL relationships

Porn: The Secret Intruder on Relationships

“When sex becomes easy to view, love becomes difficult to find.” ~Fight the New Drug There was once a Dutch biologist named Nikolaas Tinbergen who made a fascinating conclusion through a famous experiment. He created cardboard cutouts of butterflies that were attractive to their mates by color and movement. He decided to paint these cardboard […]

neuroplasticity and addiction recovery

Neuroplasticity and Addiction Recovery

“Our brains renew themselves throughout life to an extent previously not thought possible.” ~Michael S. Gazzanica The human brain is incredibly complex.  I recently wrote a blog post about the brain’s amazing ability to “learn new tricks.” I simply explained how synapses form new neural pathways, which leads to patterns and habits, and eventually forms […]

Reconnecting with Reality: 10 Tips to Kick A Phone Addiction

Most people in the US reach for their phone 80 times a day. An average American is spending three hours a day on their smartphone. The question is not if we are addicted, but how to overcome this addiction.

Supporting A Loved One Through Alcohol Addiction

Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics. It can be so difficult to know your place if you have a friend […]