On Death: Ruminations on the grief process
Nothing prepared me for April 20, 1996. It was the day after Easter, a supposed time of resurrection and goodness. Instead, my husband was pronounced dead after experiencing a heart attack and sliding...
View Article6 Daily Exercises for Stress and Addiction Relapse Prevention
Feeling Frazzled? 6 Sure-Fire Ways To Beat Stress When I realized April was National Stress Awareness Month and that my taxes are due soon and I’m traveling, I started feeling stressed, frazzled and...
View ArticleHow to Break Free From Catastrophizing, Confabulating and Other Confusing...
I have been ruminating about the way in which the people I work with – families and their loved ones experiencing substance abuse, chronic pain, mental health and process disorders – live in a land of...
View ArticleSwing Into Recovery with Golf
My husband, John Wadas CFRE, as some of you may know, is a certified funding executive and retired athletic director (SDSU, ASU, South Florida and Long Beach State). Along with his wrestling prowess,...
View ArticleHopping on the Vape Train – What Are Teens and Parents to do?
I remember the first time I tried cigarettes. In middle school, I followed my friend behind the field house, on the far side of the soccer fields, to a large cinder block wall perpendicular to a...
View ArticleOde to My Younger Self
At 72, I look back on my life and here are 13 things I might tell my younger self: You will make mistakes. These are guideposts for new beginnings. Be gentle with your soul. Life and death are...
View ArticleYou Can Be Gay and Happy in Addiction Recovery | Is Your Soul Proud?
Coming to terms with your identity can be a difficult and painful path…but one that leads to freedom and joy. If you are gay and struggling with substance use, this personal experience can help...
View ArticlePIVOTS – What do Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kawhi...
I guess you might say “PIVOT” is the name of the game. While the NBA Championship is over and teams are busy resting, recuperating and figuring out who and what the next best strategy will be, my...
View ArticleSex, Drugs, & Senior Behavioral Health Challenges
Aging is as natural as sunlight. Still, during 99% of human history, most humans did not live past the age of forty due to primitive technologies, sciences and medicines. Today, aging past 65 may is no...
View ArticleVideo Game Addiction in the Communication Age
And The Golden Buzzer Goes To… Responsible Digital Use Society is hooked on a video game in Steven Spielberg’s stellar new film, Ready Player One. Citizens are so crazed about winning in the digital...
View Article10 Ways Forgiveness May Lead You To Compassion
Summertime is a time for us to kick back, reflect and enjoy the outdoors, the sun and some casual activities. With walks to Soul Cycle in crisp mornings and strolls through my neighborhood in magic...
View ArticleWhat Nobody Talks About – Tech, Teens & Toke
With marijuana (cannabis) legalization sweeping the nation, challenges have cropped up for big business, health and advertising. Lately, the topic has grabbed media attention, and I have written...
View ArticleDr. Gluss Radio Show on the Opioid Epidemic
So grateful for the opportunity to be on Dr. Gluss’s KABC Radio show to discuss the Opioid Epidemic that is tearing American families apart. The discussion was insightful and engaging and I hope the...
View Article5 Keys to Engagement & Recovery – The Beauty of Neuroscience
The future is here. Imagine that as I stand at my computer, tranquil music suddenly starts playing and later a buzzer sounds to keep me moving – whether I’m standing or sitting down. Welcome to the...
View ArticleThe 10 Things My Granddaughter, Alexandra, Teaches Me About Love &...
Grandmothers always dote, I suppose, on granddaughters. They can have relationships with them unlike any they have had with their daughters. That unconditional, positive, you-can-do-no-wrong kind of...
View ArticleHow To Stage An Intervention: 7 Tips To Get Started
With 23 million Americans currently dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, there are many reasons to stage an intervention. Beyond just drugs and alcohol, people may want to stage an intervention for...
View ArticleDoes A Drug Intervention Program Really Work?
With an estimated 1.1 million heavy alcohol users and 28.6 illegal drug users, most people know someone that’s addicted to drugs or alcohol. If you’re watching a loved one struggle with addiction, you...
View ArticleHow Do We Help Families Choose the Best Drug Addiction Treatment Facilities?
The Importance of the Right Treatment Center It’s important to choose the right treatment facility for a speedy and successful recovery from a drug addiction. It’s perhaps the most crucial decision to...
View ArticleFrom Falling Up To CIS
Folks recently inquired about how I went from crafting a memoir to writing a textbook. As I thought about it, I realized that is a very large question with lots of miles in between. So I guess, I will...
View ArticleHas FOMO Got You Down?
We’re all guilty of it – drawn into the glowing wonder of a smartphone or laptop screen like a moth to the flame. We scroll through social media, fashioning posts about our latest adventures, liking,...
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