The South African bishop and theologian, Desmond Tutu, once said, “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” There is some serious truth in that. It seems like such an obvious concept, but sometimes we forget the last part and just focus on the “not choosing” part. […]
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was created back in 1935 with one purpose in mind: “to help the individual that is still struggling recover.” In fact, one of the founders, Bill Wilson, wrote in the original text of the 12-Step program that “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking than work with […]
The 18th Century poet Lord Byron has a beautiful aphorism about self-worth. Byron writes, “There are four questions of value in life. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love.” This love is often […]
Studies and reports are being released regularly that confirm what many people believed was already happening during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reports confirm that mental illness, , and other issues of mental health and self-medication rose among all populations. Additionally, there was a significant rise in mental health disorders co-occurring with or other mental health […]
When a child has self-medication struggles, of course, the primary concern is for their emotional, mental, and physical well-being. However, while these issues are paramount, that does not mean that other potential ramifications should be ignored. These ramifications often include financial, academic, and social consequences. They can also include legal troubles. The first thing we […]
As parents and caretakers, we overlook the fact that we need help to succeed sometimes too. After all, once our kids came around, their needs took precedence and our primary purpose became to help them succeed. However, the truth is that as parents we need help at times. Just because we are now parents does […]
Interventions have gotten a lot more recognition in recent years due to a television show by the same name. Since 2005, A&E’s Intervention has brought the intervention process into people’s homes and into the public sphere. Regardless of what we may think of the show itself, it has created some beliefs that must be addressed […]
As parents, we understand that our primary job is making sure that our kids are kept safe and out of harm’s way. This is rather straightforward when it comes to physical safety, but it becomes slightly less concrete when it comes to their mental and emotional safety. The truth is that issues of mental and […]
As many of you are parents and caretakers, you understand the fine line one has to walk when it comes to getting involved in a child’s life. If you become too overbearing, you run the risk of pushing your child away. This may cause them to become more secretive. By choosing sparse involvement, however, you […]
If you’ve ever seen the film Dazed and Confused, you’ve seen a prime example of how movies glorify underage drinking and illegal substance use in teens. In the movie, teenagers celebrate the last day of school by getting drunk and, in the vernacular of the time, “stoned.” The movie is a love letter to excessive […]
