Melissa R. Eklund MS, LMHC - Program Director, Hanley Center Counseling  Melissa earned both her Bachelor of Science in psychology and her Master of Science in mental health counseling from Nova Southeastern University while focusing on the topic of addictions. A...

As the brain plays an important role in beginning and sustaining recovery, a focus on how to retrain the brain after years of drug use is important. For some people needing recovery, this may come as a surprise when their belief may be a brain damaged by substance use...

As a middle-aged adult thinking about the effects on aging on a parent, addiction may not be one of the topics that comes to mind first yet it can be a very real threat to the health of a senior citizen. You may have ignored some warning signs of an addiction in your...

Kaisha A. Thomas Ph.D., LMFT, LMHC, NCC, CCMHC, SAP -- Program Director   Kaisha serves as Program Director on our main campus, working primarily with older adults. Her extensive clinical and teaching experience spans more than sixteen years, and her numerous...

My name is Lisa C, and I am an alcoholic. I am not new to recovery, as I was in a 12-Step Fellowship from April 1995 - to January 2005. Almost 10 years. Prior to this, my disease was like most. Drank, blacked out, drank, DWI, my life was miserable. At that time, I...

At an age where the use of prescription drugs is common for treatment of any number of chronic conditions, an elderly parent’s misuse of medicine might go unnoticed by family at first. Even if you’re aware of what specific meds they’re taking, you could be missing the...

One of the critical components of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction that may be overlooked by people considering treatment is counseling. The top programs in the country include it for a reason: undoing the damage from addiction requires understanding what...

Bart Ross | Recovery & Alumni Services Coordinator   “Resentment is the ‘number one’ offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.” How and why? Resentments can appear in many different forms. Some signs that we may be harboring resentments...

In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, part of the state response in the U.S. was keeping liquor stores open. The choice confused some people, likely unaware of the impact a lack of access to alcohol would have on those currently living with alcohol addiction....

As the global pandemic of COVID-19 has made “social distancing” a household phrase in a short period of time, we’ve had to adjust every former routine behavior as we stay at home, work from home, or travel to stores for essential items. For those living with...

The appeal of a change in lifestyle during retirement rarely includes a clear view of what pitfalls can emerge in the “golden years.”  Whether you retire early or work into your late 60s or 70s, your transition in work status may precede many other changes, some...

A grown son or daughter dealing with addiction, whether they’re still living at home or on their own, is a daily worry for parents, especially when you hear startling statistics about the outcome of addiction within their generation. You may have reached a tipping...

Falls in older family members always concern us, but there’s a good reason to take a closer look at what might be contributing to these incidents. While physical weakness and poor health could contribute to a parent or other loved one falling down, one factor you...

Bart Ross, Recovery & Alumni Services Coordinator For this blog, let’s picture our recovery journey as if we were on a train taking a trip. Along the way we’ll find the things we need to get there. Picture it as a round-trip journey that never ends. Our journey’s...

When you devote your days to helping others in harm’s way or at risk of being harmed, you may be unaware of the impact the job is having on your mental health and overall well-being. The evidence shows a significant number of cases of substance abuse among men and...

How long have you been living with an alcoholic? If you’re here right now, it’s likely been more time than you want to think about. You’ve seen the harm it’s done to your relationship, to your family, and even to your health and well-being. While we often discuss the...

An older parent’s use of prescription drugs is something their adult children may be aware of, especially if they see each other regularly, but it’s not necessarily a regular topic of conversation. That’s one reason seeing potential misuse of medication—one taken by...

By Joanna Ahern, Alumni Care Coordinator, Hanley Center at Origins Acceptance is a topic that is discussed a lot in the rooms. In sobriety, there is a need to accept others and certain situations as they are rather than I want them to be. Yet the idea of acceptance...

Bart Ross, Recovery & Alumni Services Coordinator  I'm writing this remembering the holidays when I first got sober. My birthday is in October, and then November starts the holiday season. I got sober in June, and when October came around, I started thinking the...