Do we have to stop being silly just because we’re in recovery?  I think not!  In fact, our mental health just might be at stake if we get too serious! Things we do need to be serious about: Our sobriety The 12 Steps Our speech: is it helpful or harmful? Our actions: are you being selfish, self-centered, greedy, or manipulative? Our health: are you taking care of our mental and physical health? Asking for help Developing self-awareness Self-care But here are some things where being silly, play, lightheartedness can be invited in: Creativity Exercise…outside…in the mountains, or at the beach. …

It’s Halloween…and you’re sober! What?! That’s right, you are sober! Your life has changed dramatically since last Halloween. You are more aware, you are living a clean life, you have different social circles,  you are starting to feel better in your skin. But for some reason, this dastardly holiday baffles you and freezes you in your tracks.  It’s ok. It’s happened to all of us. Gone are the days when you have to be high to dress up or drunk to have fun. Gone are the days when the key component in your social adventures was 80 proof .  You …

What’s this? The 4th of July lands on a Wednesday? This might mean less opportunity for teen substance abuse or experimentation, or it might mean a murky Thursday morning. I’m hoping for the former. This got me thinking. At our outpatient treatment facility, one of the groups we hold for our adolescents in recovery includes “sober fun” as a way to get our teens to embrace the idea of having fun in recovery. We all know one of the scariest things about getting sober as an adolescent is the fear of being alienated socially by friends.  Most of the time, …

Visions has always recognized the need for staff team building. They understand from personal experience how intense it is to work in this field. Working in treatment, it’s easy to get wrapped up in our jobs and our purpose as treatment professionals. We strive to be the best, but in order for us to do that effectively, we must also care for ourselves. Visions fosters this self-care state by creating and encouraging team building activities for the staff, understanding that we are not going to be any good at caring for anyone if we don’t take care of ourselves first.  Airline …

Osho said, “You cannot live without laughter.” He has a wonderful point! When I got sober, it wasn’t the war stories that hooked me but the echoes of laughter in those dungy, smoky meeting halls. For one thing, there were others there who could relate to the mistakes I made and my subsequent suffering. It was there that I discovered my ability to laugh, not at others, but at situations and circumstances otherwise too dark to face. Ultimately, this is what initially gave me permission to begin the letting-go process regarding my shame and fear. So, a funny thing happens …

Ah, Hallow’s Eve, the one day during the year where one can don masks, dress like anyone or anything they want, and of course, eat lots and lots of candy. To celebrate this phenomena, there are parties galore, some of which happened this past weekend, and some that will occur this evening. Here are some reminders for party savoir faire: Bring your own drinks if you’re concerned that there won’t be any non-alcoholic treats for you. Make sure you have sober friends with you or are surrounded by people who respect your sobriety. Let your sober network know where you’ll …

School has started, though the remnants of the Summer heat are still lingering about. It’s also prime time for Image via Wikipedia the first of many anticipated school parties! For the newly sober, and even for those with a little time under their belts, this might be a source of contention or stress. So, how DO you participate while staying safe and sober? For starters: Bring a friend with you that has your best interests in mind. In other words, someone who isn’t on the fence about you being clean and sober!  Arrange for your own transportation so you don’t …

Summer is here! You know what that means? Longer days, no school, freedom from the confines of homework and school rules, luscious days at the beach, reveling in sun and surf, long hikes in the hills and of course, less direct parental supervision. It also portends some boredom-filled days, which can be a recipe for impending degeneracy. Adolescent experimentation with drugs, alcohol, sex, and other high-risk activities tend to rise in the summer months. The temptation to experiment with the verboten is seductive: parents are at work, medicine cabinets are full, and there’s really no one to check in with. …

“The Doctor was puzzled:  ’I’m very sorry, Mr. O’Flaherty, but I can’t diagnose your trouble.  I think it must be the drink.’ ‘Don’t worry about it, Dr. Cullen, I’ll come back when you’re sober.’, said O’ Flaherty.” When I think of St. Patrick’s Day, the first thing that comes to mind is showing of your flashiest green wares and doing the pub crawl. Despite some lore  considering it a religious holiday (Interesting bit: March 17 is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the celebrating begins, so many Irish attend mass!), the main attraction is having a …

It’s not every day that we voluntarily pay money to walk in to a place of horror and experientially tread through our fears. However, this past Saturday, we hosted our annual Knott’s Scary Farm event, wherein we did just that. Truth be told, it’s a popular event! I’m not sure if it’s a teen thing or a personality thing, but some folks just love to be scared! The thing is, we’re all scared of something, right? For this event, it might simply be things jumping out at you, for others it could be coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, and for …