Claudia Black’s “Undaunted Hope” Shares Stories of Inspiration

Dr. Claudia Black’s new book Undaunted Hope is not just filled with stories of addiction and recovery; it’s brimming with tales of lives made new, of trauma understood and uprooted, and of the personal transformation that can come from asking for help and receiving it Read More

What to Do When You Feel the Urge to Self-Harm and Relapse

It’s possible to plan ahead to decrease the chances of relapse after you leave treatment. Therapist and author Lisa Ferentz, speaking at The Meadows’ recent conference on trauma and addiction, discussed this challenging part of treatment — and offered a realistic and proactive process that helps patients avoid relapse. Read More

The Triggering Effect: How to Manage Yours

If you’re in recovery from addiction, you know it takes much more than just willpower to prevent relapse. Recovery is a lifelong journey of learning and discovery about yourself that requires deep healing, as well as an arsenal of coping mechanisms to get you through the daily struggles of sobriety. Read More

Addiction’s Impact on You

By Beau Black How does addiction affect you? Substance use disorder impacts all of us, directly or indirectly; the effects of addiction may be physical, relational, financial, societal. The effects of addiction on those around us like family, friends, and co-workers are wide-ranging, but what about its… Read More

A Portrait of Forgiveness

After seeing a preview of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Dr. Claudia Black shares her expertise on the art of forgiveness as Lloyd Vogel, a young journalist, begins to heal from his childhood trauma with the help of Mister Rogers. Read More

Growing Up With An Addicted Parent

I remember, as a twelve-year-old, sitting alone in our living room after one of our then-typical family meltdowns…trying to make sense of the pain and general devastation of our once very happy family…trying to understand how kind, decent and loving people could cause each other such unrelenting pain, how we… Read More

Alcohol Awareness Month: “Changing Attitudes: It’s not a rite of passage”

The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD) is promoting its 32nd Annual Alcohol Awareness month this April.  The theme for this year encompasses the idea of drinking as a rite of passage.  This immediately makes me think of a case that I have been following regarding a fraternity… Read More

Home for Holidays: Last Minute Tips for Maintaining Your Recovery

We all love the holidays… Or, do we? During this time of year, we are bombarded with messages from our television and computer screens about what the holidays are supposed to be—a time to peacefully and joyously celebrate with our families. Read More

U.S. Surgeon General Issues a Call to Action on Addiction

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s release of Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health at yesterday’s Facing Addiction Summit was an unprecedented moment in our country’s fight against addiction and substance misuse. It is the first time in history that a U.S. surgeon general has issued a report focused on drug and alcohol addiction. The report comes at a time when more and more Americans are struggling with the effects of addiction to opioids and heroin. One person dies every 19 minutes from an opioid or heroin overdose. And, the statistics related to other addictions are no less grim. One in seven people in the United States will face a substance misuse disorder, and only 10 percent will get the treatment they need to overcome it. Read More

Becoming Fearless with the Help of Al-Anon

By the Mother of a Past Claudia Black Young Adult Center Patient As my daughter does her recovery work from drug and alcohol addiction and anxiety, I too work my recovery through Al-Anon. I won’t go into details of how my daughter and I both came to this point because I’m guessing many of you are already familiar with the scenario— failing grades, arrests, court appearances, isolation, detachment, and on and on. Read More