Substance Abuse: Do You Alone Suffer?

Recovering from drug abuse is not easy and it is nearly impossible without the support of your family, friends or recovery coach. Drug abuse hampers relationships and puts a lot of strain on personal bonds. The process of recovery is hard not only for the addict but for people close to them as well.

James P Foster writes for The Fix about the importance of realizing that an addict is not the only one suffering. Because of their substance abuse, people close to them might also be subject to traumatic states.

 

I’m (NOT) Just Hurting Myself

Families in which a member is actively using or in early recovery are often in crisis management mode. Frustration, anger, and secrecy bring an embattled quality to otherwise ordinary interactions.

 

 While all families periodically struggle to maintain a stable equilibrium, the challenge can be severely magnified when drug and alcohol misuse take up residence. The usual priorities recede into the background as a crisis management environment comes into establishment, replete with the frustration, anger and secrecy that can bring an embattled quality to the most ordinary interactions. Families in which a member is engaged in problematic substance use or in early recovery have often experienced a variety of deleterious consequences that may need to be addressed before a stable recovery and healing can begin. J.P. Foster works on the front lines and never loses sight of the need to assist family members as part of the treatment process….Richard Juman, PsyD

Continue reading………

 

At Recovery Coach Training, we put emphasis on the well-being of patients and those close to them. We understand how hard it can be. That’s why our coaches are prepared to handle family members carefully as well.

Self-Development Through Journaling

Journaling is a fantastic way to supercharge your self-development efforts. When your thoughts are still in your mind, they can be challenging to analyze objectively.

 

Getting things out of your head and down on paper provides a totally different perspective.

 

Thinking tends to be very sequential; one thought leads to the next, which leads to the next. We get caught in a linear track and miss out on the bird’s-eye view of the whole thought process. With journaling you gain the ability to see things from a third-person view versus a first-person view.

 

Three Great Benefits of Journaling

 

1. Solve complex challenges. When you write the issue at hand down on paper, the solution for a complex challenge often suddenly becomes obvious. The ability to re-examine the issue from a third-person perspective can make all the difference.
2. Increase clarity. One of the best times to lean on your journal is when you’re filled with uncertainty about what action to take. Many things become clearer when you can get them down in writing.
3. Validate your progress. Sometimes we feel like we’re spinning our wheels and not making genuine progress. When you’re feeling this way, go back and review your old journal entries. You’ll be amazed at how much progress you’ve made since then. And you’ll also probably realize that you’re taking huge strides right now, too!

 

How to Start a Journal

 

You might envision creating a journal in a one of those blank books you can pick up in the bookstore. While this option certainly has a romantic feel to it, you might want to consider keeping an electronic journal.

 

• Electronic journals can be essentially free; you could start a blog on a free website or simply use your word processing program.
• The big advantage with electronic journals is the ability to search for things. Imagine going back through 10 years of written records, trying to find a specific entry.
• Additionally, if you type faster than you write, an electronic journal can be beneficial when you’re trying to get complex thoughts out in a short period of time.
• Also, there are several software programs available specifically developed for journaling. If you can spare the $20-$30, they’re worth checking out, and provide a lot more flexibility than the traditional pen and paper approach.

Habit-forming: Make Journaling a Daily Activity

 

Even if you think that there aren’t enough interesting things happening in your life on a daily basis to bother recording them, don’t let that deter you. New habits are much easier to implement if the activity is performed on a daily basis. Even getting down a couple of sentences every night is a great idea. You’ll be surprised how often you’ll write much more.

 

This practice can even help make your life be more exciting and fulfilling. Just knowing that you have to journal each night may compel you to make your life a little more adventurous, just so you have something interesting to write. Try it! During the day, you’ll notice that little thought in the back of your mind wondering what you can write about tonight.

 

Get started with your journal today. It’s an activity that has little to no cost but provides numerous benefits. You’ll see your clarity increase and have a much better sense of just how much progress you really are making in your life. Start journaling today and watch your self-development take on a new perspective.

 

For more information visit – Recovery Coach Training

Recovery Apps: Using Technology to Stay Straight

In recovery we need to utilize any tool that works for us to stay motivated, organized and on-track with our sobriety. There are any number of recovery apps out there, but we wanted to provide a list free or low cost apps you might want to choose from and try out. If you have experience with any of these tools – give us your feedback – or try one out and see if it adds value to your life.

The following blog is from RenewEveryday.com online subscription recovery magazine.

Recovery on the Go? Here are some of the Best Mobile Apps to Stay Connected.

For many adults of the 21stcentury, smart phones or tablets have become an extension of their hands. They keep everyone connected and functioning in a technological world. And while some may decry that evolution socially, in the recovery process they can serve as a convenient and practical tool.

Mobile recovery apps can help users find meetings, receive daily affirmations or inspirations, track recovery progress, contact their sponsor and more. Here is a list of the best affordable (or free) mobile apps on the market.

1 – Hazelden’s Mobile MORE Field Guide to Life

Hazelden’s Field Guide to Life app comes in three volumes: “The Basics,” “Owning It” and “The New You!” It’s available on the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and Hazeldon is currently evaluating the creation of the application for other common mobile devices and operating systems. In working through each of the volumes, users progress through the stages of recovery over the course of one year. Hazelden designed the app for the entire spectrum of the sober community, from people new to recovery who are just out of treatment to the millions of people who wish to renew their recovery. Read More

Try one out today and let us know!

For information visit – Recovery Coach Training

Midlife Work Life: Reimagined

In her book Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife, Barbara Bradley Hagerty. http://ift.tt/1pHdth5  seeks to answer the question of why two in three people are not engaged or satisfied in their work. When asking people “what makes you happy at work” the top answer by far was having a sense of purpose. She found that especially with the Gen X and Baby Boomer generations, they were happiest not only when they made a job change, but when they repurposed their talents and experience to make their work more meaningful.

              Man in short sleeve shirt standing in the street

Read the following excerpt from her book in this NPR report called Reimagine Your Life at Work. (This link also contains the 5 minute audio report)

Life Reimagined: A Crisis Is Born

Mom’s stroke provided the spark for a combustible collection of small despairs waiting to ignite: the unremitting daily-ness of work, the minor but scary health issues, the unpalatable fear that this is as good as it gets and that life slopes downward from here.

A few days after Mom’s stroke, I sat at my desk and pondered these suddenly urgent questions: What, exactly, constitutes a “midlife crisis,” and is that what I am experiencing? Is it unswerving destiny, or can I drive around it with the choices I make? So many people I know are struggling through midlife ennui. Yet some people flourish. How do they do it? How can I craft a meaningful middle life? And is there any science that can give me pointers? Read more

Midlife and older adults have a wealth of knowledge, skills and abilities to leverage for a more satisfying and fulfilling career. This is exactly the kind of life experience that makes some of the best Professional Recovery Coaches.

Perhaps you are considering a career change and want to find a deeper sense of service and purpose in your work. If you have a desire to use your wisdom and experience helping others to find wholeness and new possibilities through the recovery process, a career as a Professional Recovery Coach may be for you.

Please download a free copy of our e-book on Ten Reasons Why Baby Boomers Make the Best Recovery Coaches here http://ift.tt/1WwQbpl

Brain Boosting Smoothies:

Recovery is a time to treat yourself right, to nourish your mind, body and spirit. Here are some healthy smoothie recipes that boost brain power and cleanse the body. Freezing some of the ingredients (like bananas and other fruit) prior to making your smoothie can make them extra thick and creamy. Try something new and enjoy! Here are 3 recipes we found on the web:

Smoothie with Spinach; Blueberries Peach and Strawberries

http://ift.tt/1BAMiqw

Brain Boosting Smoothie

This brain boosting smoothie is loaded with healthy fats to support nervous system and brain development/function. It’s healthy, delicious and so easy to make! Start your day with this great recipe!

Ingredients:

• ½ avocado
• ½ banana
• ½ cup blueberries
• 6 whole walnuts
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• ½ cup water

http://ift.tt/1UWCVuU

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Excellent source of plant-based protein from tofu and soy milk. Soy-based foods, such as tofu and soy milk, support the maintenance of bone and immune health and healthy brain function. They’re also a great source of protein, which decreases cravings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 2 medium banana
• ¾ cup strawberries
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• ½ cup of silken tofu
• 1 lemon wedge

310 Calories / 19 grams of protein

http://ift.tt/1SgsAFa

Detox/Cleansing Smoothie

• 1½ cups water
• 1 cup chopped pineapple
• 1 cucumber
• 1 lemon
• 12 dates

For more information visit – Recovery Coach Training

Noticing the Transformation in our midst…

Big changes can be satisfying, like a fresh coat of paint in a dingy room, or replacing your well used bike or car.   We respond with a hearty YES, that’s much better!

Big changes can be satisfying, like a fresh coat of paint in a dingy room, or replacing your well used bike or car.   We respond with a hearty YES, that’s much better!

But in our daily lives and in the special work we get to do in Addiction Recovery, it is often the small incremental changes that are the source of a spontaneous smile and even deep gratitude in the midst of our busy lives or a stressful day.

In the Northern Hemisphere March brings the end of winter and ushers in the Spring season of new beginnings. Fresh buds bloom, animals awaken and the earth seems to come to life again. For our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, March is the beginning of winter with the promise of Spring coming in September. I think of this alternating rhythm as our planet inhaling and exhaling- both are satisfying.

I encourage you to take notice of the small changes that touch you – the delight of a child who learns to walk or to tie their shoes; a beloved pet that responds to your mood; a person in early recovery who notices the needs of another; the soaring flight of migrating birds; the satisfaction in taking down storm shutters or putting them up.

I encourage you in this new season to enjoy the transforming richness of being mindful……. It’s as close as your next deep breath.

With great joy,

Jean

Opioid Epidemic/Shortage of Addiction Counselors

Clearly we are in the midst of a drug epidemic. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National drug overdose deaths are on the rise, and in particular with those using prescription opioids. In the midst of this epidemic, we have a critical shortage of addiction counselors. Read the following article from a NPR report to understand the scope of the addiction counselor shortage. (There is also a link available to the 4 minute NPR audio)

A “Help Wanted” sign isolated on white.

Emily Corwin reports for NPR (02/23).

As the drug-related death toll rises in the United States, communities are trying to open more treatment beds. But an ongoing labor shortage among drug treatment staff is slowing those efforts. Each year, roughly one of every four substance-abuse clinicians nationally chooses to leave the job, according to recent research. And that’s not just turnover — leaving one job for another in the same field. As an Institute of Medicine report documented in 2006, there’s been a shortage of addiction workers for decades. And the demand is only increasing; the Affordable Care Act and other federal laws have given millions more people insurance to help them pay for those services. If only there were enough counselors to treat them.  Read More

Addiction Counselors work with people who need clinical treatment services to address their out of control behaviors. Increase your counseling skills and earning potential at NET Institute Center for Addiction and Recovery Education www.netinstitute.org

Effective Professional Recovery Coaches support people to change their behaviors BEFORE treatment. And AFTER treatment, Professional Coaches help people to maximize their recovery process.

Expand your career options. Explore adding Professional Recovery Coach credentials here: http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw