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. Meadows Senior Fellow Dr. Black/(for CBC:)Meadows Senior Fellow Dr. Black is also the founder of the Claudia Black Young Adult Center. Alongside other renowned treatment experts, including Patrick Carnes, Tian Dayton, Peter Levine, Resmaa Menakem, and Richard Schwartz, Dr. Black provides compassionate and insightful commentary on real-life recovery stories and reveals a path to healing for those who have similar struggles. Read More

How to Battle Bullying

Every September for the past 30 years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has sponsored Recovery Month. This important national observance is aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrating the people who get up each morning and bravely continue the journey of recovery. Read More

Bad Therapy

Therapy is helpful … except when it isn’t. While getting therapy can be a critical part of addressing mental health issues, behavioral health problems, and a variety of life challenges, bad experiences with therapists can turn many people away from what is normally a lifeline for healing. It adds insult to injury when you are already dealing with personal challenges, and you may not be willing to open up again or persist in finding a better option. Read More

Investing in Aftercare

Picture yourself on the heels of completing an addiction treatment program. Your willingness to participate, the important help you’ve received along the way, and your hard work in seeing it through have all led to a healthier you. Now what? Read More

Podcasts and How They Help

Whatever you’re interested in, no matter how niche, there’s probably a podcast (or several) that will appeal to you. And unlike, say, social media, one of the benefits of podcasts is the generally positive tone in the facilitation of discussion that helps and informs. Read More

5 Benefits of Group Therapy

Back in the 17th century, English poet John Donne famously wrote that “no man is an island.” While the world has changed considerably since Donne’s treatise against isolationism, the importance of being surrounded by a community, rather than sojourning alone, has never been more on point. Read More

Introducing Recovery Replay

The fact that everyone seems to have a podcast these days is not lost on Dominic Lawson. As the host and producer of Beyond Theory podcast for Meadows Behavioral Healthcare (MBH), the recovery podcast vet has discovered something extraordinary about the decidedly old-school medium: the ability to tell a complete, three-dimensional narrative. This approach has helped MBH’s newest addiction recovery podcast, Recovery Replay, stand out in a crowd. Read More

Post-Holiday Guilt vs. Valuing the Memories

By Wesley Gallagher The holidays are winding down, and it’s time to get back into the swing of things. For many, however, the holidays still linger, and not in a good way. The season of giving can also be a season of splurging and overindulging, and feelings of guilt often… Read More

The Accountability Factor

By Anna McKenzie What’s the key to staying in recovery long-term? We know that our social groups have a certain degree of influence on our thinking and behavior. If the people around us are sober, positive, and supportive, we are encouraged to pursue our recovery process; if the people around… Read More

Journaling as an Act of Self-Care

By Christa Banister While it’s probably buried in a landfill somewhere after a number of big moves over the years, one of my 10-year-old self’s most treasured possessions was, hands down, my tomato-red journal with a heavy-duty gold lock. There was something incredibly liberating about being the only one who… Read More