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You may not know that September is Recovery Month. And if you love someone who is still actively struggling with addiction, you may wonder what that has to do with you. And that could be more than you might think. Every September, we celebrate people who have found their way out of addiction, honour the courage it takes to choose recovery, and remind people who are still struggling that change is possible. I know something about that journey. After living with addiction to opioids for 15 years, I am now nearly 40 years clean and sober. I know that recovery is possible because I've lived it…

By: Christine Zitscher For anyone in recovery—whether it be day 1 or day 1000—we all recognize one major truth which is that it is nearly impossible to do alone and in silence. For me, this was a hard truth to accept. It is one thing to accept that I am an alcoholic but now I need to talk about it? No thank you! No one needs to know that I am a drunk who can’t control her drinking. I will quit drinking and everything will be fixed, right? Unfortunately, many of us who relapse discover that this is not possible. Addiction is an isolating condition; it keeps us apart from our fellows because we…

By Christine Zitscher Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. For many people, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and its well-known 12 Steps have provided structure, community, and hope. For others, the language and framework of 12 Step groups do not fully fit their beliefs, identity, or personal experience. That is where alternatives like the 16 Steps from Charlotte Kasl offer another path. Kasl, often associated with a more empowerment-based and inclusive recovery model, developed her 16 Steps as a response to concerns that traditional 12-step programs can feel overly…

Focus is not disappearing, it is Fragmenting For many people, focus no longer feels like a stable state. It feels temporary. Brief. Fragile. A task starts, then attention slips. Another tab opens. A message is checked. A new idea appears. The original task is still there, but it now feels heavier than it did a moment ago. This is often interpreted as distraction or lack of discipline. But underneath it is a more consistent pattern: attention is being pulled by a loop between effort, friction, and escape. The core mechanism: the friction–escape loop Attention tends to break at a predictable…

People often use the words self-respect and self-esteem as if they mean the same thing. They don't. In fact, I believe confusing the two is one of the reasons so many people struggle to feel good about themselves. Here's the difference: Self-respect comes from the inside out. Self-esteem comes from the outside in. Self-esteem grows when someone tells you: "You look great today." "You did an amazing job." "I love your outfit." Those compliments can feel wonderful. But here's the problem. If you don't already have self-respect, those compliments don't stick. Instead, you might think: "If they…

Understanding The Body’s Protective Systems Protective systems in the body can manifest in multiple ways, such as anxiety, avoidance, and people-pleasing. Simply put, this is your nervous system’s way of keeping you safe. We often think of anxiety, avoidance, shutting down, or people-pleasing as problems to fix. But what if these responses aren’t actually problems at all? What if they’re protection? This blog is about helping you learn how to understand and work with these responses in therapy. What Are Protective Systems in the Nervous System? Your nervous system is always working in the…

Let’s start with what is actually happening right now. The economic reality you are living in is not the one many of us were prepared for. The idea of a clear path toward home ownership, financial stability, and a lifestyle that reflects your effort feels uncertain at best. You may be working a good job, doing what you were told would lead somewhere meaningful, and still finding that after taxes and expenses, there is very little left. That gap between effort and outcome creates something uncomfortable. A quiet frustration & desperation. A sense that you are falling behind, even when you are…

Many people who come to therapy describe the same frustrating pattern. They care about their work. They care about their responsibilities. They want to move forward. And yet they keep putting things off. Procrastination is often interpreted as laziness or lack of discipline. In reality, it is much more often a stress response. Understanding what is happening in the brain can reduce shame and help us approach change more effectively. Task Avoidance and the Stress Response (Why You Keep Putting Things Off) Your brain has two systems that are constantly interacting. One system is responsible for…

In the pursuit of personal and professional growth, many focus on mindset, strategy, and productivity, often overlooking one of the most powerful levers of transformation: the body. Your body is not just a vessel; it’s a reflection of your patterns, your beliefs, and your internal state. It is often the first place that unresolved pain, stress, and dysfunction manifest. And when harnessed intentionally, it becomes the foundation for sustainable high performance. The Body Holds More Than Muscle For many individuals, particularly high achievers, the body has become a battleground. Years of…

Feeling Unsure About Therapy? You’re Not Alone Maybe you’ve thought about therapy but held back. Maybe you’re unsure if it’s the right fit or have heard things that made you skeptical. The truth is, you’re not alone in feeling this way. Many people hesitate to reach out because of common myths and misunderstandings about what therapy really is. These myths can make therapy seem scary, ineffective, or only for people with “big” problems. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking “therapy isn’t for me” or “I don’t need that,” this post is here to gently challenge those beliefs and open the door to…