BIG NEWS! 🚀 Progress is Progress has officially moved to Substack! I’m honestly so excited to share this with you. After over a year of sharing my story, my struggles, my recovery, and the real, raw side of addiction and mental health right here, I’ve found a new home — and I want you to come with me. Why Substack? Because it lets me reach you directly, no matter who you are or where you’re at. Whether you’re in recovery, thinking about it, stuck in the cycle, supporting someone who is, working in the field, or just curious about what addiction and recovery really look like, you’ll find something here for you. Subscriptions are FREE. Free means free — for the everyday person who wants the honest truth about addiction, recovery, and mental health. Whether you’re struggling right now, you’ve tried to get help a thousand times, you’re looking for something different, or you just want a “been there, survived that” perspective from someone who’s BEEN on both sides of the desk (yes, I...

  https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressIsProgressMileOrMill Join us now on YouTube as well! 

Telling your truth isn’t just a Hallmark card cliché or some airy-fairy advice from a wellness guru. It’s a bold act of reclaiming yourself from the mess of addiction, trauma, and all the crap life has thrown at you. When you share your story, you’re not just spilling your guts—you’re processing, growing, and healing on a level that’s both terrifying and transformative. But let’s get real: it’s not always a neat, feel-good moment where you stand on a mountaintop and shout your truth to the world like a superhero. Sometimes, sharing your story feels like handing over your soul to a room full of strangers who might just judge you or run for the exit. It’s messy, it’s raw, and you’ve got to be ready for it. If you’re not ready, that’s okay too. Healing isn’t a sprint; it’s more like a slow, awkward dance where you sometimes step on your own feet. There are countless ways to tell your story—writing, art, music, therapy sessions, whispering it to a friend, or even yelling it into a pillow a...

  Why Mental Health Care Must Be Central to Addiction Treatment Belinda Morey BS, CSAC  Clinical Substance Use Counselor - IGNTD Coach - Recovery Coach - Blogger - Editorial Advisor Board member - “doing all the things” August 27, 2025 Addiction is too often misunderstood as a problem of willpower or moral failing. Clinical experience and extensive research tell us it’s far more complex—deeply intertwined with trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Trauma alters brain regions critical for emotional regulation and decision-making, increasing vulnerability to addiction and complicating recovery. Studies show trauma-informed care reduces relapse and improves engagement by creating safe, supportive environments that foster healing ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2023 ). Yet, despite this evidence, many addiction treatment programs still treat mental health as an afterthought. Detox and abstinence alone do not address the root ...

  Here’s the truth nobody wants to admit: sometimes recovery feels like one step forward, two steps back. You think you’re winning, and then boom — a craving, a bad day, a moment that makes you question everything. But guess what? That’s not failure. That’s part of the damn process. My Setback Story: When the Ground Gave Way I remember a point in my recovery when everything looked good on paper. I’d hit a few months clean, was checking all the “right” boxes, and telling myself I was solid. Then, out of nowhere, I had a day that felt like a total collapse. A craving hit me hard, my anxiety spiked, and I found myself spiraling into old thought patterns faster than I could catch them. It felt like I’d blown it all — like all the work was for nothing. But looking back, that day was a brutal, honest teacher. It forced me to face the parts I’d been ignoring: the unresolved trauma, the gaps in my coping skills, the isolation I hadn’t admitted to myself. That setback wasn’t a dead end....

About a month ago, my kids’ dad got out of jail. This isn’t the first time we’ve done the reunification dance, but it is the first time I’ve felt the weight of hope and caution so evenly matched. We’re still in the thick of it—figuring out what’s next, how to move forward, and how to keep our kids both safe and open to love. We tried, honestly. Three times we invited him over, wanting to give the boys a chance to reconnect. On the surface, things went okay. The boys were excited; there were campfires, little moments of connection, and me holding my breath the whole time. But then came the campground weekend. We hoped it would be a chance for them to do something simple, like swim together........ To finish reading this post please visit our new blog platform at progressisprogress.substack.com  

  Music and art have always been powerful forces for human connection and emotional expression. But in the world of addiction recovery, they’re something else entirely: lifelines, therapy, and sometimes even a slightly twisted form of group therapy where everyone’s invited to laugh, cry, and maybe question their life choices all at once. Why Music and Arts Matter in Recovery Let’s face it — traditional talk therapy can sometimes feel like trying to explain a bad hangover to a sober person. Music and arts? They speak the language of the messed-up brain better. They let you scream, whisper, cry, or laugh without the awkward eye contact. Creative expression offers: A way to dump all that emotional baggage without needing a therapist’s couch. A community where you’re not alone in your weirdness. A reason to get up and do something other than binge-watch bad reality TV. A tool to keep the relapse gremlins at bay — because when you’re busy writing a killer verse or painting your mood, th...

  Let’s be honest: addiction recovery isn’t just about healing; it’s about navigating an entire alternate reality where the rules are weird, the rituals are strange, and the people you meet could be characters pulled straight from a sitcom. Whether you’re sitting in the hot seat as a newcomer or holding court as a seasoned counselor, you know there’s a lot of absurdity wrapped up in this whole scene. So here’s a not-so-serious love letter to the madness of recovery culture — the stuff that makes you laugh, cringe, and maybe even cry because it’s so painfully true. The Meeting Rituals That Could Fill a Sitcom Script Step into any 12-step meeting and you’re stepping into a world where the rules feel part ancient ceremony, part improv comedy show. There’s the “Hi, my name is…” roll call that sometimes doubles as a mini confessional. People introduce themselves with precision, often adding their sobriety date as if it’s a badge of honor or a mysterious code. Sometimes it feels like a c...

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  Virtual Recovery Coaching and Peer Support in 2025: Breaking Barriers and Keeping It Real If you told me a decade ago that I’d be coaching people through addiction recovery over a screen or a phone, I’d probably have laughed—and then worried about what we’d lost in the process. Fast forward to 2025, and virtual recovery coaching isn’t just a backup plan; it’s a lifeline for thousands. But make no mistake, it’s not some magic cure-all. It works when the client shows up, engages, and is willing to meet themselves where they are. The truth is, virtual recovery coaching and peer support have come a long way. Platforms like IGNTD and CleanCircle.io are flipping the script on what recovery looks like, making it more accessible and flexible, while still holding space for the messy, human parts of healing. To Ready full post please see new blog platform!  Progressisprogress.substack.com

New Blog Platform @ Substack!

Hey, friends. After a lot of thought (and probably too much caffeine), I’ve decided to move my blog over to Substack. Same soul, new address: progressisprogress.substack.com . Why the move? I want to keep the conversation going—about addiction, recovery, mental health, stigma, connection, and all the messy, real-life stuff we’ve always talked about here. Substack just makes it easier for us to connect, comment, and build a community (plus, you can get posts straight to your inbox, so you don’t have to remember to check in). If you’ve found something here that made you feel seen, made you laugh, or just made you think, I’d love for you to come along for the next chapter. Head over to progressisprogress.substack.com , subscribe (it’s quick and painless, I promise), and let’s keep this thing going. Thank you for being part of this journey so far. Seriously. I couldn’t do this without you. See you on the other side, Belle 

The Secret Life of Reoccurrence of Use: Why It’s Not Just ‘Using Again’ Let’s be honest: the phrase “reoccurrence of use” (aka relapse, but we’re trying to sound fancy now) carries a whole emotional freight train loaded with disappointment, guilt, and the kind of frustration that makes you want to hide under the covers forever. For a lot of people, it feels like hitting the reset button on all the progress they’ve made—like waking up from a dream where you finally had your life together, only to realize it was just a cruel joke. But here’s the kicker: for those juggling addiction and mental health issues (the lovely co-occurring disorders combo), reoccurrence of use is way more than just a “whoops, I messed up” moment. It’s a complex signal screaming, “Hey, something’s seriously off in here,” and if you listen, it can actually teach you something valuable about your recovery journey. Reoccurrence of Use Is a Signal, Not a Moral Failure Picture this: your brain’s running on anxiety fum...