Progress is Progress... Mile or a Millimeter

"Am I Actually Addicted?" - A No-BS Guide from Someone Who's Been There, Done That, and Now Has the Counseling Degree to Prove It Look, I've got a unique view on this whole "am I actually addicted?" question. Not just because I've spent the last six years as a substance use counselor, but because I asked myself the same damn question back when I was convinced I had everything "totally under control." (Narrator: I did not, in fact, have anything under control.) Here's the thing - before I was the one giving the advice, I was the one trying to convince my own counselor that I only did everything under the sun on "special occasions." (Plot twist: I considered making it through Tuesday a special occasion.) Now, with both personal recovery and professional experience under my belt, I'm going to translate the official diagnostic criteria into what I call "oh shit, that's me" moments - no sugar coating, no BS, just real...

  When Death Keeps Showing Up Uninvited: A Not-So-Gentle Guide to Grief Death is like that annoying relative who shows up at the worst possible moments, doesn't call ahead, and leaves your entire life in disarray. Except you can't just hide in your bedroom until they leave. I should know. By 25, I'd lost my first set of parents, then lost the other set before I hit 40. Yeah, you read that right – both sets. Life has a twisted sense of humor sometimes. First went my adoptive parents (who were actually my grandparents, but try explaining that family tree at parties). Bob and Betty – the ones who raised me, dealt with my teenage drama, and tried their best to maintain that picture-perfect family facade while our dysfunction simmered underneath like a pot about to boil over. They were both gone by 2008, and let me tell you, I handled it with all the grace of a drunk elephant on roller skates. (maybe I was the drunk elephant on roller skates actually) I did what any reasonable p...

Join clinician Belinda Bickford and I in redefining substance use disorder treatment through personalized approaches. Our latest blog explores how to meet clients where they are and why it matters. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gjD8w9d4 #SubstanceUseDisorder #MentalHealthProfessionals #TreatmentApproaches

When Rock Bottom Has a Basement: A Real Talk About Community-Based Recovery in Wisconsin Let's face it - if you're reading this, you're probably not having your best day. Maybe you're the one fighting the battle, maybe you're watching someone you love wage war with addiction, or maybe you're a professional wondering why your coffee maker isn't dispensing vodka yet. Wherever you're at, pull up a chair. We need to talk about something that's actually working in the world of recovery: community-based support. "But wait," you say, "isn't community support just a fancy term for awkward church basement meetings and stale cookies?" Not anymore, friends. Not anymore. The Revolution Is Local (And It's Not Taking Insurance) Here in Wisconsin, we're doing something different. While the rest of the country is still arguing about whether addiction is a moral failing or a disease (spoiler alert: it's neither - it's more like...

When Your College Assignment Becomes a Blog Post (Because Why Not Double-Dip?) So here's the deal - I've got this assignment for my final semester at Ottawa University where I'm supposed to reflect on my "college journey." insert eye roll here But you know what? This is actually kind of perfect for the blog because holy shit, what a ride it's been. Picture this: 2015, middle-of-nowhere Wisconsin (specifically Lac du Flambeau reservation), and there I am - a high school dropout with more issues than National Geographic - deciding to take an EMT course. Why? Because it was free, and free is my favorite price point. Plot twist: I actually passed it. Mind. Blown. Let me tell you about EMT training, because that shit was wild. Imagine a bunch of adults crawling around on floors, strapping each other to boards, and aggressively pumping on dummies. It's like BDSM meets healthcare, minus the safe word. But it introduced me to the special brand of dark humor you o...