I've learned through my last few years as a counselor that grief is not what I once thought it was. I used to think that it only began after a loss had occurred, and generally that loss had to be severe, like the death of a loved one or the ending of a marriage.
I'm excited to announce that we are now offering SMART Recovery meetings! I have long been a believer in these free, science-based, addiction support meetings, but have been disappointed by the fact that they seem to missing in the downtown Dallas area.
I read these stats in an email from National Council for Behavioral Health today. Pretty eye-opening. More of us need to be aware of these systemic differences in health outcomes for Americans.
Bright and early a few days ago, I had the fantastic opportunity to teach a workshop about yoga to counselors from across our state at the Texas Counseling Association annual conference in Dallas. It was a great time! I shared a presentation, then led the group through a yoga practice so they could experience it for themselves. We ended our morning circling up for discussion.
Noticing beautiful objects, creatures, plants, landscapes, and people in our environment certainly impacts my health and wellness. I hope we are all able to find beauty around us, whether we are in a distant place or right outside our front door.
Getting Sober
What "sobering up" means to you depends on your situation. Sometimes it means decreasing the frequency or quantity of use. Called "harm reduction" in treatment terms, many people naturally do this when they notice a problem with drugs and alcohol but are unsure of its severity. For example, if you find that you binge drink (more than 4 drinks at a time for women and more than 5 for men) when you're out with friends at bars, you might decide to ask your friends to meet you at a movie instead of a bar. Shifting the environment in which problematic behaviors occur is a way to reduce harm. Likewise, you may try to limit the amount you are drinking or using, or you may make deals with yourself not to use at certain times of day or in certain places. All of these methods of control are common once a problematic pattern is recognized. Whether these methods of control work or not depends on your individual circumstances. Here's a guideline for the safe consumption of alcohol, by the way. Great graphic from the CDC. |
AuthorKambria Kennedy-Dominguez, LPC-S |