Integrative Recovery for Real Life
(The following story is fictional. It does not describe any real person, student, or coaching conversation. It is a composite drawn from common experiences among young adults who are beginning to question their relationship with alcohol.) Lena is eighteen years old and finishing her first year of college. During her freshman year, she began noticing…
Many people in recovery carry a quiet fear:“I just can’t stick with anything.” They may have tried several programs, approaches, or plans. They start with hope, put in effort, and then drift away. Over time, this pattern can feel like proof of a personal flaw. A lack of discipline. A lack of commitment. A lack…
(The following story is fictional. It does not describe any real person, client, or recovery conversation. It is a composite meant to reflect common experiences many people recognize in early recovery.) Tim: Thanks for coming in, Mason. We don’t have to cover everything today. I just want to understand where you’ve been and what you’ve…
Many people enter recovery already tired and discouraged. They may feel behind, broken, or late to the work. They may be handed lists of rules, expectations, and ideals that feel impossible to meet. Some try hard for a short time, then burn out. Others drift from program to program, hoping the next one will finally…
If you have explored more than one recovery program, you may have noticed something unsettling. One program tells you to surrender control. Another tells you to take control. One emphasizes abstinence. Another emphasizes moderation. One focuses on spirituality. Another rejects it entirely. At some point, it can start to feel like everyone is contradicting everyone…
If you are trying to decide between abstinence and moderation, you are not confused or weak. You are thinking seriously about your life. Many people arrive at recovery already exhausted by being pushed in one direction or another. Some are told that total abstinence is the only responsible choice. Others are encouraged to “find balance”…
Many people arrive at recovery carrying a quiet but heavy belief:“If I were stronger, more disciplined, or more serious, I could fix this.” They may have tried setting rules. Making promises. Drawing lines. They may have succeeded for days, weeks, or even months, only to find themselves back where they started. Each return can feel…
Many people come to recovery spaces with the same quiet question:“Is this really a problem… or am I overreacting?” They may be drinking, using, spending, scrolling, eating, gambling, or chasing relationships in ways that feel uncomfortable but not catastrophic. They may still be functioning. They may know people who seem “worse.” And they may have…
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve already tried something to change a habit, behavior, or addiction that’s no longer working for you. You may have tried harder. You may have tried different programs. You may have been told you’re in denial—or, just as confusingly, that you should simply “trust yourself.” If you’re…