by Reya Ingle, Psy.D. Providing a Safe Place for Women to Heal Practical Recovery’s newest residential treatment home, The Restoration Inn, opened in late September this year to provide substance misuse treatment for women in a safe and supportive environment. The Inn maintains Practical Recovery’s signature non 12 step approach and commitment to individualized, self-empowering treatment for substance misuse and co-occurring disorders including relationship issues and trauma. The Restoration Inn is purposefully small with only four beds to allow for a true homelike environment. The small size of the home and the individualized focus remove the possibility of unobserved lack of true engagement in treatment as might occur in a large facility. At The Restoration Inn, client motivatio...

by Devon Berkheiser, Psy.D. For many people, recovery can be a vulnerable time. It often involves building up a new support network while dealing with a lot of challenging issues and feelings. A recent news story highlights just how vulnerable people in early recovery can be, and the potential dangers that they face even in places that are supposed to be safe. Karla Mendez Brada was a young woman in treatment for substance abuse. As part of that treatment, she attended Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings which are meant to provide support and “fellowship.” At those meetings, she met a man who quickly became her fiancé. Although AA typically advises against getting involved in romantic relationships in early recovery, it does happen; and not all of t...

by Devon Berkheiser, Psy.D. Conflict is an inevitable part of interpersonal relationships. We are each unique individuals with our own belief system and point of view, and it’s only natural that we will at some point have disagreements with other people. While managing conflict can be scary and overwhelming, conflict resolution skills can be learned so that you feel more confident in your ability to address conflicts in relationships. Here are some basic conflict resolution skills: 1. Arrange a time and place to discuss the problem that is convenient for all parties. You may want to wait until you are able to speak about the problem in a calm and respectful manner. 2. Define the problem as specifically as possible. Try using clear-cut examples so that the other person understan...

Previous research suggests four to eight percent of women under the age of 44 are alcohol dependent. Further, up to 65 percent of alcohol dependent women have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder, and women are typically less likely to seek alcohol treatment as compared to men. Research also shows that many alcohol dependent women have high levels of stress in their marriage. Barbara McCrady of the University of new Mexico Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions and Elizabeth Epstein of Rutgers University led a study which found that couples therapy for alcohol dependent women may work well for women with supportive spouses. Couples Therapy vs. Individual Therapy The researchers compared alcohol behavioral couples therapy to alcohol behavioral individual therapy in a rando...

Article by Erinn Hutkin originally appeared in the Union Tribune on September 23, 2014 Toxic relationships do not only hurt psychologically, they can also be physically damaging. George Pratt, a clinical psychologist, author and licensed marriage and family therapist associated with Scripps Health, said a toxic or unhealthy relationship can exist among married couples, people who are dating and even those who are no longer a couple. No matter what the nature of the relationship, Pratt said, they have one thing in common: “Toxic relationships can exist in any kind of relationship, and they are bad for your health.” From disturbed sleep to added stress to increased risk of heart problems, toxic relationships can do damage to the body. However, in addition to knowing that a ...

Original article by Mackenzie Dawson first appeared in the NY Post on September 11, 2014 “I try to forget #WhyIStayed because #WhyILeft is a much more enjoyable story with a fairy tale happy ending.” So writes one Twitter user in a post that neatly sums up much of the reaction to the Ray Rice domestic abuse scandal, involving a video of him punching his then-fiancée, now wife, in the face and then dragging her out of the elevator of an Atlantic City casino. The video is shocking. Horrifying. And, as we are all so quick to do whenever a narrative doesn’t progress exactly as we would like it to, we commenced pointing fingers. First — and most deservedly — at the NFL, which initially reacted to the incident by suspending the Ravens running back for a mere two games. (Thi...

Being kind to others feels good, and research shows that it also has beneficial effects. Did you know that kindness actually increases happiness? When we do something nice for others, the dopamine levels in our brains increase, making us feel happier. This feeling is known as a “helper’s high.” Kindness also improves our relationships by making us feel more bonded to other people. Kindness has even been found to slow the aging process. In honor of “Be Kind to Humankind Week,” consider making an effort to spread some extra cheer. Here are a few simple things to try: 1. Random acts of kindness—Simply do something nice for somebody else! You could pay for a stranger’s Starbucks order, put a quarter in a meter that will soon expire, or offer to do some yard work for a neighbor. 2. ...

Support is a crucial part of recovery. When times get tough, it is important to have supportive friends on whom you can rely. However, friends can be problematic when they trigger old addictive habits and behaviors. Often people in recovery need to build new friendships with people who are supportive of recovery and free from their own addictions. This can seem like a daunting task, especially if most of your social activities have involved drinking/using in the past. Here are 3 suggestions for finding new friends: Recovery meetings offer an opportunity to meet new friends who share similar goals. When attending meetings, say hello to other group members. Ask for phone numbers or invite somebody to go out for coffee. It may be scary to reach out to new people at first, but it gets...

Sometimes, we are betrayed by the people who claim to love us the most.  Whether we are lied to, ignored, or gossiped about, it is natural to hold a grudge, and let it affect our mood, our relationships, and even our physical health.  Forgiving someone helps us much more than it helps the person who hurt us.  Here is how: According to The Journal of Behavioral Medicine, forgiveness is literally good for your heart. Individuals experienced lower blood pressure, and lower heart rate when practicing forgiveness. This can make a big difference over time! When friends or family hurt us, it can be difficult, because we may want to salvage the relationship but the betrayal is keeping us from doing so. Forgiveness allows us to see the positive aspects of the offending party, and allows us...

Here are 5 things Dr. Horvath recommends you consider when discussing substance abuse with your spouse: 1. Take time to notice what is going well in your relationship, and talk about it. Express thanks for what is working. 2. Begin the conversation by identifying the stresses in your spouse's situation. Is there stress at work, with family, with the children, with money, etc? Acknowledge this stress, and acknowledge the efforts your spouse has made to cope with it. 3. Express your concern about how substance use has (probably) been used as a coping method, and how that use concerns you. 4. Focus on the outcomes you desire (lower stress for your spouse, no substance related negative consequences, a better relationship for the two of you), rather than a specific method (e.g., "Y...