Posts by Julie Katz
Can Sad Music Help with Depression?
You might be asking, why would someone who is struggling with depression want to listen to sad music? Most of us would suggest listening to something upbeat and cheerful! It’s not exactly the first thing we recommend when our friends are feeling down. But there’s actually some science behind this suggestion. And it’s related to…
Read MorePTSD and Addiction Recovery: A Process of Healing
โEvery day I wake up to a different version of me. Will I be happy or sad, will I feel safe or scared? The things I feel because of my post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) arenโt invisible to others. I like to think of myself as a warrior in my own right, because I face invisible…
Read MoreSelf-Care Is Critical, No Matter How Long Youโve Been in Recovery
Self-care is all about nurturing a loving, kind, respectful relationship with ourselves, and itโs takes work โ just as other meaningful relationships in our lives do. As an ongoing, lifelong process, we have to remind ourselves to continue building upon that relationship โ but if we get too comfortable in our recovery, we may find…
Read MoreWhat is Humility and How Does That Relate to Recovery?
โI find I am at my best when I can let the flow of my experience carry meโฆโ โ Carl Rogers The dictionary defines humility as: โa modest or low view of oneโs own importance; humblenessโ. As human beings, itโs pretty natural for us to feel an inflated sense of importance. We are so focused…
Read MoreIncorporating Creative Activities in Recovery: Getting Back to the Basics
When weโre kids, weโre much more open to exploring the world with curiosity and wonder. Vince Gowmon, a life coach, counselor, author and more, emphasizes that itโs because children are still connected to their body rather than strictly through their mindset. Theyโre able to move much more fluidly – and with little association to place…
Read MoreRelapse Prevention & The 12 Steps: What You Need to Know
Relapse prevention is a crucial part of addiction recovery, but it happens gradually. Those in recovery learn of the strategies, coping mechanisms and resources needed to work through troubling emotions such as with anger, guilt, sadness and more. It takes time to learn more about our cravings and triggers, as itโs something that we canโt…
Read MoreHow Men and Women Differ When It Comes to Spirituality and Long-Term Recovery
Men and women are hardwired differently, so itโs natural that they experience addiction, recovery, and the associations that go along with them differently. As DrugFree.org states, biological differences in women means that they can become much more easily dependent on substances; they are also at higher risk of developing health-related issues, such as breast cancer,…
Read MoreMoving Past Shame in Addiction Recovery: Choosing to Move Forward
Shame is defined as, โa painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.โ Shame is a powerful emotion that can cause people to feel worthless, defective, and damaged beyond repair โ and for those in addiction recovery, shame can be quite a common feeling. One fundamental area of…
Read MoreIn What Ways Can I Find Freedom Through Sobriety?
The journey to recovery is different for everyone. Weโre all made up of unique thought processes, personalities, histories, relationships, painful experiences, accomplishments, health conditions and so much more โ itโs only fitting that these elements that make up who we are will go onto influence the way we perceive ourselves and our recovery. As the…
Read MoreHow Do I Overcome Insecurity?
Being insecure is the feeling of believing that you are not good enough. This can cause you to question everything around you as being too good to be true. You can overcome insecurity by understanding the value of your worth and being confident that everything in your life will be fine. Insecurity can lead to…
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