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- Aug 31
- 3 min
Harm Reduction = Opportunity to Live
Here's one of the biggest problems for someone with substance abuse disorder. To begin with, there is a saying that goes like this:...
352

- Aug 7
- 3 min
How Drug Use and Suicide are Related
I lost Keven to suicide in August during Drug Overdose Awareness Month. I lost Anthony to overdose in September during Suicide Awareness...
460




- Jul 12
- 3 min
I'm just a mom who does stuff she has to do...
"You're so strong and brave." "How do you do it?" "Why do you do it?" "You didn't grieve very long before you started doing it." These...
474


- Jun 22
- 4 min
Behind The Razor Wired Fence
I thought my days of visiting someone in jail were over, but they weren’t. Tomorrow I will go to Theo Lacy jail here in Orange County to...
927

- Jun 7
- 4 min
The Fear of Being Considered a Fake
Raise your hand if you’ve tried any of the many Chat GPT apps! I’ve tried some and, frankly, it kinda scares me on two levels: Will...
422


- May 17
- 1 min
Thank you book contributors!
Just a quick 20 second video to share these names and show my gratitude. My book is better because these friends shared from their own...
310

- May 8
- 3 min
Which Came First?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. There is plenty of info out there on this topic, so I’m switching up the focus to talk about mental...
412

- Mar 29
- 8 min
The Illusion of Accessible Mental Health Care
There’s an illusion that mental health care is available for those who need or want it. Unfortunately, in my experience, and in observing...
441


- Feb 21
- 2 min
I love my new volunteer gig!
Hello Everyone, Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your day to read this. I’ve been busier than usual lately! I am finishing up...
10711

- Jan 21
- 12 min
I Lost a Loved One to Suicide and Here is What You Should Know
This interview with Authority Magazine is a 12 minute read. I know this is far too long to read for today's fast paced world. I put a...
452

- Dec 29, 2022
- 4 min
Ending the Year with Fentanyl
This is a photo from the Washington Post: Prior to 2022, I knew lots of parents who’d lost someone to fentanyl. This year I know twice as...
692

- Dec 21, 2022
- 2 min
Say Their Name at Your Gathering
Hello Everyone - I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. This time of year is difficult for many people for many reasons. If you have...
502


- Nov 30, 2022
- 3 min
Listen to Matthew Perry
A friend, Patty W., posted this in our group and I think it’s important to share with more people. Recently, Matthew Perry (actor from...
483


- Nov 23, 2022
- 2 min
The Empty Chair at the Table
Holidays can be an emotional reminder of loss. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the most difficult. If someone at your holiday...
402


- Nov 18, 2022
- 2 min
The Myth of Losing An “Only Child”
Often people express “extra” concern when they hear I lost my only child. They say things like, “how tragic to lose your only child!” But...
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- Nov 12, 2022
- 2 min
Aaron Carter’s Death
We lost another young celebrity when Aaron Carter was found dead in his bathtub a few days ago. Apparently, he’d been there for a few...
1013

- Nov 3, 2022
- 3 min
A phrase that hurts parents of addicts
I wrote this 11 years ago today: “I am grieving. I am grieving the loss of the years we lost to drugs, to the person he once was, to the...
1007

- Oct 27, 2022
- 2 min
I'm Writing Another Book!
I’m writing my second book! It's more of a “how to guide”. It's about how to support someone through grief and loss. In times of our...
692


- Oct 13, 2022
- 5 min
Drunks, tweakers and junkies…
Addiction: Disease or Choice, Part One Ask yourself this question honestly: Do you think addiction and alcoholism are a moral failing or...
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