BLOG:
’Don’t Take It Personally’
If you are a family member of someone misusing substances, you have probably heard suggestions that include distancing yourself, using tough love, or detaching until your loved one bottoms out and decides to change. On one hand, given how awful you feel (e.g., constantly angry, tired, scared), these recommendations can make a lot of sense. On the other hand, the odds are that you really want to help your loved one. And when you try to detach or distance yourself, you still feel angry, tired and scared, maybe even more scared because now you have so little contact!
BLOGS TO HELP THE LOVED ONES
OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER
BLOG:
’Don’t I JUST NEED TO CONFRONT THE PROBLEM?’
When someone you love is using substances or engaging in a host of other risky behaviors, it’s natural to feel afraid, angry, betrayed, ashamed, and confused. It’s also normal to find yourself expressing these emotions by yelling, lecturing, shutting down, and maybe even throwing a few things.
BLOG:
‘Understanding the Teen Brain:’
I’ve had the opportunity to develop a workshop on the neuroscience of the adolescent brain, and it has been a fascinating journey. My goal is to help educators, and ultimately parents, understand, in clear and simple terms, why teenagers who are bright, caring, and capable sometimes make decisions that feel reckless, impulsive, or confusing.