CATAR Clinic

Recently, Easter was celebrated. For most of us, it is a time to take our children to hunt for eggs and eat candy. However, the true meaning is about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I began to think about this and thought it is also perfect to look at addiction and recovery the same way. Spring is here and new life can be seen all around us in regards to creation. We see this because during winter time, most things were dead. Our addiction is death to us and in a lot of ways we are/were dead. Recovery offers all the ingredients to allow a "resurrection" to occur. We have went from death of our conscious to recognizing the harm we have caused; went from dead, hollow, numb feelings to experiencing a variety of feelings; our thinking was dull and is addiction driven to new thoughts, new insights and knowledge driven... well this should get us thinking of other examples of death to life.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ required a power over death to be exerted. For us in recovery, we too had to exert some form of power over our addiction. For some this may be group/ meetings and rehab...hopefully one comes to see a Power greater than us who will sustain our recovery allowing us to live life to the fullest...savoring every minute of it.
May spring remind you of the possibilities and the hope of a new way of living... soberly.

12 Roses made to order....

Where do I go to do the group online?? You showed me but I forgot, I am going to group Wednesday...but you told me I could do another group online....what to I click on? Thanks!!! Your the best counselor ever!!!

This mornings I read my devotion that was on being thankful, the following is a quote from it "Erma Bombeck once wrote about the subject of thankfulness, saying that when she forgot to be thankful among cancer survivors, she would hear the voice of a particular eight-year-old named Christina, who had cancer of the nervous system. When Christina was asked what she wanted for her birthday, she thought for a moment and then responded by saying "I don't know. I have two sticker books and a Cabbage Patch doll. I have everything!"
How wise this child is, understanding that material possessions lacks importance in light of struggling with cancer. Being content with what we do have is a challenge. Our addiction is like cancer. For some of us, we also recognize what to be truly thankful for: i am still alive, i'm thankful to God for giving me another day; family, some of us do have at least one family member who loves us and supports us. I am thankful for my family; even the ones who make it difficult to love. For God shows me how much HE loves me even when I give good reasons to not love me. I love God and need Him to help me love people who are hard to love. Also some of us have a place to sleep and food to eat. There are people who do not have either. Lets give and share to others what has been given to us. Remember drugs and alcohol are like thieves which takes away while recovery is like a lighthouse and a safe harbor which does give back.

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years within the next 3 months, whew! it will be here and gone in no time.
Stress is the number 1 problem of the holidays. there are demands and expectations on us during this time. Financial stress from bills that have to be paid, gifts for children and family/ friends, treatment fees, groceries.... well, you know these alone are stressing. However, there is more, time/ scheduling is stressing also. For example, whose family are we going to and when, children programs and activities, community events, workplace christmas parties and secret pals or dirty santa gifts, holiday crowds and rush, the pressure to buy, buy, buy... perhaps you don't have family or children and your friends will be busy. Thus you are alone, then time may be in abundance with bordem and depression hanging on.
This is why most people will relapse for it is easier to take a drug or drink alcohol to relax or take the edge off, or help deal with so and so, or numb the depression or bordem, perhaps cope with guilt and shame....
Pehaps it is parties equates with drugs and alcohol.
If we really want to experience the holidays anew, fresh and alert then there are things that we have to do, starting right now until our last breath.
We need support and healthy environments. Support groups is one of the best way to have support and help us enjoy not only the holidays but life as well, hense the "support" in support group. It is vital to be actively involved in a relationship with GOD through prayer, meditation, Bible study and interaction with like-minded individuals for it is a tremendous source of power and help. Learning skills like setting limits, saying no, managing emotions/ stress/ and time better, as well as being content with doing what you can with what you have goes a long way in helping us living life fresh... free of the artificial living through chemicals.
Is drugs and alcohol a fair, equitable trade for the life you can have?

Ahoy, Mate! Is that a appropropriate greeting? Love the new blog. Hope I don't get sea sick over the holidays. LOL!

June was the last entry and now it is the second week of October
The holidays are upon us. this is the time of year that is very stressful and a high number of relapses that occurs with individuals struggling with addictions. the "why's" is not so much an issue but rather how are we preparing for this time of year to solidify our recovery, enjoy the holidays and prevent relapse. It is very important to look at our support network. A captain doesn't go sailing unless he has a crew that is experienced going with him. Also this captain through experience will know how to adjust his ship's sails to the winds that storms bring.
For those of us struggling with addictions, this holiday season has the potential of being storms. Don't go sailing without a crew who knows how to stay sober and practice your relapse prevention skills so you can make the necessary adjustments to your sails and enjoy the journey safely.
Keep your appointments with your counselors and do not neglect going to groups. Most of all do not neglect your time with your GOD for He is the rudder of your life's ship.
peace to you

Your profile picture is so cool, I love it.

Today, i am thinking about inconsistencies in me and with other people. I am thinking about few patients of late that have been disruptive at this facility. I have been reflecting on my interactions regarding how I say things, my body language, automatic responses instead of thoughtful caculated responses... perhaps what I mean is LISTENING. Now this does not negate the patients behaviors-- they are responsible for their behaviors.... I am thinking about the chain reactions that occur after the initial action.
For example, a patient that I see for individual counseling, I had to see him at least once a month. This particular month we both had things come up that kept us rescheduling appts. I realized that I had two days left to see him, so I placed a message hold in system for patient to see me prior to seeing the nurse. WHen he came in he was already late for work. He asked why I had a hold on him and stated that he was late for work. I quickly retorted that he knows that we have to meet at least once a month so he should know that this being the last day of the month he had to be seen. of course his response was reactive/defensive. Now my pride almost got in the way for i knew that what i said was not good.
Yet, on a different occassion, a patient who was irate, yelling and interruptive...I listened, validated her feelings and kept requesting for her to lower her voice. Of course she did.
this is the inconsistency i see within myself. I know that there are variables that include situations, stress, perceptions, attitude, physical/ emotional willbeing...
Yet the challenge is..... Listen

time goes by so fast. I work 40+ hours per week, I sleep 56 hours a week, 7-14 hours a week to get ready in the mornings and get ready for bed, 7 hours to prepare meals, 4 hours a week attending church and this leaves me with 47-54 hours a week of "free time". I have been thinking that i don't have enough time to do things i would like to do especially with my husband and son. Saturday I would have around 12 hours available and 8 hours on sunday. so what am i doing with my time? Joseph plays t-ball, where he plays 2-3 hours per week. I can think of times watching tv, times on the computer, shopping, etc... the point is that i do have a lot of time to spend doing important things such as playing with Joseph, doing things with my husband and investing time with others in my community. I may need to watch less tv and less computer time. So now comes the heart of the matter, how will i invest my time? How are you investing your time?

I really like you profile picture

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Seeing how the administrator has been on me about using this website more... I thought I would begin by sharing today's musing. Thoughts I have that causes me to pause and reflect on.
I begin my day with coffee. There is something about beginning a day with coffee that sets the mood and maintain alertness…particularly at 6 a.m. I do have a few patients that would attest to the fact that I am more engaging when I have my morning coffee.
With all my duties as a Program Director, I enjoy working with patients the most. I find that patients help me grow spiritually and mentally.
For instance, today, I have found myself ruminating on this thought: “I really need to withhold judgment about people because I really don’t have the big picture.” I was thinking... I often come to a conclusion that best fit the situation and/or behavior until I am given additional information that dramatically changes my conclusion. I read recently an article that demonstrates this. A man on a subway is minding his own business. It is quiet. Other passengers were sitting quietly as well, when a man and his 3 children boarded. The man that just boarded sat next to the man on the subway, leaned back and closed his eyes. His 3 children however were loud and persisted in bothering other people. The man on the subway observed and thought to himself that the father surely sees what his children are doing. After 15min of continuous disturbance from the children and the father doing nothing, the man turned to the father and said firmly, “do you not see that your children are disturbing other passengers? Would you please do something with them?” To which the father responded, “Oh…. I’m sorry… they are being loud… We just left the hospital where their mother died and I have been in fog since. I guess the children are not doing well either.” The man immediately felt sad for the father and offered to help with the children.
This story reminds me, as do patients, that in one instant I can have one conclusion (the father does not care) to an opposite conclusion (a grieving father). That is, one is a characterization of the father and the other is seeing the father response to a significant loss. Yet, I will find myself making these conclusions instead of withholding conclusions about individuals. This is what I conclude about myself: I cannot without God therefore I must daily seek God for guidance, self control and to love. It is imperative as a fellow human being relating to other human beings labeled “patients”. So thank you and God's speed.

I really like you pic

Can I go home now?