The Insanity of a Family Disease

During my twenty-five year career in substance abuse treatment, I’ve frequently heard family members (and clients) insist that "Alcohol isn't his/her/my problem - drugs are!" and "Alcoholism isn't his/her/my problem - addiction is!" as if the same principles of recovery from chemical dependency don't apply to any dysfunctional situation where alcohol either isn't present or isn't present enough to be identified as the primary drug-of-choice.

Read more
female alcoholism 2847443 640

Lying and Manipulation in Active Addiction

By: Jamie Salsberg, LCSW, CAP, MPH, Assistant Clinical Director at Transformations

Many people have heard the saying, “an addict will steal your wallet, and then help you look for it.”  This idea, highlighting the lying and manipulation that

Read more
Jennifer Photo For Blog

A Mother’s Story: Part 3

The Call

On the morning of October 14, 2016, I received a phone call from Alison’s boyfriend, who also lived in her sober living home (it was co-ed).  Here is what I remember from the conversation that I now refer to as “The Call”:

Boy

Read more
Jennifer Photo For Blog

A Mother’s Story: Part 2

The timing was right…

My daughter had gotten to the point where she acknowledged (to herself, most importantly) that she had a problem with addiction and that she could not fix the problem on her own.  She was ready and willing to get the help

Read more
Jennifer Photo For Blog

A Mother’s Story: Part 1

Hi, my name is Jennifer Flory, and I’m a Recovery Advocate

People often ask me what this means and ask, “What do you actually do?”

Let me explain.

If someone had told me when I was younger that my passion in life as an adult would be to

Read more
dream 2924176 640

Repairing Broken Dreams

By Jason C. – VA Alumnus

 

When I was young, older I dreamed of being

Make my own decisions, the whole world I would be seeing

I’d be responsible, and a trophy I would marry

All the rules of my youth would be mine to carry

Read more
thriiv3

Fun in Recovery: Building Character and Confidence

“I’ll never have fun again.” This is a phrase we hear far too often in addiction treatment. At Transformations, we strive to provide a therapeutic environment so our clients can work on all the issues they are suffering with. However, we a

Read more
meditation 1384758 640

Meditation and Mindfulness in Addiction Recovery

By Jamie Salsberg, LCSW, CAP, MPH, Assistant Clinical Director at Transformations

‘Alternative’ Therapy

When I first got to Transformations Treatment Center many years ago and proposed the inclusion of meditation and mindfulness groups, it

Read more
IMG 0689

Transformed in Recovery: Three Years and Counting

When I first got sober, people kept telling me I was going to have a life beyond my wildest dreams. At that time, my wildest dreams were made up of millions of dollars and houses all over the world. As I stayed sober and slowly broke free from self-c

Read more
cable eyelet 2901179 640

Purpose in Life Improves Treatment Outcome

By: Jamie Salsberg, LCSW, CAP, MPH, Assistant Clinical Director for Transformations

When a client comes into treatment with an addiction, there is inevitably something underneath it. I typically ask, what is this person really addicted to?  We’

Read more