Blog Articles
Additional resources written by our PCS therapists.
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Chronic Relapse
Series One: Blog Forty-Two Over time I have observed addicts who have miraculously transformed and changed their lives. The changes have been like night and day. They are the ones who make 12 step meetings seem powerful and therapists look good. When you listen to their recovery program and see… -
Relationship Microaggression
Series One: Blog Forty-One “The true tale of the lion hunt will never be told as long as the hunter tells the story” (African Proverb) Charlie is African American. He was in a hurry in that he had to be at an interview at 3pm and it was 2:15pm. On… -
Shame — The Ear Worm that Dominates the Reality of an Addict
Series One: Blog Forty “There’s a lion and when he roars he’s telling me I ain’t no good—It’s not just what I could but he’s bitching what I should.” (Stalking the Lion King—KW) Shame is like a sticky music song syndrome that works its way into your mind and quickly… -
The Identified Patient
Series One: Blog Thirty-Nine “Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive – the risk to be alive and express what we really are” — don Miguel Ruiz Tim had been in recovery for 10 years from sexual addiction. In… -
Depression
Series One: Blog Thirty-Eight “And then something invisible snapped insider her, and that which had come together commenced to fall apart.” ― John Green, Looking for Alaska Addiction and depression are two peas in a pod that dominate millions of Americans. Some people are genetically wired to be prone to… -
Driven By Fear
Series One: Blog Thirty-Seven “Fear is static that prevents me from hearing myself” — Samuel Butler There are many things that drive addictive behavior. Fear is primary. Most things people are afraid about never really happen. Yet our bodies respond to our thoughts as if they are real. Perception is… -
Metaphors and Paradoxes Found in Relapse
Series One: Blog Thirty-Six When you read about recovery from addiction, you want to learn about someone who has overcome the dregs of destructive behavior. Yet, what about those who don’t? There are addicts who wallow in the failure of chronic relapse. Those who appear defeated and appear as pathetic… -
Blind spots, Limits and Personal Brilliance
Series One: Blog Thirty-Five We like to lionize and make legend out of other people’s strength and achievement, while criticizing other’s weaknesses and at the same time minimizing our own capability. We like to live by lore and legend. Upon reflection, the houses we lived in seem a lot bigger… -
Compassion and the Dance We’ve Always Ever Done
Series One: Blog Thirty-Four I grew up in east central Illinois in a little town called Mattoon which is 45 miles south of the University of Illinois. I was raised in a conflicted incongruent family and influenced by a hypocritical church that I believed today to have been a cult…. -
What is Guilt Telling Us?
What is guilt? Guilt is defined as a common feeling of emotional distress that signals us when our actions or inactions have caused or might cause harm to another person. Guilt may be a common feeling but due to the discomfort, our first impulse may be to quickly get rid… -
Should I talk to my 7-12 year old kids about porn?
Tricky question, right?! If it’s not an issue, why should I bring it up? I don’t want to plant anyideas in their head. After all, is there any real danger if I set theparental control on technological devices? On the other hand, kids are spending more and more time online… -
Social Anxiety & Avoidance – Finding Center #3
Eli discusses the relationship between anxiety and avoidance, and uncovers strategies to work through them over time. -
The Cost of Hope
Therapy is expensive which keeps it out of reach of many. This, in combination with the stigma many feel if they pursue therapy can result in significant barriers keeping many from finding help. This may result in ongoing mental health issues which interfere with living a meaningful life, loss of… -
If No Trauma, Then No Excuse – Finding Center #2
When working through therapy, Eli Bedrosian suggests individuals focus on the overall experience of growing up, versus focusing solely on trauma. -
The Relapse Roller Coaster
Every day in the life of a recovering addict embraces the roller coaster experience that addiction recovery entails. In the beginning days, there is the euphoric high that comes from knowing that there are no more lies and secrets that you need to hide. Getting honest with yourself is so… -
Scapegoated
Series One: Blog Thirty-Three A scapegoat is blamed for the wrongdoings and mistakes of other people at no fault of their own. I grew up in a family dominated by shame. My grandfather on my dad’s side died of alcoholism the year I was born. He was violent, misogynist, and… -
Paralyzed
Series One: Blog Thirty-Two Addiction can be like paralysis. How many stories do I hear where addicts swear with great resolution that they have finally hit bottom, only to fall off the wagon again. The junkie worm with its beguile and cajole paralyzes the most earnest intent and renders the… -
Anger
Series One: Blog Thirty-One “Anger can be a problem, but it has tremendous potential, too. It’s just figuring out what to do with it.”— Sean Penn Being angry was never OK when I was a kid. People who were would be condemned. Most of the time angry folks were identified… -
Step 2- The Step That Creates Humility in the Presence of Willful Self Destruction
Series One: Blog Thirty “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” “It belongs to the imperfection of everything human that man can only attain his desire by passing through its opposite” — Soren Kierkegaard In 12 step addiction recovery, the phrase “self will… -
Obscurity: Midnight Moments of Humanity that Matter
“Sometimes you think that what you are doing is just a drop in the Ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop” — Mother Teresa My oldest sister was diagnosed with COVID-19 this week. She is one who has underlying issues that will make her struggle…
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