The Doctor Is In

This essay, the second of a two-part series, was originally posted in October 2005.
 
In my previous post on guilt and shame, I discussed their nature and differences, their impact on personal and social life, and their instrumentality in much of our individual unhappiness and communal dysfunction. If indeed shame is the common thread of the […]

This essay, the first of a two-part series, was originally posted in October 2005.
 
A wise friend–a man who helped me emerge from a period of considerable difficulty in my life–once taught me a simple lesson. In less than a minute, he handed me a gift which I have spent years only beginning to understand, integrating […]

This is a reposting of the fourth of a previous series on alcoholism and addiction.
 
It seemed like such a great idea at the time…
His name is Darin. Of course, that’s not his real name, but he is a casual friend of mine. A bright young man, possessed of good looks, a warm smile, and a […]

Part 2 of a two-part series on shame and guilt.

Part 1 of a two-part series on guilt and shame.

This is a reposting of the fourth of a previous series on alcoholism and addiction.
 
It seemed like such a great idea at the time…
His name is Darin. Of course, that’s not his real name, but he is a casual friend of mine. A bright young man, possessed of good looks, a warm smile, and a […]

This is a reposting of the third of a series previously written on alcoholism and addiction.
“There is a solution.” So starts a chapter of the
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous –the virtual Bible of recovery from alcoholism and the basis of virtually all 12-step recovery programs. And it works–according to the testimony of millions of recovering […]

This is a reposting of the second of a series previously written on alcoholism and addiction.
If you take the opportunity to speak with those who have survived the ordeal of addiction and alcoholism and who are in recovery, you will find a wide range of stories and experiences. When we think about those who are […]