Honest, Open & Willing

Writings From a Grateful Alcoholic!

The Power of Community: Why Women Need Each Other in Recovery

Recovery was never meant to be walked alone. I once had so many self-help books on how to stop drinking, I could have opened a bookstore. The titles ranged from how to moderate your drinking , how to stop completely , how to take control , and every variation in between. Before getting sober, I devoured addiction memoirs—some I deeply identified with, others I used as proof that I was different from them… and therefore not an alcoholic. Most nights, I read those books in bed

4 min read

Sobriety is More than Not Drinking

What happens after you quit? The Lie of “Just Stop” On May 25, 2020—five years ago today—I began my recovery journey. At the time, I...

6 min read

Why Did I Think Alcohol Was Helping Me?

The lies it told. The comfort it offered. The cost it demanded. The Night I Fell in Love with the Lie Alcohol never introduced itself as...

6 min read

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Old Tables, Old Roles: The Masks We Forget We’re Still Wearing

I had coffee with a friend recently — she lost her brother this year — and as we sat there savoring a quiet moment before the holiday rush, she glanced around the café at the families and children and sighed. “I’m the last of my family sitting at the Thanksgiving table this year.” My heart ached for her… and, if I’m honest, for myself too.Because in her words, I felt the shrinking of my own family — the once-rowdy household of five daughters and two parents that has slowly gr

Healthy Boundaries in Recovery: Mending Fences, Not Building Walls

“Mending Fences”: Boundaries That Breathe On growing up with no privacy, learning boundaries in sobriety, and why healthy fences still let love in. I have a problem with the term “boundaries” – with what it means and how to do it. It probably started with sharing one bathroom with four sisters and my parents. I’d be showering and someone would rush in, leaving me with a cold blast mid‑shampoo, or there’d be pounding on the door: “Hurry up!” My poor father would stand at the

The Problem With Positive Thinking (And How It Could Kill Your Recovery)

Before You Think Positive, Learn Your Emotional ABCs (by Karen Rubinstein) I love Andy Williams. I really do. Moon River ? One of my favorites. But there’s one song I wish he’d skipped — It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Is it REALLY Andy? Because let’s be honest: it’s not always wonderful. But that is the perception of this time of year - caroling, family dinners, mistletoe and hohoho, candlelit mennorahs and on top of it all - good cheer. I feel I’m not radiating ho