I’ve just begun trying to learn the art of paper flowers using gorgeous Italian crepe papers. The papers come in a gorgeous variety of weights and colors. This is my first go at a rose and a zinnia. (The other flowers and leaves are real) Obviously, I’ve got a long way to go…but it’s so… Read more »

For years, when someone I loved slipped or relapsed, I’d instantly careen down my emotional waterslide into terrifying despair. Thanks to my 12-step work,  I felt like I was moving beyond this behavior. Um, hold up sister. Two nights ago I was triggered by something my sober hubby shared–a comment so benign it would bore… Read more »

  Okay…what in the H.-E.-Double Hockeysticks does this word Seranity mean?? It’s a word I made up accidentally when I was teetering on the edge of the caretaker’s abyss. Anything can bring us to a place of caregiver burnout– aging parents, crazypants toddlers, the death of a loved one, addiction, losing a job, a big… Read more »

I love Christine Terrell’s work!! We met in Austin when we both lived there Q: Was your life affected by someone else’s addictions or recoveries?   A. Absolutely. I often joke that I come from a long line of alcoholics. 3 of my grandparents used alcohol to numb themselves in one way or another. I was… Read more »

If you’ve got more Q’s than A’s about family recovery programs, I’ve got you covered in my new guide, 12 Answers To 12 Questions About 12-Step Meetings. By attending meetings and applying the 12 steps to my life, I finally learned how to recover my own happiness and Seranity again in the midst of a loved one’s… Read more »

If you’re anything like me, and you love someone who has had issues with addiction, it’s easy to think there is something you could, would, should do to make person stop using.  healthy again.   It’s easy to fault ourselves. Maybe if he would slow down his using if I weren’t so crabby all the time? What… Read more »

Yep, We’re Celebrating 27 years together today. Doing a little happy dance with my hubby.  

Family members whose lives have been affected by a loved one’s addictions or recoveries often rely on the old bromide: “Let Go and Let God.”  Letting my Higher Power carry my emotional bag of groceries has saved me many a time. When I need just a bit more letting go, I do what I call… Read more »

I found this great article written by Molly Castelloe who writes The Me In We blog for Psychology Today magazine. In the article, she quotes author Julia Cameron from her book, The Artist’s Way. Cameron comes closest to explaining why I’m starting to notice that my creativity is a collboration I join into with my Hiya… Read more »

  Many of you know that I’m working on a memoir about surviving the addiction or recovery of someone you love or care about.  If you’re interested in the book, the topic or just want to follow along on my journey to whelp this book baby out into the world, please share your email below… Read more »