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Life Without Consequences: The Importance of Self-Care in Addiction Treatment
Throughout the course of our lives, our greatest lessons often come not from within the walls of a classroom, but from trial, error, and learning from our mistakes. We must never forget the importance of consequences: hard to swallow as they may be, experiencing consequence gives us the tools we need to sharpen our decision-making...
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How To Talk To Your Child About Hazing
The New York Times recently published a story in their Education Life section called When A Hazing Goes Very Wrong. The story centers on a Cornell University student who died tragically as a result of a fraternity hazing. As a member of Caron’s Student Assistance Services team, I wanted to address some common questions that...
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Family Roles and their Impact on Addiction Recovery at Caron Renaissance
The support and involvement of a patient’s family are vital in the addiction treatment and recovery process for the patient, and are critically important for family members as well. However, without proper guidance, many family members’ very well intentioned actions towards their addicted loved one unfortunately backfire and only further enable the addict’s unhealthy behavior....
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Holy Week and Passover: What Do I Do About the Wine?
A big part of addiction recovery at Caron Renaissance revolves around spirituality. Each week we host Spiritual Friday sessions where recovering addicts can attend and learn about different ways to regain their dignity and build intimate relationships with themselves, others and a Higher Power. With two major religious observances fast approaching, I’d like to share some thoughts on the historical significance of these holidays in addition to recommended events you may be interested in participating in.
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What’s Wrong with Daddy? Reflections from the Child of an Alcoholic
Through my early childhood years, I was forced to grow up quickly. Instead, of worrying about my macaroni sculpture for my 1st grade class, I was worrying about where my dad had been. He seemed to be gone for a long time, the face of happiness and success that I had grown to love was now a grimace of pain and addiction.
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Stigma: One of the Biggest Obstacles Facing Treatment and Recovery
Our society has a consistent pattern when it comes to celebrity addiction. Mockery of the behaviors characteristic of addiction, shock by the tragic effects of addiction, and then judgments and often a lack of compassion. I have watched this all unfold with recent death of Whitney Houston...
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Super Bowl Fun That’s Safe For the Family & Those in Recovery
At a lot of athletic events, especially the Super Bowl, alcohol is a central character. At many family Super Bowl parties there are often a lot of children and teens. And, while there can be alcohol at these parties, it shouldn’t be a central theme. Children are the best observers and we can so easily...
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Sudden Invitations: The Imperfect Holiday Portrait
We realized suddenly that we had only moments to get halfway across town to one of the local pet supply stores for a vital appointment: our annual Christmas picture depicting ourselves and our two dogs. We have a spaniel named Mr. Darcy and a delicate little Shih Tzu named, of course, Miss Bennett. (We called...
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Sudden Invitations: Taking a Chance
It’s more a reflection of a busy schedule than age to say that we “don’t get out much.” However, when I saw a notice that Mama Mia would be onstage at the Kravis Center, a major orchestra hall in the South Florida area, we ordered tickets. And in a surprising move of boldness for a...
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My Father the Trail Blazer
On Wednesday, Nov. 9th Caron Treatment Centers will honor John J. Duffy, my father, with the Richard J. Caron Award of Excellence. His sobriety and his devotion to helping others in need of treatment is the stuff of legend. I’d like to think that, as one of his first “projects,” I helped him find his...
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