Valerie Simon

It may feel like a struggle to find gratitude when it feels like the world is in disarray. The pandemic, social and political unrest, financial stress, and social isolation are only some of the current challenges many of us are facing. As we approach Thanksgiving, the holiday season very likely feels uncertain and maybe even a little depressing. Some might not be able to visit family or friends over the holidays. For those who do, socially-distanced gatherings may feel stressful depending on safety precautions, election outcomes might be polarizing for family members with different beliefs, or financial constraints might force some to scale down usual plans or gift- giving. Sadly, […]

When I came up with my workshop titles at the end of last year, I must have had an intuition that a workshop about grief would be important for 2020. This year has been a year filled with uncharted losses. The COVID 19 pandemic, social justice challenges, and economic hardships are just a few of the major traumas that we both personally and collectively are navigating. So many of us are mourning the losses of loved ones, jobs, security, or a sense of freedom and safety. These losses can feel profoundly destabilizing, and might cause us to feel trapped in the grieving process, or they feel so overwhelming that we […]

In recovery, there is a saying that you need to put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we are experiencing many added stressors including: extra care-taking responsibilities of children, an elderly parent, or a sick partner, along with financial concerns, social upheaval, and sometimes overwhelming fears of the unknown. Self-care is about allowing yourself the gift of mindfully tending to your own needs. It is an essential practice to maintain well-being, but it is frequently forgotten when we need it the most. Under stress, we often think there is not enough time in the day to practice self-care. However, the beauty of self-care […]

Many in recovery believe that addiction is a disease of isolation.* During this extraordinary and unavoidable interruption of life, recovery is even more challenging and requires many different (and new) resources to get by, along with self-reflection and gratitude for what is working. Our current state of quarantine may intensify the cravings to self-medicate. This includes both substance addictions (overusing alcohol, drugs, prescription pills, etc.) and process addictions (overspending, compulsive sex, over-exercise, etc) to numb painful feelings. In addition, quarantine has become a barrier for people in recovery to attend in-person support groups like AA or NA which provide fellowship, community, and source of consistent emotional support. Deprived of external […]

We’re facing uncharted territory in the wake of a worldwide pandemic, with cities and even entire countries sheltering in place. Some of us have gotten ill and thankfully are recovering while many more of us know someone who has been affected. Everybody is living in the “new normal” of uncertainty coupled with isolation and possible economic concerns. In addition, social distancing and navigating relationships in close quarters pose great challenges. No one prepared us for the disruption of our daily routines and increased time spent at home. This adjustment may create strain on marriages or with family members. It may feel like we’re deprived of our freedom, and shortcomings in […]

What does it mean to live authentically? Being authentic means coming from a genuine place, especially when our actions and words are consistent with our beliefs and values. Living an authentic life can foster greater resilience, self-love, and can lead to a strong feeling of purpose. However, learning to live authentically is a lifelong process and often involves hard work. To achieve authenticity, it is important to both know ourselves and own ourselves*. Listening to your inner voice, discerning the intricacies of your feelings, and trusting your own intuition are vital. Authenticity requires us to be able to overcome our desire to “fit in” and be part of the crowd. The […]

Love can be exciting and can make us feel whole, but sometimes we can use love like a drug and cause ourselves and others harm. Love addiction is a type of process addiction, a compulsive behavioral addiction that typically cannot be totally abstained from like alcohol or drugs, but can still feel as out of control and can cause significant damage both internally and externally. Individuals with love addiction can find themselves addicted to the euphoria linked with new relationships or the intensity of being in unhealthy relationships. Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘this relationship is not good for me, but I can’t keep myself from going back’ or […]

“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.” – Melody Beattie We’re about to embark on a new decade, and we have the opportunity to view 2020 as a fresh start. We can begin this process by first conceptualizing the change you’d like to see transpire in your life. Then, ask yourself some questions – How will I get there? What steps do I need to take? Cultivating goals and healthy habits into your life can help pave the road for future happiness and success. Making healthy choices can increase our quality of […]

The holidays can be both joyful and challenging, especially for people early in their recoveries. As 2019 draws to a close, it can be helpful to take time to reflect on the past year. Reviewing what you’ve accomplished, and also what you are ready to let go of, may help create space for closure of the decade and help welcome 2020 with a fresh mindset. A great benefit of self-reflection is that it provides a better overview and can help to process events in your life – knowing that they are in the past may create hope for the upcoming year. Turning everything over to a power greater than yourself […]

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie Thanksgiving can be a time to reflect on the year and express gratitude to people, places and things that have served us well. Gratitude is a habit we can develop as we learn to recognize and express appreciation to all aspects of life, not only when things go the way we want them to. As life naturally ebbs and flows, we can be mindful of what we are grateful for to help cope with feelings of frustration or negativity. If the gratitude mindset is a struggle to introduce, perhaps begin by […]