Where were we 23 years ago when one of the worst tragedies occurred on American soil? I was a juvenile justice social worker in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I looked out the window on the third floor of the Human Service building. I could not believe what I was hearing and watching. Hate, anger, and uncontrolled […]

Ten years ago I suffered through a difficult depression, anxiety, and trauma. I met with the Deacon from my church. I expressed feeling numb, sad, and fearful. He listened attentively to me, without judgment, and full of compassion. As our time together was closing, he said, “Look at the cross with Jesus on it. Remember

There is a story that goes something like this…One summer I was the Recreation Director in my hometown while attending college. We gathered the children each Thursday onto a bus to ride to an indoor swimming pool five miles from our community. As the director, I’ve chaperoned the children to a Milwaukee Brewer game and

Let’s focus on the twelfth step of Recovery, “We gain insight into our Recovery through our Higher Power as we model these steps, and share our journey toward hope, healing, and health with people”. You may wonder why I capitalize the letter ‘R’ in Recovery. This recognizes the role of the Higher Power (for me

Today I want us to focus on the following steps: #8 We acknowledge our behaviors have impacted our relationships. We list those affected by our behavior and whenever possible become willing to reconcile or thank them for their support during a relapse or mental health crisis. #9 We seek mutual reconciliation for a harmful action

I recently watched a reflection video and found the speaker’s message fitting for each of us in Recovery. “A long time ago when suitcases did not have wheels I was walking in an airport with too many things in my hands. As you can imagine, I was struggling and complaining that I had no one

Knowing and implementing the 12-steps of healing offers us hope. We are invited into the loving care and closeness of our brokenness, not fitting in with people, and the stigma that exists in our communities. The 12-steps call-out to those who support people with a mental health condition, addiction, and trauma to remember us who

What is the reason for recognizing Labor Day? “The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize workers’ many contributions to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. An annual day of celebration of the achievements of workers. It originates in the labor union movement, specifically the eight-hour

Today is our youngest daughter’s twenty-fourth birthday. Each year we witness her growth and maturity as she navigates adulthood. She is kind, compassionate, and loving. We celebrate this beautiful woman and the gift of her presence in our lives. During a stage in my life, I often traveled for work. In addition to the anxieties

I remember four years ago when a voice inside of me encouraged me to be part of something great and wonderful (I was not hallucinating). I was being singled out to do an important mission. How did this sit with me? What thoughts ran through my mind? Am I qualified? What are the expectations? How