Category: Anna Ciulla

Few dynamics in life are as subtle and nuanced as the therapist-client relationship, which involves a complex system of boundaries designed to protect both while providing a safe, healing environment.

If Pay Day used to be a cue to go binge drink or call your drug dealer, then you’re not alone. Many people with substance use disorders (SUDs) have struggled

The negative consequences of an untreated addiction to drugs or alcohol affect almost every domain of life, finances included. The destructive drug or alcohol seeking behaviors that constitute addiction can:

Knowing how to help and not hurt a loved one struggling with addiction is a common dilemma for family members. The reality is that in the absence of good guidance

Loneliness may now be a bigger public health threat than obesity, according to a 2017 report by the American Psychological Association. And for people in recovery, loneliness accompanied by a

Taking good care of your health, by exercising, eating well, getting enough sleep and practicing other self-care measures, can help you feel good. It’s also one of the best things

March may be the healthiest month on the calendar—or at least the most obsessed with health observances. From Brain Awareness Week and Patient Safety Awareness Week, to National Kidney Month

Research shows that relationships of love and connection are key to recovery from drugs and alcohol —hence Beach House’s philosophy that “the opposite of addiction is not sobriety” but “love

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the month of February seems a fitting time to talk about the challenges of dating after sobriety—starting with this perennial question: when do you

If you’re single and new to recovery, you may be wondering when you can start dating again. The reigning answer in recovery circles is to wait for at least one

New Year’s resolutions are often easy to make and even easier to break. Research cited in Forbes found that roughly half of Americans make resolutions and only eight percent actually

Decades of clinical research reveal that “therapeutic alliance”—the strength of the client-therapist bond and collaborative working relationship—is a critical mechanism for positive behavior change: For low-motivated clients in treatment for

Nobody said keeping a New Year’s resolution would be easy— but for many of us, sticking with a healthy new habit, whether it’s regular exercise, eating better, or avoiding drugs

When you’re in early recovery, an important rule of thumb is to avoid situations that involve alcohol. The same is absolutely true if you’ll be spending time with family this

This holiday season may be your first sober in a long time. If that’s the case, you may be facing a common dilemma in early recovery: how to connect with

Tis’ the season for being around loved ones. For most of us, that includes the prospect of family drama, which usually comes in the form of one disagreement or another.

When we talk about having an attitude of gratitude in recovery, what we’re really talking about is the practicing of gratitude. That distinction can be helpful for those of us

With Thanksgiving around the corner, this month we’ve been unpacking the theme of gratitude as it relates to recovery. The physical and mental health benefits of gratitude are numerous, according

If this Thanksgiving will be a first without alcohol for you, you may be thinking that your main concern is making it through the day without a drink. (And, to

This September marks the 28th year of “National Recovery Month.” It’s an annual celebration, sponsored every September by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is meant to

In our celebration of this year’s National Recovery Month and its 2017 theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Strengthen Families and Communities,” I’m reflecting on what it means to be

Only about half of drug or alcohol-addicted family members will seek treatment—but of those who do seek treatment, a “vast majority” will go on to recover, according to a 2006

Healthy friendships are a critical lifeline in recovery from drugs and alcohol. Recent research has revealed, for example, that people with at least five healthy friends—meaning (in the substance abuse

People with supportive friends do better in recovery. So the research shows. But being a friend to someone in recovery can be challenging, precisely because it’s unfamiliar territory for many

Ditching a substance abuse habit often requires shelving unhealthy relationships to make room for new friendships that don’t revolve around drugs or alcohol … but finding sober friends is rarely