When the World Crumbles by Jill Call, LMFT Trauma shakes the very foundation on which you’ve built your life. Trauma is defined as a life-threatening event and, with betrayal trauma, it threatens the life you’ve built together. Your world can start to crumble when suddenly you discover your partner isn’t someone you know anymore. As…
Spotting Active Addiction in Family and Friends
by Robert Weiss, LCSW, CSAT-S Addicts are very easy to spot. They are those dirty, smelly, unkempt men hanging out under bridges, in front of convenience stores, in back alleys, and in all the other unsavory places that “healthy” people never go. Addicts sleep in the gutter. Addicts get arrested a lot. Addicts are completely…
Parts
Many years ago a car company, attempting to show the advantages of front wheel drive, aired a commercial showing an Alaskan dog sled team pushing its sled rather than pulling it. Of course, the sled moved nowhere and the dogs and sled were tangled in a chaotic mess. As a therapist specializing in the treatment…
Holiday Recipes for Relapse and Recovery by Forest Benedict MS, SAPT-C LifeSTAR the Central Valley
The holidays can be a challenging time for all of us, especially those in recovery. An increase in sugary, fatty foods, plus a decrease in structure, combined with a mixture of family chaos, can quickly become a recipe for relapse. Despite the many challenges of sustaining recovery in this season, there are essential strategies that…
Six people who don’t need to hear your shame story
While I’m not a huge fan of Oprah, I do think Brene Brown has some points worth considering. She does a great job explaining what kinds of people with whom we should share our “shame story.” We all have shame and we have all done things we are terrified to share with others (however big…
Rebuilding Trust After Sexual Betrayal
by Geoff Steurer, MS, LMFT Founder and Director LifeStar of St. George, UT I regularly meet with men who tell me they have given up pornography and sexual acting for good and have no intentions of going back. They share how they’ve moved from darkness to light. They talk about the mighty change in their…
Healing Shame
Jeff Ford of LifeStar of St. George, UT explains how to manage shame in recovery from pornography and sexual addiction.
Fighting Against Pornography- Part 2
Editor’s note: The following story deals with sexually-themed subject matter that will not be appropriate for some readers. Discretion is advised. This is part two in a four-part series. Read part one: “Ubiquitous assailant: The dangerous unasked questions surrounding pornography“. Read part 3: “Why laws to fight pornography aren’t being used.” Read part four: “How couples break the…
Fighting Against Pornography- Part 3
Editor’s note: The following story deals with sexually-themed subject matter that will not be appropriate for some readers. Discretion is advised. This is part three in a four-part series. Read part one: “Ubiquitous assailant: The dangerous unasked questions surrounding pornography.” Read part two: “Second-hand porn: the spreading circle of damage.” Read part four: “How couples break…
Making Self Care a Priority
Making self-care a priority By Jon Worlton, LCSW LifeStar therapist I recently listened to a prominent religious leader use the analogy of fly fishing when teaching about Satanic efforts to “hook” and destroy human lives. Fly fishermen carefully get to know the habits and patterns of their prey. They design lures to mimic insects…