It was just like any other day, arriving home from high school, popping into the kitchen for a snack. The phone rang and I can still hear the words of my best friend’s older brother as if it was yesterday … John, you should sit down. Last night Doug took his life. Let me be clear, Doug was… [Continue Reading]
Cracked Not Broken Documentary
A comment from a previous post suggested I watch a documentary titled Cracked Not Broken by independent film maker Paul Perrier. It was time well spent. In short, the film is about a woman named Lisa who is addicted to cocaine and works as a prostitute to support her habit. Much of the film is an… [Continue Reading]
3 Critical Lessons From Neuropsych Testing
Years ago I worked as an assistant for two neuropsychologists, essentially doing all the face-to-face testing. Usually, this meant 4 to 6 hours crammed into a small stuffy office conducting various cognitive, memory, and intelligence assessments. 3 Important Lessons I Learned: Although watching patients attempt to stick square objects in round holes had its moments, the lessons… [Continue Reading]
Benefits of Tracking Relapses
One of my first and most memorable patients was a Native American man who I was treating for alcohol dependence (among many other complicating factors). On multiple occasions, he had been admitted to the hospital for detox with blood alcohol levels that would kill most humans. He could drink a lot, but the problem was… [Continue Reading]
Autism Expert Can Help Those With Addiction
In the late 1990’s I begin attending workshops on trauma therapy because I realized many of those who struggle with addiction also wrestled with untreated underlying trauma – sexual, physical, and emotional. It was at one of the workshops that I first heard the name Stanley Greenspan. Today he is known as one of the… [Continue Reading]