Dr. Sandra Bloom is a psychiatrist largely responsible for the creation of the Sanctuary Model, which is both a framework for treating trauma, as well as an organizational change model that integrates evidence-based trauma interventions with the benefits of therapeutic communities. The brilliance of this model is that it optimizes the safety and healing of all parties… [Continue Reading]
Confessions of a Tiger
The media love stories like Tiger Woods and his lady friends. Sex sells, it always has Unfortunately, the media rarely care whether they are portraying an issue accurately, it is more about soundbites and sales. I know, because I used to get interviewed quite often for addiction-related stories when I worked for a large university… [Continue Reading]
Where the Wild Things Are
Last night my wife and I went to a lecture by Joseph LeDoux, the author of The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life and the Synaptic Self. His research has primarily focused on understanding the emotions of fear and anxiety through animal models, and how these emotions impact memory. One of my favorite chapters in… [Continue Reading]
The Trauma of Death…and the Gift of Life
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]
Beautiful Boy: Answers to David’s Questions
I understand why Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction is a #1 New York Times bestseller. It’s a very moving and insightful account of one father’s journey through his son’s addiction, a journey millions of parents have made. David (the author) does not hold back. His writing is powerful, emotional, lucid, and honest…. [Continue Reading]