Welcome to my Blog focused on life narratives and all things addiction and recovery! The language of your life is created in the form of stories (narratives) constructed and integrated from your life experiences. These narratives form the uniqueness of your identity; referred to as your narrative Identity, they are an internalized and evolving story that shapes your sense of purpose, individuality and unity (with others). They are also, in large part, the filters through which you see life – how life occurs to you, and how you personally fit into that filtered reality. Your narratives also have the power to increase your risk of addiction; people in recovery spend a significant amount of time untangling the toxic language created in the past that’s sabotaging their future.
Here’s the really cool thing – you can change the story and alter language created from past experiences, dramatically shifting how you see yourself in the present and into the future.
I hope you enjoy what I share; I very much look forward to constructive dialog on how we see and interpret the world, and how the language created through those filters enable or inhibit our abilities to thrive. I also welcome dialog on how the science of addiction is balanced with the art of recovery to create a truly transformed future.
- Adage in Action: Examples of Change Focus
I found a great quote while reading Patrick Moore’s new eBook, How to Develop an Addiction or Not (https://www.prehabmapp.com/).… Read more: Adage in Action: Examples of Change Focus - Daily Cannabis Use for Anxiety and Stress
I recently saw a (TikTok) video advocating for the daily use of cannabis for a variety of symptoms, arguing… Read more: Daily Cannabis Use for Anxiety and Stress - Depression Through the Lens of Nervous System Dysregulation
In my last article I explored how Dr. Silkworth’s classic “restless, irritable, and discontented” (RID) description in The Doctor’s… Read more: Depression Through the Lens of Nervous System Dysregulation - Dr. Silkworth Through the Lens of the Nervous System
When Dr. William Silkworth wrote The Doctor’s Opinion (letter) in the book Alcoholics Anonymous nearly a century ago, he… Read more: Dr. Silkworth Through the Lens of the Nervous System - The Kaleidoscope of Addiction
If you’ve followed me for any length of time you know I propose addiction can be seen as a… Read more: The Kaleidoscope of Addiction - The Opposite of Addiction: Take-2
To discover the right answer, one must first ask the right question. This is an update to an article… Read more: The Opposite of Addiction: Take-2 - Language Direction Determines Outcome Destination
The addiction field continues to struggle with the absence of a universally accepted definition of addiction and with the… Read more: Language Direction Determines Outcome Destination - Growing Up Emotionally: 3 Pillars of Emotional Development
In a world where emotional reactivity often masquerades as authenticity, true emotional growth requires something far more radical: responsibility.… Read more: Growing Up Emotionally: 3 Pillars of Emotional Development - Because Holden’s Argument Doesn’t Hold
When psychiatrist Tim Holden published his 2012 letter in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) boldly titled “Addiction is… Read more: Because Holden’s Argument Doesn’t Hold - Evolution of the Word ‘Disease’ in Addiction
The term “disease,” particularly when applied to addiction, carries complex historical baggage and shifting meanings. Over the decades, the… Read more: Evolution of the Word ‘Disease’ in Addiction - When Recovery Becomes the Identity
I’m sure I’ll catch significant flack for writing this; people in recovery can be protective of their pathways and… Read more: When Recovery Becomes the Identity - Young Earth vs. Old Earth Creationism – a Debate Rooted in Days
Updated October 31, 2025 At the heart of the debate between Young Earth Creationism (YEC) and Old Earth Creationism… Read more: Young Earth vs. Old Earth Creationism – a Debate Rooted in Days - An Addiction Meta-Framework Bridging Theory and Practice
The fragmentation of addiction theory has long posed challenges for clinical coherence and outcome consistency. Competing models often emphasize… Read more: An Addiction Meta-Framework Bridging Theory and Practice - Medical or Moral: Rethinking Sex Addiction in the Church
In a recently published article (Is God Necessary for Recovery?) I shared about a friend who is in long-term… Read more: Medical or Moral: Rethinking Sex Addiction in the Church - Is God Necessary for Recovery?
In the world of addiction recovery, one question has lingered in the background for decades; whispered in meetings, debated… Read more: Is God Necessary for Recovery? - The Desert Boat
a poem to a God who is distant & mute – hidden & silent I built the boat, Lord.Just… Read more: The Desert Boat - The Hole of Agency in Addiction
A metaphor for addiction is that of a person digging themselves into a hole; while their original intent may… Read more: The Hole of Agency in Addiction - Hidden Parallels: How Clinical Practices Are Reflected in 12-Step Recovery Principles
It’s safe to say I’m not the same person who crawled into his first AA meeting in a smoky… Read more: Hidden Parallels: How Clinical Practices Are Reflected in 12-Step Recovery Principles - The Debate Over Spirituality in Modern Addiction Treatment
Is the Bio-Psycho-Social Model Enough? For decades, the bio-psycho-social (BPS) model has been the dominant framework for understanding addiction,… Read more: The Debate Over Spirituality in Modern Addiction Treatment - Explaining ‘Context is King’ in Addiction Habits
Context plays a crucial role in how we interpret, understand and react to events in life. Context in habit… Read more: Explaining ‘Context is King’ in Addiction Habits - Habit Spectrum Self-Assessment Worksheet
I’ve long held that addiction can be thought of as a habit – certainly a powerful, destructive and maladapted… Read more: Habit Spectrum Self-Assessment Worksheet - A Simple Model for Self-directed Wellbeing
I propose every human has the same basic needs necessary to thrive and pursue a life of full self-directed… Read more: A Simple Model for Self-directed Wellbeing - Good Habits, Bad Habits & Addiction Habits
A central theme across all my work is that the word ‘addiction’ has been co-opted and neutered to the… Read more: Good Habits, Bad Habits & Addiction Habits - Discussion of Epigenetic Inheritance of Trauma for Addiction Predisposition
There’s a popular book in neuropsychology titled, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk which has… Read more: Discussion of Epigenetic Inheritance of Trauma for Addiction Predisposition - Evidence for Faith: Evolution vs. Creation
I was recently sent a video where Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses the power of evidence-based science over religious dogma… Read more: Evidence for Faith: Evolution vs. Creation - The Future of Truth in AI
In the legacy but still evolving fields of big data and data science, we celebrate the triumvirate of volume,… Read more: The Future of Truth in AI - HABITUDES
and my not-so-clever portmanteau… Our thoughts and feelings come and go and are situationally dependent; we have little control… Read more: HABITUDES - 7 Words That Will Transform Your Recovery
What is the Key to an Extraordinary Life? If you’re a 12-Stepper you know we have a Program and… Read more: 7 Words That Will Transform Your Recovery - Your One Word for Life
Discover Your One Word to Ensure Your Legacy Have you considered there may be one word that 1) describes… Read more: Your One Word for Life - Thinking Brain | Feeling Brain
The Basic Brain Science of Addiction & Recovery We have two fundamental functions in our brains – not the… Read more: Thinking Brain | Feeling Brain - PORN: The Pernicious Predator
Part-1 of: America’s “other” Epidemic Much has been written about America’s opioid epidemic – from the runaway greed of… Read more: PORN: The Pernicious Predator - The 3 Laws of Wellbeing
Self-directed Wellbeing begins with a declaration,or it doesn’t begin at all! Self-directed wellbeing is defined as the capacity, resources… Read more: The 3 Laws of Wellbeing - Banking on Recovery
A Finance-based Metaphor for Recovery An interesting way to look at recovery is through the eyes of our finances.… Read more: Banking on Recovery - The Porn Addicted Brain
Why porn addiction, like drug &alcohol addiction, is a brain disease. I recently joined Reddit to participate in the… Read more: The Porn Addicted Brain - The Opposite of Addiction
To discover the right answer, one must first ask the right question. I recently watched a Ted Talk where… Read more: The Opposite of Addiction - The One You Feed
Winning the War on the Inside. I once heard a story told by a Native American Indian at a… Read more: The One You Feed - Resolute Resolutions
Three Keys for Successful Resolutions Around New Years but also throughout the year, and with the best of intentions,… Read more: Resolute Resolutions - Hole in My Sidewalk
The Essence of Change – a poem by Portia Nelson This brilliant poem by Portia Nelson has long been… Read more: Hole in My Sidewalk - Words Matter
Words can be positive or negative, helpful or hurtful. Either way, they matter; it matters what you say, both… Read more: Words Matter - Getting Started…
As this is my first post, I’ll use this opportunity to summarize what I’m trying to impact with Narratives… Read more: Getting Started…