I was 19 when I first came to AA in Manassas, Virginia. It was a total accident. With no direction in my life, I told my one friend that I wanted to die. I had no idea that really I just needed to stop drinking. He said, “I use to go to something called ‘AA

I have been through many a break up in my long life. I have been both the instigator and the one left behind. I have occasionally been part of a mutual decision to part ways. In my younger day’s most of the “dating” was done within the pack. We would pair up, be “the couple”,

    Nicola Talks to Dawn Nickel of She Recovers, about their shared recovery philosophy, upcoming She Recovers events around the world, and the She Recovers Intentions & Guiding Principles. A truly uplifting and empowering conversation! Find out more about Dawn and She Recovers at her website here    

In previous postings I have discussed the importance of Steps 1 and 2 and a few ways in which those steps can be worked. To recap, Step 1 helps you understand the nature and consequences of your addiction, and Step 2 helps you understand and accept that if you want to establish and maintain sobriety,

The hardest challenge I faced when I entered early sobriety was figuring out where I fit in. You may think I’m joking, but for me, something that fundamental was so difficult to decode and understand. I was caught between two lifestyles; being a party girl, and trying to remain social, but without the drugs and alcohol. I

Read part I of Ricks Story here Read part II of Ricks Story here Read part III of Ricks Story here       Each time that I left Portland, thinking that was the last time being with Joseph alive, something would happen were he would be just fine and go out to Burger King

February; the month when the theme of “heart” is at the forefront of our minds. Yesterday, February 14th we celebrated Saint Valentine’s day. This day encourages us to show the people we love our appreciation with flowers, candy and gifts. It’s a special way to fill our hearts with love in creative and fun ways. It

In the movie “Groundhog Day” Bill Murray’s character is an arrogant self-centered and selfish  weatherman who goes to Gobbler’s Knob one February 2nd to witness Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow and predict six more weeks of winter. For reasons that are not clear at the beginning of the movie, the character is destined to repeat

Read the previous two parts of Ricks story here My sons moved to Portland, Oregon and wanted to come and visit me up in Olympia. After getting over the tidal wave of emotions, I said sure. They arrived a week later in an over loaded Hyundai, with two of their friends. Through the process of elimination,

    My son messaged me earlier on Facebook and was commenting on one of my articles that I had written for a magazine publication recently. The conversation started by him asking “dad, did that story really happen? Or was this just kind of a thing that you made up, to submit for this magazine