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On May 13, 2026, we hosted Sean McGowan, VP–Continuing Care for High Watch Recovery Centers, for a Pathway Session on Aftercare Planning to promote recovery. In his storytelling style, Sean talked about his own journey from addiction and recovery, and how important his aftercare program for long-term recovery success. Sean started off with his own story, which is a story

On April 15, 2026, we hosted Tracey Masella, LCSW, for a Pathway Session on setting healthy boundaries. Per her style, Tracey encouraged the participants to ask questions throughout, which made for an informative and relevant session indeed. Tracey started off with a review of the brain, which has two key opposing parts: the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala

On March 24, 2026, NCPSG hosted a Pathway Session on how nutrition can be a pathway to recovery. KC Cannon, ND, and Annie Harrington, MSN, both of Wellness Insights of Darien, were the speakers. I am grateful that they agreed to participate. KC and Annie started off, in layman’s terms, explaining the rationale behind good nutrition, and how it helps

A second proposed bill in CT would overhaul how the state taxes marijuana to an excise tax approach. A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, at 1pm in the Joint Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding. House Bill 5109, introduced by State Representative Jason Rojas (D), would eliminate the state’s current potency-based THC tax and replace it with

CT House Bill No. 5350: AN ACT CONCERNING CANNABIS, HEMP AND INFUSED BEVERAGE REGULATION proposes multiple changes to CT’s legal cannabis market, including increasing THC potency and authorizing on-site / in plain view consumption at locations such as retailers, restaurants and cafes. A public hearing before the General Law Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th starting at 10am &

The feedback was positive after our February 18, 2026 Pathway Session on Self-Compassion with Zoe Leary, DSW. The session included a few practice exercises, one on identifying the inner critic and another on self-kindness. Zoe Leary, Staff Clinician at the Center for Motivation & Change, started off by defining both Compassion and Self-Compassion. In simple terms Self-Compassion is the practice

On January 14, 2026, Mark D’Agostino, MD, gave a fascinating talk on kratom and the kratom derivatives Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), which are sold in CT Smoke Shops for pain relief, increased energy, or aid with opioid addiction recovery addiction. Similar to cannabis, kratom has many varients from the traditional leaf (consumed as a powder with 2-5% alkaloid content), to

Anxiety is an underlying cause of addiction. Calm Your Mind with Food: A Revolutionary Guide to Controlling Your Anxiety, by addressing anxiety through food and nutrition choices, is a helpful guide for those in recovery. Dr. Uma Naidoo strikes a good balance between scientific explanations and practical advice. The book includes recipes and meal plans to calm the mind, and

On December 10, 2025, NCPSG hosted a Pathway Session on Setting Boundaries to Promote Recovery. Jacqueline Barbaro, LPC, a Westport-based therapist, was the speaker. She has a long track record working with families and their loved ones struggling with addiction. Jacqui started off with her thoughts on how to set boundaries, They included: Given the likelihood of pushback, Jacqueline gave

Some call it a white-light moment. I choose to frame it as a moment of clarity. As I sat there at the end of my childhood bed with my younger brother, scared and begging me to be honest, I had that moment of clarity. Eight years of my substance use history and the patterned behavior that came with it washed