Whether it’s meditation or a walk in nature, reading a sacred text or saying a prayer, there are manyways to tap into a heightened level of awareness of the world around us, according to psychologist,author and researcher Lisa Miller, PhD. This awareness, or spirituality, offers hope to those like herself,who struggled with depression. The belief in the concept we are …
On Wednesday, June 12, 2024, we hosted Hope Payson, LCSW, LADC, a trauma & addiction therapist, for a virtual Pathway Session over Zoom. The meeting was well-attended, and Hope allocated plenty of time for Q&A. Hope addressed her area of specialty, which is the intersection of trauma with substance use disorder. She stated that while she works with plenty of …
Shauna Shapiro, the author, does a great job of highlighting the importance of self-compassion, which others like Dr. Kristen Neff have advocated for. Like Neff, she has plenty of studies to back her points. This is a self-help book that can be valuable for those who are considering mindfulness and meditation for the first time. There are practical exercises at …
In 1990, living in Westbrook, CT, I was aggressively trying to die. Why may youask? On the surface, my family lived a wonderful life. My dad was a top executiveat an insurance company, and my mom stayed at home taking care of the children.Our house was only a hundred yards from the beach. However, my parents divorced when I was …
On May 8, the last day of the legislative session, the CT General Assembly passed House Bill 5150, An Act Concerning Cannabis and Hemp Regulation. Among other things, the bill creates and regulates a product category for THC-infused beverages, which had been overlooked in previous marijuana legislation. Going forward, THC beverages will only be sold at licensed cannabis retailers and …
On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, we hosted Jim Funnell, a trust & estates attorney, for an in-person Pathway Session on financial planning for a loved one with a mental health or other disability. The meeting was well-attended, and Jim allocated some more of his time afterwards for individual Q&A. Jim addressed some of the common entitlement programs that exist, including …
A few years ago, I read a fascinating book on the surfing life, Barbarian Days by William Finnegan. WithSurf Therapy, just published by Cash Lambert, I’ve learned about surfing as a emerging, science-basedfield to address mental health and addiction challenges. What a concept: asking humans to worktogether in the outdoors to find their “zone” and structurally change the brain for …
I didn’t just wake up one morning dry heaving into my toilet, needing a drink withinfifteen minutes of awakening – so ashamed that I could not even look at myself in themirror – wondering again how I was going to get through the day (cursing God for nothaving taken me during the night). My spiritual bankruptcy was decades in the …
A new Smoke Shop has opened on Main Street in New Canaan, and retailers including Stew Leonard’s and Whole Foods are selling THC-infused seltzers by CANN. Why do I mention this? Because it goes against the spirit of the cannabis legalization bill of 2021 (aka Public Act 21-1, an Act Concerning Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis (“RERACA”). The …
I have been test driving recoveryeducation.com, a parent-focused website for families affected by addiction. The full name of this website tool is REAL, Recovery Education & Applied Learning. It’s the brainchild of New Canaan resident and REAL Founder & CEO Todd Lampert, who was inspired by a recovery journey in his own family. The Town of New Canaan has graciously …
