The Dark Side of Fake Sugar

It doesn’t take much effort to see that there is a myriad of “sugar-free” food products available to consumers today. In fact, for many of the regular food items available, there is likely an alternative option that is sugar-free. In addition, all your favorite drinks, including teas, coffees, sodas, even… Read More

Building Strength and Resilience In the Face of Life’s Challenges

Resilient qualities are not only what we’re born with but also the strengths that we build through encountering life’s challenges and developing the personal and interpersonal skills to meet them. It is one of life’s paradoxes that the worst circumstances can bring the best out of us. According to the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) studies performed by Robert Anda (2006) and his team at Kaiser Permanente’s Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego, we will all experience four or more serious life stressors that may be traumatizing, and according to positive psychology research, most of us will grow from them. Read More

How God Shows Up in Recovery

By Nancy Minister, Workshop Facilitator, Rio Retreat Center at The Meadows I recently listened to a friend talks about her practice of catching herself when she was “off” — in other words, being short or rude to someone when experiencing some sort of conflict. Read More

The Whole Truth on Whole Grains

For the past few months, I’ve focused on eating real food and getting plenty of color in… Read More

Mutual Respect and The Power of Intimacy

By Dan Griffin, MA, Senior Fellow at The Meadows Power is a fascinating phenomenon. I remember having numerous conversations about the complex intersection of power and relationships in graduate school. There was a lot of confusion as to what exactly power even is. Read More

How to Create Your Own Meditation Space at Home

Recharging your body and mind, improving your focus, and boosting clarity are all great reasons to meditate – but what if you could improve on what you’re already doing? Read More

Reality: Who Needs It?

Individuals in recovery generally spend a lot of time avoiding their painful, shameful, or fearful reality. Using chemicals, relationships, busyness, spending, eating, not eating, fantasy, gambling, sex, etc., to escape reality. What Is Your Reality? As a baby, your brain was receptive, and you downloaded and duplicated everything around you. Read More

Strengths and Weaknesses as a Spiritual Role in Recovery

By: Nancy Greenlee, LPC, The Meadows Therapist Once a month, the Workshop team is treated to a consultation from Pia Mellody, the creator of the Survivors workshop treatment model. She makes herself available, both to consult on clinical cases, answer and process questions, and to inspire us with her… Read More

Being Greek, Food Rituals Were Everything

My father’s and my favorite dish was lamb and green beans, “arni fasolia” in Greek which is what we called it. My father would take me into the kitchen if he’d made it and give me a spoon to taste immediately, we always thought it was our best try ever. Read More

American Politics Has Disconnected Us from Our Essential Selves

I have spent years teasing apart in my mind how humans can find true and sustained happiness in their lives. And, how does this happiness affect the whole community? This concern takes on new relevance as Americans engage in an intense political debate. What I ultimately found was that there… Read More