True Self Journey Blog

Some Thoughts on Experience, Strength and Hope

  If you’re in any kind of 12-step recovery, you’ve likely heard the phrase experience, strength, and hope (ESH). I believe ESH is an important part of our journey of...
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Some Thoughts on the Therapy Process

This is a post from a few years ago that I'm sharing again. Some good reminders for those on a healing journey - including me! One of the steps I...
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6 Ideas for Navigating the Holiday Season

It’s almost December. Some of you reading this feel dread in your body as the month approaches. In our culture, December (regardless of faith tradition) tends to bring the pressure...
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11 Tools For Your Trauma Recovery Toolbox

As you engage in trauma recovery through therapy, 12-Step fellowships, and other means, it’s helpful to have a recovery toolbox—an accessible catalog of resources  to support your recovery—that is readily...
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Actively Engage with the Serenity Prayer (and a few bonus versions)

  Whether or not you’re in 12-step recovery, you’ve likely heard of the Serenity Prayer. The original version (see below) is attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr, but the shortened version is...
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The Power of Community in Recovery

The following excerpt from the primary text of the fellowship of Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA), commonly known as the Big Red Book, expresses the beauty of...
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Five Things to Do When You Feel Stuck

Most people reach a point on their healing journey when they feel stuck—like they don’t know how to (or don’t want to) move forward. Maybe you keep ending up at...
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You’ve Acknowledged That You’re Struggling…Now What?

You’ve acknowledged that there are things in your life that aren’t working. And now that you’re aware of what’s going on, it may feel even worse. What do you do...
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