Hi Reader, Think journaling means pouring your soul into pages every night? Nope. It can be as simple as one sentence. At the end of your day, jot down a single line: how you felt, what you noticed, or one thing you’re grateful for. That’s it. Done. Why it works: the act of naming your experience creates awareness, and awareness builds growth. Even short reflections help your brain process emotions, calm stress, and notice patterns. Over time, those small sentences start to tell a bigger...
1 day ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, This week’s episode is a powerful one. I sat down with Lisa Smith, a TEDx speaker and author, who shares her family’s journey through her son’s addiction. What stood out most is her concept of parallel recovery—the idea that families can play an active role in healing by working on their own fears and recovery needs. We talk about what it means to see addiction as a family disease, why boundaries can actually be acts of compassion, and how families can move from fear-driven...
2 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, We’ve got a new episode of The Addicted Mind + Podcast out, and it’s all about creating your own relapse prevention blueprint. Instead of walking around with that constant fear of relapse, Eric and I talk about how to build real confidence and trust in your recovery. We share practical strategies like coping cards for high-risk situations, ways to spot your personal triggers, and how to shift out of “all or nothing” thinking. Most importantly, we reframe relapse from a moral...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, What if you knew early in life that you had a genetic predisposition toward addiction—would it have changed the choices you made? That’s the big question I dig into with Dr. Evelyn Higgins in this week’s episode of The Addicted Mind Podcast. Dr. Higgins is an expert in genetics, neuroscience, and addiction, and she’s on a mission to shift the way we think about recovery. We talk about how biomarkers and genes play into addictive behaviors, why addiction isn’t a moral failing, and...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, We just released a new episode of The Addicted Mind + Podcast that I think you’ll find really helpful. It’s all about those overwhelming moments we all face. When panic, anger, or shame hits so hard that it feels like you have to do something, anything, to make it stop. In this episode, Eric and I break down four powerful crisis survival skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). These aren’t “feel-good” tricks—they’re real, body-based tools you can use to ride out the storm...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I’m excited to share this week’s episode with you. I sat down with Dr. Diana Hill to talk about her new book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most. Diana’s story about moving from cognitive behavioral therapy into Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is super inspiring. She shares how changing the way we relate to our thoughts can open up real possibilities for healing and living in line with our values. We also dive into shame—why it shows up for...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I’m excited to share a new episode of The Addicted Mind+ that’s particularly meaningful to me. Eric and I discuss something incredibly important: the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study. This groundbreaking research helps explain how difficult experiences in our early years—like abuse, neglect, or family challenges—can have a lasting impact on our mental and physical health as adults. In our conversation, we break down what the study found, discuss how to recognize the...
21 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I’ve got a really fascinating episode for you this week. I sat down with Brad Sorte, the co-founder of Sober Companion AI, to talk about how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape addiction recovery. Brad’s own journey from battling addiction to creating new tools for healing is nothing short of inspiring. In our conversation, Brad shares how AI can act as a 24-hour support system—not just for individuals in recovery, but for families too. From guiding parents through...
22 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, What if the harshest critic you’ve ever faced lives right inside your own head? In our latest episode, Eric and I dive into that relentless inner voice that tells us we’re not good enough, we’ll never change, or that we always mess things up. But here’s the good news—you don’t have to believe that voice anymore. Using tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we’ll show you how to challenge those thoughts, rewire your brain, and find a more balanced, compassionate way to talk...
27 days ago • 1 min read