The Harrmonious Mind

S4E9:  My physical relapse came weeks, and sometimes months, after the first and second stages of relapse.   Learning to recognize these 'stages of relapse' was key for me to avoid getting sucked into the relapse vortex.   May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! https://redroofrecovery.com Search for the Red Roof Recovery podcast on your favourite platforms and please subscr...

S4E8:  Recovery doesn't take long. It takes a persistent willingness to exert consistent efforts to help yourself. In this episode of the Red Roof Recovery show, Tanya & Lance discuss how maintaining your motivation to abstain from addictions is linked to staying engaged in the recovery process. May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! https://redroofrecovery.com Search f...

S4E7:  The Red Roof Recovery show offering solutions to soften the path of recovery from substance and behavioural addictions... AND it's not just for addictions… It’s for life! Lance and Tanya offer thoughtful conversation about a variety of science-based approaches to build a life beyond addiction... a life that you don't need to escape from! May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are t...

S4E6:  What do you expect in addiction recovery? Physical sobriety was just the first step for me.  My emotional sobriety is an ongoing process that I wasn't expecting. Find out how I managed to avoid backsliding into using and doing harmful substances and behaviours. May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! ♥️ Tanya https://redroofrecovery.com Tanya's Philosopher Dad books a...

S4E5:  "Why can't you just stop?!" It's something I heard from Lance for a long time, and it didn't help me - if anything, it pissed me off! On this episode, Tanya and Lance chat about the various tools of recovery, and some strategies to stop the stigma. May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! ♥️ Tanya https://redroofrecovery.com Tanya's Philosopher Dad books are available...

S4E4:  Tanya and Lance explore some of the many tools and strategies that can help you make trauma less of a driver in your life. May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! https://redroofrecovery.com Search for the Red Roof Recovery podcast on your favourite platforms and please subscribe. Sign up for Recovery Tips, a weekly email containing tools to maintain abstinence from a...

S4E3:  Tanya & Lance discuss how trauma can be a common denominator among those who are challenged with addictions. Alcohol and drugs (any substance/activity addiction) are the symptoms. What actually causes addiction? May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! ♥️ Tanya https://redroofrecovery.com Tanya's Philosopher Dad books are available now: Mindful Wisdom on amazon: ht...

S4E2:  Why do we fall back into romantic recollection of our addictions?  Clearly, our addiction is something that we've learned was detrimental to our lives, but we can still - sometimes - find ourselves getting nostalgic. What's up with that!?   May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! ♥️ Tanya https://redroofrecovery.com Tanya's Philosopher Dad books are available now: Min...

S4E1:  It's still a daily 'to do' for me to reach a state of 'acceptability' when it comes to the Unconditional Acceptance of myself, of others, and of life. Lance and I talk about a few strategies that can be helpful to ACCEPT yourself, others, and life - without conditions. May the force be with you, and - remember - YOU are the force! https://redroofrecovery.com Tanya's Philosopher Dad books ar...

S3E12:  The Stages of Change was introduced to me when I became a facilitator with SMART (self management and recovery training). It was definitely a tool that helped me to recognize my pattern of "relapsing" into my addictions, and helped me stop using excuses to keep justifying why I wasn't ready to commit to my recovery from drug and alcohol addictions. May the force be with you, and - remember...

S3E11:  The K.E.Y. to recovery can be to simply "Keep Educating Yourself"... keep looking for something that works for you.   I'm grateful to SMART Recovery USA for helping me with the cognitive tools to learn how to manage my urges, thoughts, moods, and behaviours. As a bonus, I think I've also become a better communicator!

S3E10:  In the world of addiction recovery, there are "models" of recovery like the 12-step programs of AA (alcoholic's anonymous) and NA (narcotics anonymous), and more evidence-based models of recovery like SMART (self management and recovery training). "AA saved my life, and SMART gave me my life back."  It's something I say often!   I was indoctrinated with the 12-step program model of recover...

S3E9:  How do you talk to yourself?   You spend more time talking to yourself, inside our own head, than you talk to anyone - so it's worth the effort to make it a nice place to be!   Self talk is powerful. That inner dialogue can often push us into substance and behavioural addictions that are harmful. Cognitive therapies have taught me how to "Catch It, Check It, and Change It!"   On this week's...

S3E8:  How do you maintain motivation to abstain from addictions? It's a question that comes up a lot in recovery meetings. Lance and Tanya talk about the definition of motivation, the dopamine deficit that makes people biologically vulnerable to addictions, and how you can tap into the feel-good pharmacy that lives inside of you.

S3E7:  Tanya shares why the concept of "acceptance" was unacceptable to her for a long time in her recovery from drug & alcohol addictions, and what she did to finally accept herself, her recovery, and her life on life's terms.   Lance and Tanya do this episode of the Red Roof Recovery show on zoom for the first time!  We’ll keep working on the sound quality. Thanks for your patience.

S3E6:  On this week's episode of Red Roof Recovery, I'm joined by my best friend and business partner, Lance (I can him my Sir Lancelot).  Lance lived with me through my alcohol and drug addictions for more than 20 years. Together, we'll be unfolding the struggles that can arise from abstaining, and living with someone who is abstaining, from addictions - and sharing some helpful strategies to bui...

S3E5:  Being a certified addictions counsellor in both Canada and Michigan, Psychologist Doug Pryor shares his experience and observances from each side of the border when it comes to the models of recovery that work best for addiction recovery.

S3E4:  "Denial is more than a big river in Egypt!"  It's a common saying in recovery circles, because people challenged with AUD/SUD (alcohol/substance use disorders) spend a loooonnnnngggggg time in denial. On this episode, Lance and I chat about my years of denial and what finally pushed me to seek recovery from my drug and alcohol addictions.

S3E3:  Lance is back on this episode to offer some perspective to family members who are living with someone who's addicted. Most of the inquiries we receive are from family members who are trying to help their loved one.  The sad reality is that there is very little you can do, except help yourself. On this episode, you'll earn how the PIUS tool can help hone your communication skills to help rat...

S3E2:  Communication is a challenge for many of us, especially when we're dealing with heightened emotions.   On this episode of the Red Roof Recovery show, Lance and Tanya share how they resolve some of their communication challenges -- using the tools of SMART and other cognitive behaviour therapies. 

S3E1:  In order for me to maintain my motivation to abstain from harmful substances and behaviours, I've had to learn to develop my self worth and my 'value' independent from outside circumstances, perceived realities, and society's opinions of me.  This hasn't been an easy task.  We live in a culture that values "achievements,"... specifically financial and professional achievements. On this epis...

S2E12:  Do you think the societal stigma around addiction is increasing or decreasing?  The pandemic has tripled addiction and suicide rates, and addiction is still the most stigmatized condition on the planet. On this episode of Red Roof Recovery, I have a conversation with Serenity Cates who now works in the addiction services sector, after overcoming homelessness and addiction.  

S2E11:  On this episode of RRR, Serenity Cates and I have a conversation about her recovery from addiction, and what we can do to help eliminate the societal stigma. Serenity has experienced trauma, addiction, and homelessness, and is now a social work professional working with people who are facing the same struggles and barriers that she faced.

S2E10:  Communication has the power to polarize and the power to connect -- and how we choose to use communication can determine the quality of our life, the quality of our relationships, and the quality of our recovery from addictions!    

S2E9:  My catalyst for change came in 2009 when I made the decision to check into a rehab facility to address my escalating addictions to drugs and alcohol. Lance and I were married in 1991, so - at that time - he had lived with me for 18 years while my addictions progressed. On this episode, I ask Lance to answer questions that I was always reluctant to hear the answers to... questions like:  Wha...