Adopting Assertiveness Pt II
A practical way in which we can begin to understand how we can improve our interactions with others is to first see how we typically …
Adopting Assertiveness Pt I
One of the most prevalent reasons that individuals seek out psychotherapy is in order to undergo assertiveness training. There are a number of factors that …
Identifying Our Inner Critics
Each and every one of us has experienced that nagging internal voice that criticizes all the ways in which we could’ve performed better, should’ve said …
The Importance of Sleep in Recovery
In a recent and massive study that was comprised of 10,000 individuals from across the world called “the world’s largest sleep study” by experts in …
Finding a Passion in Early Sobriety
Often times, the dialogue surrounding discussions of early sobriety involve a wide array of prescription of things we ought not do. We shouldn’t involve ourselves …
The Importance of Managing Stress
In life in general, but even more so in early sobriety, we are faced with a cacophony of stressors that are sometimes so loud that …
Trauma and Addiction
According to the scientific journal “Clinical Psychology”, individuals who have experienced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are between two and four times more likely to also …
What is Vivitrol and is it Right For Me?
There are a myriad of new and potentially effective medicinal treatments for sufferers of Substance Use Disorder. For example, Campral is a relatively new medication …
The Grateful Addict
Within the rooms of AA and NA, there often seems to be a particular type of individual during the initial introductions who doesn’t simply state …
Demystifying Detox
One of the most common deterrents keeping suffering addicts away from getting the help we so desperately need is the fear associated with detoxification and …
Careful Foolishness
Within most great stories of literature and mythology, there is a character who is the focal of the story and we call them the hero. …
Resisting Seductive Temptation
Re-establishing damaged relationships and fostering new and healthy connection in early sobriety is one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding practices we can engage …
What Is A Higher-Order Purpose and Why Do I Need One?
Before we discuss the necessity of a higher-order purpose in the context of recovering from addiction, let’s first examine what a lower-order purpose is and …
Tree House Admissions Counselor Speaks with West Virginia University
Tree House Recovery graduate and admissions counselor, Jake Evens, was featured in http://www.thedaonline.com. Once a West Virginia University Student Government Associate, Jake now spends his …
Tree House Admissions Counselor in the Press
Tree House Recovery graduate and admissions counselor, Jake Evens, was recently featured in The Journal. The article outlines Jake’s journey from someone struggling with addiction …
Embracing The “Hero” Myth
Since the earliest recorded history of mankind, we have created stories that represent themes and motifs of our collective experiences which, if examined thoroughly, can …
Resentment as a Key Contributor to Relapse
An important aspect of any relapse prevention program is the ability to understand and identify the precursors to relapse. While many factors could be looked …
Power Vs. Competence Pt. II
Conversely, we can also imagine the manager who demands that deadlines are met on time, that projects are of adequate quality, and who does so …
Power Vs. Competence
The experience of early sobriety is often wrought with anxiety, stress, and a sense of a lack of control over us and our lives. Because …
When is Compassion Simply Not Enough?
When studying the effectiveness of psychotherapy, one of the primary facilitative factors in client growth and progress is the establishment of the “therapeutic alliance”. This …
Tree House featured in The Columbian
Tree House Recovery was recently featured in an article in The Columbian. The article is titled “Battle Ground Brothers Take Creative Approach to Addiction Recovery.” …
Intro to Typology: What Do These Letters Mean? Part II
(continued from Pt. I) What is also crucial to understand is that in this particular formulation of personality, no one preference type is better or …
Intro to Typology: What Do These Letters Mean? Part I
Most people throughout some point in their lives have taken the Myers-Briggs personality test. This particular psychometric test is given in order to determine our …
Understanding Our Psychological Defenses Pt. II
While sticking to the example of aggressive impulses, we can move on to the displacement defense. As an example, if we were to get angry …