Sobriety and the menstrual cycle. The surge and recession of cycle hormones can make women more susceptible to cravings, enhance feelings of drug-induced euphoria and make withdrawal feelings and the urge to use seem more intense.

Part of a successful recovery includes creating healthy routines and habits that provide enough of a reward to make a sober lifestyle worth the effort.

When you are recovering from a substance use disorder, self-care is critical. But it is difficult to engage in healthy self-care routines when resources are hard to find. That’s why, when it comes to self-care, location matters.

The list of ways the holiday season can cause stress is virtually endless. When navigating the holidays while in recovery, the stakes – and the stresses that come with getting through the season – are even higher.

By tuning into nature and exploring California’s natural wonders, we help our residents attain personal growth and transformation.

Mare’s House incorporates regular yoga practice into our program as a way to help build self-esteem, lower stress-causing cortisol levels and improve mood and executive functioning.

The Mare’s House program is one that relies on structure, schedules and stimulating activities. Our residents are expected to participate in outings, classes and meetings. They are expected to find and maintain employment when ready and are expected to be active during the day, with limited downtime.

If you had asked me 10 years ago what my biggest concern for young people was, I would probably have said something along the lines of driving dangerously under the influence, getting caught up in unhealthy drug-related peer groups, and other high-risk reckless behaviors. I would not have said…

Women sometimes have a harder time with exercising consistently because of pressure related to unrealistic body standards, self-confidence and safety fears when exercising alone. However, finding a way to problem solve for these concerns and issues is worth it for the health benefits that exercise can bring – for all women, but especially for women in recovery.

Recovery requires change – big change. Change in thinking, attitude, and worldview, but also change in environment, people and lifestyle. That is why sober transitional living homes can be a good next step for many people on the path to recovery – they provide a safe, supportive space where individuals can rebuild their lives upon a foundation of new, healthy habits, people and routines.

Dual diagnosis, or co-occurrence, is when an individual has both a substance use disorder (SUD) and a mental health disorder. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about half of all people with mental illness also have a SUD, while one-third of all people with a SUD also have a mental health diagnosis.

More research is needed to really understand the relationship between art therapy and the ways it may help heal the brain systems that control craving and addiction; but anecdotal evidence, along with the proliferation of art and music therapy programs in recovery indicates that these programs are indeed helpful…

Comprised of people including friends, family, 12-step groups, sponsors, therapists, mentors, counselors, and others, a recovery support system is a network of people that can help guide your journey and build the framework that aids your progress.

Relapse is generally not something that happens overnight. Rather, it is a process that happens in stages. An individual in danger of relapse will pass through an emotional, mental and finally a physical stage which involves the seeking out and using of the substance.

Through our years of work with young people in recovery, we have found meditation to be a helpful part of the healing process. Yoga, mindfulness-based meditation, and Reiki sound bath healing are types of meditation practice we offer to our residents.

Whatever kind of insights you are looking for, there is likely a podcast on the topic ready for download. To get you started, here is a list of some of the best addiction, recovery and sobriety podcasts, we’ve found so far.

In order for transitional living to be an effective step on the path to long-term recovery, it needs to provide comprehensive nutrition education, hands-on instruction on how to maintain a healthy diet, and counseling where necessary. Find out more…

12 Steps and 12 Traditions is the book outlining the 24 basic principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. The book was written in 1953 by AA co-founder, William Griffith Wilson, or, as he is more commonly known within the AA community, Bill W. Today’s Anonymous programs address many forms of addiction beyond alcohol, but all of them follow the basic tenets that can be found in this book.

At Mare’s House, we believe that a quality transitional living program should provide more than a place to work on recovery. We believe that transitional living should also be a space for cultivating personal development. One of the ways we encourage our members’ personal development is through mandatory employment.

Making the commitment to stay sober is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself and to your loved ones. When you decide each day to walk a bit further down the road of recovery you are deciding that your health and well-being matter. You are deciding that YOU matter, and that you deserve a life free from the shackles of addiction.

What makes Mare’s House truly unique among transitional living houses is our use of surf therapy. More than just exercise, surf therapy can help foster the personal development and life skills required for a fulfilling sober life.

Dr. Michael Kornberg is a child and adolescent psychiatrist specializing in helping patients and families when the transition from adolescence to adulthood proves difficult.

We focus extensively on the development of healthy boundaries and self-advocacy in order to build esteem and personal empowerment.