Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse, and “Character” When she started as a case manager for Turning Point Domestic Violence Services, Nicole Emerson‘s favorite clients were the ones who successfully left their abuser and gained their own financial stability.  Nicole is quick to add that the clients’ definition of success isn’t always the same as her own.  She…

Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’re reflecting on the ways that intimate-partner violence may be linked to substance abuse.  We contacted Caryn C Burton of the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  She explains, “Substance abuse intertwines with intimate partner violence in two different ways. There is, overall, a…

It can be tough to tolerate manipulative behavior in an addicted loved one.  At times it is difficult not to let anger show–this is where boundaries come in.  The Meaning of Manipulative The first advice Sarah Stillerman gives is to attend Al-anon or Nar-anon for families in recovery. There, they can learn how they may be…

Addiction is a disease.  Like other diseases, this can mean a mix of recovery and relapse.  Instead of arguing whether relapse can be a part of recovery, we should remember that taking a step back is not a moral failing. Relapse expert Lawrence Pender recommends that we should simply consider this an indicator that our recovery…

Family, Love, and Boundaries This blog entry is in response to demand for resources on co-dependence/ boundaries from our facebook page!  Thank you for your feedback! Addiction feeds off of co-dependence.  As Diane Buxton explains, “It’s a family disease, isn’t it?  [See Diane’s personal story here]“. This begs the question, ‘What tools can we use to…

Meet Mandy Johnson, coordinator of Annual Tara Alumni Celebration Mandy Johnson is dedicated to  Tara Alumni.   She oversees  Tara’s Annual Alumni Celebration, and has a personal connection to addiction. Why is Mandy so dedicated to addiction recovery? “After working at Tara for 13 years, I’ve gained a new understanding of what it means to love…

Sarah Stillerman has devoted the last decade to doing battle with her alcoholism. “The biggest influence to my addiction was the lack of consequences. I knew where I could go and what I could get away with. I was introduced to the party scene as a teenager, where alcohol became my best friend and my…

Want to know what inspires us? Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.  So many of us fail to see our own personal greatness.  Recovery stories like Robert Downey Jr.’s show that any of us can improve ourselves, but too often we assume a person is only ‘great’ when they make national headlines.  At Tara Treatment Center, a…

Recovering can sound like a fairytale to those still suffering in addiction. Recovering is possible with this simple sanity-saving strategy. A Closer Look At the H.A.L.T.S. Strategy The H.A.L.T.S mnemonic device is a great tool for recovering individuals.  The truth is, ‘triggers’ are everywhere in life.  We must develop finely-tuned coping skills in order to…

Slipping into Slumber is a Necessity Feeling tired?  First of all–If you aren’t getting enough sleep at night, you’re letting waste products build up in your brain. Secondly, “Slipping into slumber is a necessity”.  Dr. Vyga Kaufmann speaks on the advantages CBT (that is, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) has in treating insomnia, and the relation of…

H.A.L.T.S: Feelings of Anger and Loneliness in addiction In addiction we use substances to avoid pain and seek pleasure. In recovery it can be difficult to reconnect with emotions like anger and loneliness. In H.A.L.T.S, ‘A’ is all about Anger “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger” …

What does recovery look like? Whether you’re in recovery or not, life hands us all stressful situations which require a clear, calm head.  Addiction separates us from our emotions and feelings, and those in early recovery have difficulty reconnecting with them.  When you’re feeling overwhelmed by life, take a step back and ask yourself a…

DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONISTS, DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS: COMPARING APPROACHES When working with a professional to prepare for an intervention, families go to great lengths to prepare the meeting with their struggling loved one.  Scott Watson has different views from professional Nick Sahaidachny, interviewed in our previous post in this series. Nick focuses on helping families rationally detach from their loved…

Intervening with Nick Sahaidachny The goal of an intervention is to hold a mirror up to your loved one.  Unfortunately, “No one experiences spontaneous insight”, as Nick Sahaidachny explains.  Intervening is seldom pleasant, but can save the life of your loved one and restore peace to your family. With years of personal and professional experience…

How to have an intervention with less conflict than you’d think   Many think of A&E’s television show when they think of an intervention–but shows like this tend to focus on  conflict for the sake of entertainment. Bruce Perkins says it doesn’t need to be this dramatic.  With ample experience in the field of mental health and…

Things Every Family in Addiction Recovery Should Know Addiction recovery is a process for the whole family, yet many feel that the family often goes unsupported.  What should the family know? Below we’ve asked experts with personal or professional experience in the field. PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones) Facilitator Kathy Baker-Heckard speaks on the…

Relapse Prevention Anyone who has fought addiction understands that reaching sobriety is tough, but remaining sober is even more difficult. Relapse prevention starts with planning. When you plan, you’re more likely to understand the challenges you’ll face–hopefully enabling you to spot warning signs before things spin out of control. A plan often outlines what to do in case…

Tax Credit Opportunity The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority awarded Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) Tax Credit to Tara Treatment Center, as an added incentive for you to support the cost of counseling services that Tara provides to its residents. The NAP tax credit means that 50% of the amount of your donation greater than…

Highlighting Recent Recovery Research We had great speakers this year!  Topics ranged from treatment of addiction alongside chronic pain, all the way to an ultra-modern take on the topic of spirituality and recovery.  Below are highlights containing great resources for recovery–check the links below to access resources from slides of our presenters!  Christine Turo-Shields delivers…

Treating substance abuse disorders with more positive HaBits Mental health and substance abuse issues often go hand-in-hand with creativity and intelligence. Is it possible to treat underlying problems while encouraging productive habits? Art therapy addiction treatment and other experiential therapies attempt to do just this.    All the paintings in this article were created by…

Yoga of 12 step Recovery (Y12SR) It has been said that addiction is a ‘spiritual malady’.  If that’s the case, can spiritual practices like yoga complement recovery? Addiction is an ancient problem.  Seeds of cultivated grapevines for wine have been carbon dated to be at least 7,000 years old.  Interestingly, spiritual practices like yoga are just…

Ask a Horse Specialist: How Does Equine Assisted Therapy Work? “Nothing does as much for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.”    Ted Roosevelt wasn’t the first to speak about the spiritual benefits of animal therapy.  Today, the field is rich with talk about treatments like equine assisted therapy for addiction…

CEU’s For Counselors Perhaps it’s to increase job opportunities, certificate or license renewal, or career development.  Whatever the reason, continuing education is a very real need faced by therapists and those in the mental health field.  The reasons to complete continuing education are clear, but sometimes it can be difficult to find CEU’s for counselors. Approved…

Getting Committed Hernando Cortez infamously burned his ships when he arrived in the Americas.  He knew that survival would be difficult in the short term but rewarding in the long term.  He eliminated the option of making a short-sighted decision (like sailing back home) based on the temporary discomfort of his men.  What better demonstration…

We need the support of people who understand alcoholism while we work through recovery.  Alcoholics Anonymous provides a safe community to talk and a set of guiding principles for tackling problems. Below are the most frequently googled questions related to Alcoholics Anonymous. The six most commonly asked questions near Franklin, Indiana: Q:  Do I have to…

Anthem Addiction Treatment Coverage Anthem health and addiction coverage plans cover nearly 40,000,000 United States citizens.  Here are commonly asked questions:   Q:  What Is Anthem, Inc.? Answer: According to their website , Anthem is an insurance organization with roots in Indianapolis, Indiana.  They are an insurance coverage policy within the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Q:  Does…

Recovery from addiction does not take place overnight.  Many still suffering in active addiction need help re-establishing a daily/weekly routine. To make the most informed treatment decision, take a look at a typical ‘Day in the Life’ at Tara Addiction Recovery. A Typical Day in the Life of Women’s Treatment All treatment centers have a…

Addiction Affects Men and Women Differently.  Different genders show different lifestyle patterns, identify with gender-specific stigmas, and have shared gender-specific events in life.  Same-sex treatment respects the different paths men and women take to sobriety.  Gender-specific recovery programs provide more comfortable treatment in three key ways: For Both Sexes, Gender-Specific Treatment Engenders Recovery Different Patterns:  Addiction has long…

Peer Recovery Returning to the real world after treatment for addiction is disorienting.  After battling our personal demons, we return home fundamentally changed. We are eager to demonstrate our newfound strength and pay our debts forward by helping the next man.  Below are two great opportunities for advancement in this field. The therapeutic value of…

Fox 59 Health Trax with the Tara Treatment Center

Create an Opportunity Please join us in our efforts to help men, women, and their families. Your donation will allow someone an opportunity to receive the help they desperately need and at the same time may make you eligible for a NAP Tax Credit. Read more about the NAP Tax Credits »

Help people get treatment AND save on your taxes! There is still time!!  2015 NAP Tax Credits are still available for donations made by December 31, 2015. We appreciate your continued investment and interest in Tara.  Our mission is provide quality care to individuals and families affected by alcoholism and/or drug addiction by promoting lifelong…

The Best Treatment Centers In Indiana Drugrehab.org, a national drug and alcohol addiction treatment referral organization has selected Tara Treatment Center as #2 on the list of the 10 best substance abuse treatment facilities in Indiana.   http://www.drugrehab.org/the-best-drug-rehabs/10-best-drug-rehab-centers-in-indiana/

 Choices By Mike T. I was born into a loving family in 1990. My mother hardly ever drank and did not dare drink in front of us. My father however, was a functioning alcoholic. He was very caring in his ways but loved to spend his evenings in the bars after work instead of with…

An Alumnus  Perspective  “….  For me, my sobriety isn’t so much about what I get from the program as it is who I’ve become because of the program…” Jan M.   My name is Jan and I am a grateful recovering alcoholic and drug addict.  I was born and raised in southern Indiana to family…

Today we can Help Change the Leading Cause of Accidental Death Drug overdoses account for more deaths than traffic fatalities, gun homicides and suicides. Fatal overdoses from opiate medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone alone, quadrupled between 1999 and 2010, accounting for an estimated 16,651 deaths.[1] In 2011, drug misuse and abuse caused about…

Horticultural Therapy and the Phenomenon of Hope Ask anyone in recovery to describe how they felt once they finally hit bottom, and most likely the feeling of hopelessness will be on the list. Conversely, a key factor associated with recovery from addiction is the phenomenon of hope. In this context, “hope” may be defined as…

Rock Bottom  Bruce Perkins – Perkins Intervention, PC Have you ever heard the statement “You can’t help an alcoholic or an addict until they hit bottom?” That is exactly what I thought until I discovered the miracle of intervention while attending St. Mary’s College in Minneapolis, MN studying Chemical Dependency Family Therapy. I used to…

An inside look from a resident’s perspective (Mary J. was a resident of Tara’s program. She graciously agreed to share her experience, strength and the message of hope in this issue of our newsletter)  My name is Mary and I am an alcoholic. Those words flow from my mouth on almost a daily basis now,…