I sometimes introduce myself as YodaNinja. "Yoda on the outside, Ninja on the inside." Outside, I seem calm and composed. When I speak (or write), what I say can be profound, perplexing... or both. But my inner world is another story. Deep inside of me is a Ninja battleground where thoughts, emotions, ideas, and utter randomness all fight for my attention. Every once in a while, they actually cooperate and I have to say, I'm deadly. But then they go at it again... and "Everybody is Kung Fu fighting." I'm a dad, a husband and a guy whose mind has a mind of it's own. My recovery from my addiction to numbing myself (with pretty much anything I can get my hands on) is a lifelong journey. I live with depression, anxiety and adhd... and sometimes they don't get along very well with my family, or with the rest of my life. Professionaly, I make my living as a Counselling Therapist in Edmonton, Canada. I teach on addiction and psychopathology at City University, and I have a small counselling practice where I use superheroes and other geeky stuff to help people make peace with their own personal YodaNinja. This blog is part of my healing and writing keeps me grounded. I hope that something I have written may add a little bit to your journey. Keep it Real
Guest Post by Claire Gillespie 03/22/17 You love your child. Your child is an addict. Your child needs help. How do you carry on showing that love, without supporting or enabling the addiction? Instead, professionals suggest setting boundaries and asking questions like “What do I need to do in order to support my own self-care … More Tough Love Doesn’t Work: A New Approach to Helping Addicts
For article, “The 10 Commandments of an Emotionally Healthy Recovery,” click on photo.
My funnest post of 2017 was this one, my personal take on what Dr. Seuss might say about how our minds work. For the purists out there… “Funnest” is not a word. Nor is “Funner,” nor “Funning,” Nor “Funnierest.” I would argue that if Dr. Seuss were alive today, he would use them all. I … More My Funnest Post of 2017
It’s New Years Eve. Will you take time to pause? Yes, this photo is upside down. Let’s hope 2018 is a little more sane than 2017. Click on photo for more
As 2017 is on it’s final day, I wanted to say how much I appreciated you for taking the time to read my posts, comment and share my work. Without you, I would be alone in this work. Thank you for being a part of this site and I hope that your 2018 will be … More From Me to You
What will you make of Today’s invitation? For more, click on photo
I once worked with a young man in a residential treatment program who was experiencing significant stress and conflicts, both internally and in his relationships. On a particularly difficult day, he asked me “Is there a pill I can take to just make this easier?” I thought for a moment, then responded “I don’t know … More Trying to Live a Pain-Free Will Keep You Stuck
I began a recent article with a question, “You have one life to live. How much of your life do you spend thinking about your “Butts?” Our “Yes Buts” become excuses, a way taking the easy way out. The more often you “Yes, but…” the more you are giving yourself an excuse not to do … More How can Your “Yes, But’s” Serve You?
Making friends with your pain, your anger is not easy. But when you allow yourself to feel, to have your pain or anger or anxiety you can stop fighting. You save your energy so you can invest it in living. It’s difficult. I know. I am facing some uncomfortable emotions and pain that is honestly … More Can You Make Friends With Your Anger?
When you only look for beautiful things, what are you missing?
Getting High on Recovery 