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
Recovery is not what it used to be. The definition of “recovery” has changed and now includes recovery from mental illness. You don’t have to practice the 12 steps in order to recover. Your recovery is guided by principles that fit your life and help to bring out the best in you. This is the … More The 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery: #2 Recovery is Within Your Grasp
9 Ways to deal with the energy vampires in your life ___ Energy Vampires. Porcupines. Kryptonite People. No matter how you describe them, they are exhausting people. In my article, Your Healing Manifesto, I wrote: We leave behind exhausting people, porcupines who delight in making attacks and sticking it to other people. The names we … More Recovery and How to Deal With Your Energy Vampires
Your anger is screaming for your attention. Are you listening? ____ The angry person can be a little scary. But the person who is truly scary is the one who is no longer angry. Sometimes you can move past your anger, but not in a good way. One of my therapy client’s put it this … More The Person Who is No Longer Angry is Scary
For the article, A Serious Guide to Humor at Work, click on the photo above. I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and best of … More Humor and Your Well Being
For an article Addiction: Laughing Loudly While Quietly Crying Into Your Beer, click on the photo above. I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and best of … More Recovery is Better With a Little Humor!
For more on the 10 Principles That Will Change How You See Recovery, click on the photo above. I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and … More In Recovery, You Should Pay Attention to Your Shoes More Than Your Steps
Principle #1: Recovery is possible and is motivated by the hope that you have. ___ In a recent article, I discussed how the way that we look at recovery is changing and opening up to include recovery from mental illness. The reality is that it is impossible to separate a person’s addiction or mental health … More The 10 Guiding Principles of Recovery: #1 Your Recovery is Possible!
For article on how to heal from abuse and trauma, click on the photo above. I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and best of … More Today is a Day to Re-Take Your Life!
In recovery, the steps that you take may not be as important as the shoes that you wear. ___ What we think about grows. Attributed to the Buddha How we think about recovery changes how we view ourselves. Recovery used to mean things like admitting to our powerlessness, confession, a fearless inventory and a commitment … More 10 Principles That Will Change How You See Recovery
For an article on the uneasy peace of recovery, click on the photo above. I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and best of my … More How to Be at Peace With Your Recovery
Getting High on Recovery 