By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “A man’s character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.” –Mark Twain We’ve all heard the saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But the field of psychology shows us words do matter.Continue Reading
by Kimberly Hayes The 12-Step program is what comes to mind when you hear someone talk about recovery from alcohol and drug abuse. However, there are many treatment methods out there that offer personal empowerment beyond breaking bad habits. Here are a few alternative therapies that can be pursued onContinue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” –Steve Maraboli Learning from past negative experiences including substance use and addiction can actually serve as your greatest asset when building a life free from drug and alcohol use. The cultivation ofContinue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall “Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.” – August Wilson Facing your inner demons takes great courage.Continue Reading
By Susan Finley, Ed.D., NCC “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.”-Bruce Lee Exercise is an excellent tool for individuals who suffer from substance use disorders. It provides for practicing healthy coping mechanisms and an increased confidenceContinue Reading
It was 10:00 AM. I’d already consumed 10 shots of Svedka vodka and had just poured another 5 shot glass when the phone rang indicating the cab had arrived for my trip to the airport. Next stop, Passages Malibu, where I hoped to conquer my addiction to alcohol. I grabbedContinue Reading
by Dr. Kerri Heath “Your most important work is always ahead of you, never behind you.” –Dr. Stephen R. Covey There is a way to end addiction. But before you can experience it, you must believe that it’s possible. Currently, you have a philosophy on what addiction is whetherContinue Reading
by Dr. Kerri Heath “Only when we are sick of our sickness shall we cease to be sick.” –The 71st verse of the Tao The problems underlying dependency always have both physical and psychological components, and both have to be treated simultaneously. At Passages Addiction Treatment Center in Malibu, itContinue Reading
by Dr. Kerri Heath “…the reward of faith is to see what you believe.” -Saint Augustine Do you believe that you can create a better life for yourself than the one you are living? Do you believe that it is possible to be free from the binds of addiction? American’sContinue Reading
by Dr. Kerri Heath “A holistic approach looks for fundamental underlying issues, rather than only addressing symptoms.” –Fran Sussman A truly great drug rehab center knows that a holistic recovery program will help you discover and heal the underlying causes of addiction, which is the only way to achieveContinue Reading
by Dr. Kerri Heath and Chris Prentiss “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.” –Simon Sinek In his book Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Simon Sinek presents the idea thatContinue Reading
By Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D. Alcoholism is a problem for many couples. Research shows that over 30% of Americans exceed the FDA guidelines for alcohol use (one drink a day for women and two for men). If your loved one drinks to cope with everyday life, the problem has wormed itsContinue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall The journey to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction can be a complex and challenging process, especially when the individual is in denial. Understanding the reasons behind denial, the impact of societal perception, and the challenges faced when helping someone in denial, is crucial for initiating anContinue Reading
At Passages Addiction Treatment Centers, we offer several programs for treating opiate addiction. Opiates are extremely powerful and have a very high potential for chemical dependency. Using opiates for an extended period of time ultimately causes the nerve cells in the brain to stop functioning correctly and inhibits the productionContinue Reading
Many people are curious when learning that Passages is a non-12 Step addiction rehab center. They ask us, “What does that mean?” Here we have created an infographic to lay it all out for you to better understand the difference between 12 Step and non-12 Step addiction treatment philosophies andContinue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall Detoxing from opioids and opiates (heroin, fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone) can be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. At Passages Addiction Treatment Centers, we recommend a medically supervised detox that specializes in non-traditional therapy and innovated treatment such as what is offered at Passages. Depending on theContinue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall Opioids are prescribed to those with suffer from severe acute or chronic pain. Unfortunately, this drug is extremely addictive and dangerous even when taken as prescribed by a doctor. Many people who take opioids become physically dependent on the drug, making it difficult to detach or ween off onceContinue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall The opiate crisis in America is something that everyone is talking about. It is broadcasted on every media outlet, highlighting the record-breaking number of overdoses and deaths all across the country. Many of us have lost someone we know and love from an addiction to opiates. Unfortunately,Continue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall Before we get into how to treat Xanax, let’s take a look at what Xanax is and its effects on the body so we can better understand this prescription drug that has become the number one prescribed psychiatric medication in the United States. This drug is mostContinue Reading
By Jennifer McDougall Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you quit drinking alcohol or how you would feel overall? Many people who get sucked into the destructive habit of drinking alcohol tend to forget who they are without substances. They fail to live without alcohol,Continue Reading