Get Rid of Black-and-White Thinking
Good Omens, a show on Amazon Prime, is an adaptation of the book by the same name by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaiman. In both the show and the book, it is the end of times, and two characters, an angel and a demon, are called on to join their respective sides in the upcoming […]
The World is an Unhappy Place, or So We May Think
Have you seen that old movie, Pollyanna? It was about a young girl named Pollyanna who moved to a stodgy old town to live with her stodgy old aunt. Pollyanna was the most positive, cheerful, and energetic child, and her enthusiasm for life was so overwhelming and enchanting that she changes the entire town to […]
Announcing CMC:DC!
We are delighted to announce that we are opening a Center for Motivation and Change (CMC:DC) in Washington, D.C. on April 15, 2019. Dr. Siobhan Donnelly came to us a year ago saying she had plans to move to DC. Since she is one of our favorite people and an awesome psychologist, we decided to […]
What Is Your Body Telling You
Recent events have brought the impact of trauma, whether it be from natural disasters or sexual assault, to the forefront of many people’s minds. Unfortunately, the content of the news can trigger trauma memories for many people. Sometimes the trigger and memory are clear (e.g., if I have been raped, watching women talk about being […]
CMC’s Holiday Wishes
Our holiday wishes… If you are one of our clients, we hope you will continue to bravely take on making changes in your life, whatever they may be. We hope you see yourself clearly…for all the inherent goodness in you and that you find compassion for the parts of you that struggle. Thank you for […]
Finding a Treatment that “Fits”
The addiction treatment field, and specifically inpatient programs (or rehabs), have been in the press a lot lately. In the last decade programs have opened, closed, merged into large conglomerates and many have been noted for unethical practices that take advantage of people who use substances and their families. The opioid crisis in this country […]
When Tragedy Strikes
When someone you love or care about is misusing substances, it’s not uncommon to feel terrified, sad, angry and flat out overwhelmed. As treatment providers we are trained to deal with these feelings and ideally have a support system around us so that we can do our work and be helpful in spite of how […]
Don’t I Need to Just Confront the Problem?
When someone you love is using substances or engaging in a host of other risky behaviors, it’s natural to feel afraid, angry, betrayed, ashamed, and confused. It’s also normal to find yourself expressing these emotions by yelling, lecturing, shutting down, and maybe even throwing a few things. The problem with this approach? Confronting someone in […]
The Important Art of Validation
In life and our relationships, one of the things we want most from the people around us is to feel heard and understood. Yet we often feel just the opposite! And miscommunications and relationship problems abound. To really hear someone, we have to listen and then validate what we have heard them say. While this […]
When Motivation is Low
I hate sitting in traffic. I’ll often opt to drive further out of my way, possibly not even saving time, because I don’t like the stop-and-go nature of traffic. It’s just more satisfying when I’m going somewhere to just keep moving forward! And I know I’m not alone in this; people like to see progress, […]
