Recovery Archives - Heather Hayes & Associates https://heatherhayes.com/tag/recovery/ Interventions & Treatment Consulting Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:17:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://heatherhayes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-HH_logo-32x32.png Recovery Archives - Heather Hayes & Associates https://heatherhayes.com/tag/recovery/ 32 32 Why Safety, Not Motivation, is the Missing Piece in Many Recovery Models https://heatherhayes.com/why-safety-not-motivation-is-the-missing-piece-in-many-recovery-models/ Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7519 There is no single route to recovery. Each of us has to negotiate a complex set of circumstances, and there is a wide range of both internal and external factors to be taken into account in every situation. Equally, we need a certain set of pieces to fall into place to progress in recovery. However, […]

The post Why Safety, Not Motivation, is the Missing Piece in Many Recovery Models appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Nitrous Oxide Abuse in America: Rising Deaths, Neurological Damage, and the Danger of Large Tanks https://heatherhayes.com/nitrous-oxide-abuse-in-america-rising-deaths-neurological-damage-and-the-danger-of-large-tanks/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:29:11 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7465 Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, has long been used safely in medical and dental settings. In recent years, however, recreational nitrous oxide use in the United States has increased, particularly outside of clinical supervision. What was once associated primarily with small canisters known as whippits has evolved into a more concerning trend: the […]

The post Nitrous Oxide Abuse in America: Rising Deaths, Neurological Damage, and the Danger of Large Tanks appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Why Multidisciplinary Approaches Matter in Complex Mental Health Cases https://heatherhayes.com/why-multidisciplinary-approaches-matter-in-complex-mental-health-cases/ Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:40:12 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7299 Every individual’s path to healing is different, particularly when complex mental health challenges are involved. What appears to be anxiety or depression may be layered with trauma, dysfunctional family dynamics, medical conditions, substance use, and ongoing social stressors. While two people can share the same diagnosis, they can have entirely different histories, triggers, coping strategies, […]

The post Why Multidisciplinary Approaches Matter in Complex Mental Health Cases appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> What’s Actually Happening When Some People Appear “Resistant” to Treatment https://heatherhayes.com/whats-actually-happening-when-some-people-appear-resistant-to-treatment/ Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7294 When a loved one seems to fight every suggestion, skip appointments, or sabotage their own progress, it is easy to feel hopeless. Clinicians may label it non‑compliance, and families may call it denial, stubbornness, or lack of willpower, but what looks like resistance from the outside is almost always a complex, protective response on the […]

The post What’s Actually Happening When Some People Appear “Resistant” to Treatment appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Finding Recovery Without God: How Secular 12-Step Programs and Practical Steps Can Transform Lives https://heatherhayes.com/finding-recovery-without-god-how-secular-12-step-programs-and-practical-steps-can-transform-lives/ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 11:00:36 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7161 Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is one of the most recognized recovery programs in the world. For nearly 90 years, it has helped millions break free from the grip of addiction. Its model—built on connection, community, and a structured process—has stood the test of time. But for some, AA’s religious language and “higher power” emphasis can feel […]

The post Finding Recovery Without God: How Secular 12-Step Programs and Practical Steps Can Transform Lives appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Navigating Dysfunction: Robert Subby’s Family Rules from “Lost in the Shuffle” https://heatherhayes.com/navigating-dysfunction-robert-subbys-family-rules-from-lost-in-the-shuffle/ Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:00:59 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7045 In his influential book, Lost in the Shuffle (1987), Robert Subby explores the hidden rules that govern families affected by addiction, mental illness, and unresolved trauma. Beyond the five core rules he famously outlined (control, perfection, blame, denial, and unreliability), Subby also described a deeper layer of implicit sayings or commandments that shape behavior and […]

The post Navigating Dysfunction: Robert Subby’s Family Rules from “Lost in the Shuffle” appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Healing for the Long Haul: Why Trauma-Responsive Systems are the Key to a Sustainable Future https://heatherhayes.com/healing-for-the-long-haul-why-trauma-responsive-systems-are-the-key-to-a-sustainable-future/ Wed, 23 Jul 2025 07:00:28 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7040 In the global rush toward sustainability, we focus on carbon, conservation, and capital—but what about the people? Behind every burned-out frontline worker, fractured family, or failed system lies something we rarely acknowledge in sustainability conversations: trauma. If we want a just and lasting future, we must broaden our definition of sustainability to include healing. That […]

The post Healing for the Long Haul: Why Trauma-Responsive Systems are the Key to a Sustainable Future appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Reins of Integrity: A Different Kind of Strong https://heatherhayes.com/reins-of-integrity-a-different-kind-of-strong/ Thu, 10 Jul 2025 07:00:25 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=7025 The fact that I am here today, addressing you as a leader, is something I will never quite internalize. I come from a family full of what most people would consider leaders. My grandfather was a United States Senator. My uncle, a well-known author and Latin American correspondent for the Huntley-Brinkley Report, once landed in […]

The post Reins of Integrity: A Different Kind of Strong appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> The Importance of Clinically-Informed Therapeutic Recovery Companions https://heatherhayes.com/the-importance-of-clinically-informed-therapeutic-recovery-companions/ Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:00:08 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/from-abduction-trauma-to-healing-rethinking-adolescent-transport-through-a-trauma-responsive-lens-copy/ In a society where mental health issues, substance use disorders, and eating disorders are on the rise, the need for dedicated support systems is more crucial than ever. Therapeutic recovery companions have emerged as a vital resource for individuals navigating these challenges, offering one-on-one support that helps to bridge the gap between clinical treatment and […]

The post The Importance of Clinically-Informed Therapeutic Recovery Companions appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> Understanding “The Wellness Industry” and the Risk it Can Pose to Well-being https://heatherhayes.com/understanding-the-wellness-industry-and-the-risk-it-can-pose-to-well-being/ Thu, 21 Nov 2024 08:00:48 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/what-is-the-fourth-wave-of-the-overdose-crisis-in-the-united-states-copy/ In late 2023, Bloomberg business magazine reported that the global wellness market was now worth 5.6 trillion USD.[1] This so-called “wellness” industry represents a host of products and services related not just to fitness and nutrition but also to overall physical and mental health and appearance. There are countless examples of how the wellness industry […]

The post Understanding “The Wellness Industry” and the Risk it Can Pose to Well-being appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> What Is Treatment-interfering Behavior and How Can It Impact Treatment? https://heatherhayes.com/what-is-treatment-interfering-behavior/ Sun, 19 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=5463 Treatment-interfering behaviors are actions or ways of being that negatively impact the therapeutic relationship. In counseling and psychotherapy, the relationship between client and therapist is foundational to the success of therapy. While practitioners trained in dialectical behavior therapy refer to these behaviors as Treatment-Interfering Behavior (TIB), other therapists also observe these in sessions but may […]

The post What Is Treatment-interfering Behavior and How Can It Impact Treatment? appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]> The Power of Gratitude in Recovery https://heatherhayes.com/the-power-of-gratitude-in-recovery/ Fri, 23 Dec 2022 11:30:00 +0000 https://heatherhayes.com/?p=5402 When those in recovery regularly practice gratitude, it alleviates the intensity and regularity of negative emotions, improves coping skills, lowers the rate of relapse, and supports long-term recovery overall. This link between the dedicated, regular practice of gratitude and long-term recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) is recognized in 12-step program support groups, including Alcoholics […]

The post The Power of Gratitude in Recovery appeared first on Heather Hayes & Associates.

]]>