What a glorious time of year! We love this time when the earth has woken up and offers us the gifts of flowers and spring-time vegetables and fruits. The season naturally lends itself to renewal and fresh starts – something we are always in favor of. The very definition of recovery is starting clean and imagining the wonderful possibilities life holds for us, free from addiction. This issue is also an abundance of thoughtful and informative articles, which we hope will invigorate and encourage you.

First, Dr. Tian Dayton generously shares her specialized techniques for teaching emotional awareness and processing in the group setting. She avails of us of the wealth of knowledge from her years of experience working with trauma and addiction. This is a true gift for any clinician in this field.

We are so blessed to have another contribution from Jerry Moe of the esteemed Betty Ford Center. His insights into the smallest victims of ravages of addiction – children – both move us to tears and reignite the desire to make sure the children do not become emotional and physical fallout from alcohol and drug addiction.

Similar to the drain felt by mental and physical health clinicians, the caretaker syndrome is practically inevitable for anyone living with and caring for someone with chronic pain. Dr. Stephen Grinstead lends his vast experience in the arena of chronic pain management to family members in his article, where he gives tips on how to better empathize with their loved one, and – most importantly – care for themselves.

New RecoveryView.com author, Dr. Sage de Beixedon Breslin, contributes her perspective on holistically treating clients with trauma. Having been classically trained as a trauma psychologist, as well as an emotional intuitive and in mind-body approaches, Dr. Breslin’s approach borrows from a wide range of healing traditions, integrating them into a truly valuable treatment modality of compassion and strength.

Lying and hiding are behaviors finely honed into expert skills by addicts, in general. Dr. Kevin Fleming posits in his article, How Thoughtless, Unethical People Might Just Save Our Planet, that this might not be the worst thing in the world – and, indeed an interesting twist attributed to our brain’s wiring.

Our clinical editor, Meredith Watkins, returns this issue with a look the increasingly trouble epidemic of sugar addiction. She explains the science behind it and how it has evolved into a legitimate addiction, requiring both our attention and understanding of the myriad physical and mental health conditions resulting from it, and to more appropriately treat it.

Dr. Lisa Firestone, new RecoveryView.com author, writes about Voice Therapy, a treatment approach created by her father, to address that nasty inner critic that drives addiction and relapse. This step-by-step process helps both silence the snarky commentator within while strengthening the true voice of the client.

We hope you’ll take some time to get outside and breathe in the fresh air of spring and renewal. Health and happiness ~ Josie and Jim