Author: Cristina Utti, MA, MFA

Not too many songs are built around a single musical note. Even the famous song “One Note Samba” involves a lot more than a single note. A song is a complex combination of melody, harmony, rhythm, dynamics, and more.The same is true about a person. No single trait can fully… Read more: You Want a Holistic Approach for a Whole Lot of Reasons

Sometimes we mistake the weather for the climate. Maybe it is unexpectedly rainy today, so you think a long drought has come to an end. Or maybe it is cool for June, so you are not so sure about all those claims about higher global temperatures.In both cases, you are conflating… Read more: The Pink Cloud is Weather. Long-Term Sobriety is Climate.

Most everyone knows that cigarettes and other tobacco products are required to have a message on their packaging from the Surgeon General of the United States warning of the potential dangers. When it comes to cigarettes, a number of different messages appear, such as:Surgeon General’s Warning: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer,… Read more: New Warning from Surgeon General: Alcohol Causes Cancer

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you know that we frequently mention the benefits of exercise for individuals who are in recovery from a substance use disorder. Of course, regular exercise is good for everyone, but there are some specific benefits for folks in recovery—including the fact… Read more: Ways to Add Some Walking to Your Routine

You probably remember Mary Poppins’s approach to getting the children in her charge to clean up their room. She sings a song about gamifying chores—and uses the idea of employing “a spoonful of sugar” as a metaphor for taking bad-tasting medicine. (Interesting sidenote: the song was inspired by the practice… Read more: Do Not Let Sugar Serve as a Substitute for Drugs or Alcohol