By 
Mountainside family!
We thought we would shake things up a little as the year ends by having Mountainside alumni take over the December newsletter. This issue was written for us, about us, and by us. I’m Amy L., class of summer 2016, takeover editor.
I am humbled and honored to be writing this. Jessica has always been very open and personal about her path in recovery in her letters to us. Her openness was my inspiration for this issue. I decided to share with you a very personal story of finding love and light in recovery. I hope by being as raw and real as possible, I can encourage at least one of you to go on an alumni trip…I’m kidding. I’m hoping to encourage at least one person feeling lost over the holidays to find their path. I also hope this newsletter encourages the powers that be at Mountainside to offer another Teotihuacan trip for alumni. Two books that have helped me tremendously in my recovery and have influenced my story, in addition to Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements and The Fifth Agreement, are his books The Five Levels of Attachment and The Mastery of Self.
This issue’s Alumni Spotlight was set up for me by Jessica and — a woman who happened to be at Mountainside when I was there almost 30 months ago — Caitlin. Cate is an amazing woman who naturally emits love and light. She is a free spirit with a soul that finds adventure. I’ve seen many women draw courage from Cate’s strength and confidence. I must admit I live vicariously through her. She is the Marsha to my Jan.
So, let’s get started. I’ll leave you with a quote I sang to myself repeatedly at Mountainside, a quote that became a part of me in Teotihuacan:
“Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.” – Grateful Dead, Scarlet Begonias
Ask The Experts
Are You Practicing Self-Care in Recovery?
Alumni Spotlight
A Day in the Recovery Life: Q&A with Caitlin G.
Health And Wellness
Healing in Recovery
Mountainside wants you to stay safe and sober this season. We will have a Holiday Support Line available to you from November 19th to January 4th. Our staff will be available 24 hours a day to help you with any challenges you may face. Don’t deal with them alone; reach out for help. If you need us, please call 860-362-5256.
You can make it through this holiday season and you don’t have to do it alone.
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I struggled and suffered with attempts at sobriety for 8 years before I came to Mountainside, with progressively worsening results. Once I allowed myself to look at sobriety as being true recovery, that living without alcohol and drugs was a freedom from burden and not a deprivation of some type of entitlement, my results followed. I never say “I got this,” but I always tell myself “I can do this.” Because I can.
Addiction affects men and women differently. For women in recovery, rebuilding family relationships, balancing self-care and family obligations, and effectively communicating emotions can be challenging. To help women advance in their recovery and make the necessary changes in their lives, we have created a new Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) group at our Wilton location. The group focuses on women-specific recovery topics, helping them build on their strengths, and empowering them to live in the present while working towards achieving their goals.
**The group covers:**
– Changing negative thinking and behaviors
– Developing acceptance strategies and distress tolerance skills
– Improving interpersonal skills
– Emotion regulation
– Mindfulness practices
– Relapse prevention
– Stress management techniques
This group provides women in the Wilton area the opportunity to gain the necessary skills to overcome difficult challenges, expand their support network, and improve their overall well-being.
**MEETINGS:**
Mountainside Wilton
Fridays, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
**For more information, contact Mountainside Wilton at (888) 510-8852**
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, Mountainside can help.
Click here or call (888) 833-4676 to speak with one of our addiction treatment experts.
