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Having structure early in recovery can be helpful to ensure you are doing what you need to do to reach your goals, make it to appointments, and create safety in new ways of living. It is easy to miss appointments, forget what you know about how to help yourself, and set yourself up to “fail” when there is not a supportive structure in place. This is why structure in recovery is so important.

Beginning treatment and therapy to recover from mental illness and/or substance use disorder can feel scary but liberating—there can be excitement in knowing that healing is possible but fear in not knowing what this means, looks, or feels like for you. Part of healing means accepting uncertainty and making peace with not knowing. There are also things you can generally expect in your first therapy session, which can help ease the anxiety you may be feeling.

Intrusive thoughts can cause high amounts of distress, especially if individuals struggle with mental illness of any sort. Intrusive thoughts can feel all-consuming and seem like they are true. Learning to see intrusive thoughts for what they are and release them is possible and an important part of experiencing relief from musings for peace of mind.

It can be scary to seek support in times of hardship as it may not feel safe to ask for help. Perhaps you find it uncomfortable to be vulnerable, admit you are struggling, or trust others to support you. While in recovery from mental illness and addiction, it can be powerful to allow yourself to be supported and find safety in the presence of others.

The ability you have to regulate your nervous system can either lead you to feelings of safety in your body and inner peace, or toward dysregulated states of stress, anxiety, and fear. Nervous system dysregulation might be all you know as you may have grown accustomed to living in chaos due to trauma or chronic stress. Therefore, learning how to regulate your nervous system is the key to access a greater sense of groundedness, ease, and presence within yourself.

Recovery means something different to everyone. Just as healing is not one-size-fits-all, what recovery means to each person is going to be different.

Have you ever heard the phrase, 'mean what you say and say what you mean? This simple principle could be easier said than done if you grew up in a family where your emotions were not a priority. As an adult, you may lack emotional integrity, an important quality to sustain healthy and honest relationships. Learn about the signs that show you may be struggling with emotional transparency and how clinical modalities can help you heal from stressful and traumatic childhood experiences.

Putting your recovery first can be challenging, especially on the days when healing feels particularly hard. Sometimes healing makes you feel on top of the world, and other times it can leave you feeling as if you are hanging on by a mere thread. Since motivation will not always be present, it is important to begin shifting your perspective on how you show up for recovery.

Finding a therapist you feel aligned with can be challenging. It is also the most important thing to consider when it comes to experiencing trust in the therapeutic relationship. This is often considered the most important part of therapy because it allows for the most healing.

The first thing you lose contact with when experiencing stress is your breath. Connection with your breath is the key to accessing deeper states of presence in yourself. To begin rekindling a relationship with yourself and feeling more centered in your life, you must begin to build an intentional relationship with your breath. Allow it to serve as the guide home to your body and the present moment.

Journaling is an activity that you can practice to help make sense of challenging thoughts and emotions. Plus, there is something cathartic about sitting down and expressing your feelings on paper. Your journal is a private space for you and your thoughts, where you can be honest without fear of judgment. As you work through your troubles in a linear and organized fashion, you can start to connect with your inner voice. Journaling is a form of writing therapy, a creative approach to helping you heal from a past of substance abuse, trauma, and mental health conditions.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is a form of therapy that focuses on ideas of cognitive-behavioral therapy. It is rooted in recognizing how your thoughts influence your feelings and how your feelings influence your actions by way of practices rooted in mindfulness. These types of therapies can help you experience a new relationship with your thoughts and feelings that allow you to experience freedom from them rather than attachment to them.