The Phoenix Spirit

21/11/2024

"I also discovered that it is easier to change when we are feeling better about ourselves."

Over the thirty or so years that I have been in recovery, I have learned many valuable lessons, for which I am grateful. Some of these are: isolation and disconnections fuel addictive thinking and behaving, while

13/11/2024

"We don’t want people to have to worry about their dogs while they are in recovery. We want recovery to be their focus. Taking care of one’s animals is a gift to us and we want to make sure that we take care of them like they’re our own."

When Frank Schmidt met Evan Jandl at The Retreat Recovery Center (Wayzata, MN) in the spring of 2024, neither had any idea about the journey that they would begin together. A casual conversation about the

12/11/2024

We are working to ensure that individuals facing behavioral health challenges receive the compassionate care they deserve. Minnesota Department of Human Services

Minnesota is facing several complex issues that affect Minnesotans’ ability to get timely, quality, and culturally relevant behavioral health services. Addressing those issues with compassion is the top priority of the Minnesota Department of Human

11/11/2024

"Knowing what to expect and reflecting on past patterns around the holidays is crucial to maintaining steady mental health through the season." Healthline

Every holiday season, you’ll find articles like this—designed to set you up for mental health success during the festivities. As you navigate this year’s celebrations, remember that one of the most important mental health relationships

11/11/2024

Recovering Parents Value Project CHILD’s Support

Project CHILD (Community Health, Intervention, Linkage and Development) has been helping Hennepin County residents make a healthier start with their babies since 1990. We asked Hennepin County behavioral health manager, Alexandra (Ali) Kraak to share

06/11/2024

DEADLINE: Our ad deadline is this Thursday (11/8) for our Nov/Dec "Holiday + Giving" issue. Thank you for your support!

03/11/2024

This autumnal quiet time is perfect for taking a gratitude inventory, like a 10th step of the last year.

"Autumn demands that I release what I think is important to do and returns me to the only thing which matters that I remember—to love and to allow love to sculpt me, even as it

20/10/2024

“People would call me at Wendell’s and want more medallions,” Westman recalls, “and one day the idea came to me that people all over the world could use these.”

You know that bronze medallion you have tucked away somewhere - the one in safe keeping in your jewelry box, or at the bottom of your underwear drawer? Or perhaps you fo**le it daily as

11/09/2024

Relevant Recovery’s top priority is to launch a physical Recovery Ranch. This ranch will offer Minnesotans a space and place where families can be coached, leaders can be trained, and people can retreat, relax, and find connection.

The Phoenix Spirit talked with John Magnuson, the visionary founder of Relevant Recovery, a new Recovery Community Organization (RCO), designed to train and mentor Family Life Recovery Coaches at Minnesota’s first Recovery Ranch – a space and

10/09/2024

University of Minnesota Neurobiology Research in Support of Addiction Recovery (Interview with Dr. Mark Thomas) University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The arguments surrounding the root cause of addiction have raged for decades. Addiction is often viewed as a societal or moral failing rather than a biological one. Many people believe that it is a choice

10/09/2024

Helping People Achieve Recovery - However They Define It Minnesota Department of Human Services

Recovery from substance use disorders is an incredibly challenging journey, but it’s also one of the most rewarding paths a person can take. Every individual in recovery deserves to be celebrated, no matter what their

08/09/2024

"The opposite of joy is fear. Fear steals our joy." From Mary Lou Logsdon https://thephoenixspirit.com/2024/09/reclaiming-joy/

“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” Karl Barth I have been remembering joy—the exuberance of youth, the thrill of nature’s beauty, the energy of feeling connected. I have missed joy, her delight with both the

08/09/2024

If you are looking for a tight-knit online community that is slowly discovering itself, this is what you can expect with Cadre. Via Seth Perry

Living with a mental health diagnosis can put you at risk of getting tangled in a maze of social media apps. Persistent and practically addictive features such as “likes,” impressions, and notifications have defined the

05/09/2024

DEADLINE: Ad deadline for the September/October "Recovery Month + Provider" issue is this Friday (Sep 6). Thank you to our advertisers / supporters for helping to bring articles of hope and information to those in recovery / still struggling.

20/07/2024

"The divine is constant and always there, we are the ones who move toward and away from grace."

I learned a lesson about grace when I experienced its flipside a number of years ago, after I was laid off from a corporate communications job in health care. Seeking employment, I dutifully worked my network,

19/07/2024

"I told a friend that my smartphone was shrinking my soul."

If you are like most Americans, you own some type of smartphone. It might be in your hand right now as you read this article. Take a glance at it and consider how it has

11/07/2024

"In rehab, they taught us that cravings don’t last much longer than 5 minutes. If you can immerse yourself in something that captivates you for 5 minutes, it steals your eyes from the things that you shouldn’t want, but you do want." Matt Moberg

Brushstrokes on Matt Moberg’s artwork reflect a kinetic energy. Addiction’s bared teeth show up in the fangs of the wolf, the jaws of the bear, the wild-eyed terror of the horse. The animals and people

09/07/2024

"We can empower recovering people to do this work for us…empower people to do something different." Mary Kay Riendeau, program department head at Minnesota North College

Minnesota North College nets funding for training counselors, changing lives of students in recovery The shortage of mental health professionals in Minnesota, including those working as licensed alcohol and drug counselors (LADCs), has been well documented.