About two years ago, Holly and I were sitting on a plane talking about our work. We mainly discussed the stress and the burnout of it all– and a dream that we both shared. The idea of sitting with families in crisis without feeling constrained by the "mold" we had to fit. We wanted to do more. We both felt the pull of serving families in a more significant way.

When an experience feels so hard or so exhausting, I am often reminded of the claw marks I am leaving in a specific situation. The claw marks signify many different emotions and fears that lay beneath the surface.

If you find yourself struggling with negative thoughts or how to cope with the feeling of separation from your loved ones, there are things you can do to create a meaningful connection no matter how far apart you are. You might find a bit of comfort knowing that you are not alone- that there is someone out there missing you as much as you miss them.

The stigma of addiction and addiction treatment frequently overlooks the intense pain that addiction cloaks. Dr. Gabor Mate eloquently suggests, "The question is not 'why the addiction, it is why the pain'?" With this in mind, we shape and conceptualize our approach to working with individuals and families where addiction is present in the system.

One part that struck us deeply was a section where she talks with remarkable candor about the memo that all new parents receive when they become parents. You know – the instruction manual they hand you, soon after they place your sweet-smelling newborn in your arms, and you feel the overwhelming rush of love for this tiny being- coupled with the surge of fear that you are now totally responsible for this helpless human.