“No one can go back and change a bad beginning. But anyone can start now and create a successful ending.” Unknown
Some of our clients come in with stories that are stranger than fiction. For example, the other day I heard a client tell of how his mother introduced him to marijuana so he wouldn't be in the street smoking it with his friends. Somehow she thought she'd be keeping him out of trouble. And years later she was surprised that he became a raging alcoholic and drug addict.
Other clients suffered severe abuse at the hands of their parents and strangers. And some were so traumatized that they tried to cover up their pain with alcohol and drugs.
And, of course, there are some things so painful that there aren't enough drugs or alcohol to cover them up. And at that point victims often go into a spiral of mental illness, institutions or jails. Or perhaps they end their lives.
However, those who confront their issues often find a solution in treatment and the 12-step programs. And when this happens it's a refreshing validation of the work we do.
Our beginnings can be an excuse to wallow in misery. Or we can find them to be a motivation for positive change…
