I’m really struggling with the suicide of Chester Bennington. In retrospect, “Heavy” was a cry for help and I feel like we all missed it because we were busy relating to it. The struggle to let go, overcome, and become is often overwhelming. It’s the hardest thing a human being can do. It’s also the […]
Linkin’ Park front man Chester Bennington completed suicide yesterday. He died alone by hanging. To those familiar with his life and music, this news is tragic but not altogether surprising. Chester had been open about the impact of abuse in his childhood and the problems created in his life by his use of drugs and […]
In my work with healers, I preach two things above all else: Be genuine and practice what you preach. The world has too many well-meaning professionals who are largely ineffective. Those who provide the best healing are not simply those of us who have felt broken but who have also experienced a lot of healing. […]
My new favorite song is one of the best descriptions of early addiction recovery I’ve ever heard. “I keep dragging around what’s bringing me down If I just let go, I’ll be set free. Holding on…why is everything so heavy?” – Linkin Park, “Heavy” While I love the song, I hate rhetorical questions. Why is […]
I was sitting in a cheesy restaurant of a nice hotel having an impossibly bland breakfast. The especially attentive waiter is working toward a great tip based purely on the volume of coffee he’s supplying. He knows I’m not terribly awake and he’s attentive without being talkative. Smart. Empathic people provide great service – whether […]
One of the greatest things that blogging can do is connect kindred spirits. I am a huge fan of both Jayna Otto and Taylor Kelley – two incredible writers and members of my chosen family. We inspire each other. Taylor guest blogs here in response to Jayna: I read this fantastically F’ing honest and (for […]
I read two articles on Facebook this weekend that I thought were both important and very indicative of the times we live in. The first went viral over a year ago. It’s written by a young woman who describes how tedious she finds the dating scene to be. Melisa Moeller explains in her piece why […]
…is that you can’t. You can support them, advocate for them, and love them, but you cannot save them. Years ago, I worked with an amazing and seasoned counselor. I met with a couple that she had worked with over twenty years previously. They saw each other in the parking lot later and the couple […]
We all need close friends who are brutally honest with us. Years ago, my friend Karen gave me the best critique about my writing, “Each piece, no matter how much you love it, no matter how good you think it is, it’s almost twice as long as the average person wants to read.” Get it […]
My favorite thing about blogging is that it connects me with people I’d never otherwise meet simply because they entered just the right wording for Google to recommend me. That’s cool. Because I write about mental health and addiction, the questions that bring people to my blogs are often sad ones. One especially weird example […]
Jim LaPierre LCSW CCS is the Executive Director of Higher Ground Services in Brewer, Maine. He is a Recovery Ally, mental health therapist and addictions counselor. He specializes in facilitating recovery (whether from addiction, trauma, depression, anxiety, or past abuse) overcome obstacles, and improve their quality of life. Jim offers a limited amount of online therapy to those with very flexible schedules.
Follow @JimLaPierre
