Tune in to listen to Belina on CPR Radio:  March 17, 2020: The Increasing Impact Of Coronavirus; Medical Ethics & Treatment Click here to tune in. Listen for Belina at approximately 14 minutes

by Belina N Fruitman, LCSW, CAS This blog is primarily for those of you who attempted Dry January. Consider this a follow up from my last blog. I am holding you accountable. However, note that those of you who did not engage in Dry January, you are in luck as today is a new month,...

It is with little ambivalence but great curiosity when I consider this relatively new concept of Dry January in the U.S. Essentially  it includes one embracing abstinence from alcohol for the entire month of January. Note that this does not include other illicit drugs like weed/cannabis or cocaine or other drugs that millions of people...

Given the four-part article on alcohol abuse and its implications, thought I would share some of my own insights regarding alcohol abuse, whether it is in Colorado or elsewhere in our world. It was critical that The Denver Post write this series, as I have known anecdotally for years that alcohol abuse is the most...

Given the federal government’s recent announcement of the first major update to methadone treatment regulations for over two decades, thought I would share my insights and knowledge. The government hopes the updates will help patients access treatment and avoid stigmatization for their treatment. It will also expand the ability to take medication home and the...

Now that we are all past the one-year mark of the pandemic we are reflecting on our lives and the greater communities at large. The past month we all have heard endless reflection articles on how lives changed, on how we all adjusted, and how different countries around the world have suffered. Much suffering led...

1.If one partner refuses to follow safety protocols (mask wearing, social distancing, etc.) how can the other person address this problem? Knowledge is always power; therefore, educate your loved one by quoting renowned medical doctors such as Dr. Anthony Fauci. Cite the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and the WHO (World Health Organization) who both...

The last 24 hours I have been contemplating how fragile life is. I have always been keenly aware of this, as random, unpredictable events occur every minute of every day. However, when this happens to you, several potent feelings arise. The first feeling is shock. It takes time to process that, it could take a...

Last night as I sat uncomfortably and unexpectedly on my hospital cot with my teen son in the patient bed by my side, I thought “ahh, the childhood toy the boomerang.” The boomerang is a thrown tool originally made in Australia for hunting, typically constructed as a flat airfoil, it spins about an axis perpendicular...

Preface: My hope is that you will ponder and seriously ask yourself these questions below, it may give you hope. In honor of the new year, let’s face our fear(s). Many of us do not pursue our dreams nor passions due to fear. What better time than now to face fear head on? Why wait...

Recently I became intrigued by an article I read by Dr. Chris Donaghue titled Is Sex Addiction Just an Excuse for Bad Behavior? As a therapist working in the mental health and addictions field for about 25 years, this article stopped me in my tracks. Interestingly there was no discussion around healthy boundaries, self-reflection, morality,...

Few people change the world by creating a ripple effect in their years on this planet. However, in the 90 years of her life, Louise Hay managed to not only build a business empire from only one thought, a radical new idea that we can overcome any adversity via our thinking, but also created a...

For years I have heard my yoga teachers say “leave your ego at the door”. In other words, don’t push your body too much, don’t compare your practice to others, and ultimately, be you, accept your limits. So today, I had to recite that repeatedly, “leave your ego at the door”. The entire time my...

Mark Twain said “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” He understood existential social work or the critical role meaning plays in our lives. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker I am often in the role of a Life Coach. Since...

When we ask ourselves repeatedly “why”, we often get an answer that is not helpful or beneficial. Yet end up cycling back to asking again, “but why?” Typically when we ask ourselves “why” it is a perpetual question that leaves us in the past. Being stuck in the past may be a happy place for...

In Honor of Thanksgiving By now you know all the benefits of gratitude. You hear about it in the media probably daily. Countless experts have demonstrated that it leads to greater happiness, longevity, feelings of being present and being grounded. So, we may be familiar with this concept of gratitude yet if we don’t put...

By now we all have heard about interventions, the process by which someone or a small concerned group such as a family, come together to hire a professional to “intervene” and motivate someone into treatment. That treatment usually centers on some kind of addiction: alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription medications, pornography, gambling, and/or eating disorders. The...

The comedian George Carlin said “we can put someone on the moon but most of us can’t walk across the street to meet our neighbor”. Like minded Johann Hari, author, said “we have more square footage in our homes than ever but equally less friends”. Hence, is one with less connection to others more likely...