ccotten@www.thewillowcenter.com

One of the concerns (and myths!) we hear most often from those who are just a few days into their early recovery journey is, “I won’t be able to have any fun anymore! What will [...]

In some cultures and traditions, we are taught to trust our gut instincts. In others, we are taught that our instincts can’t always be trusted. Personally, I’ve always found it challenging to tell the difference [...]

Impulses, compulsions, urges – we all have them. Many of them are purely biological, such as the impulse to eat when you’re hungry or drink water when you’re thirsty. Some of them are more mental-emotional, [...]

As the 2024 Summer Olympics kick off in Paris this week, you will witness an incredible display of athleticism, teamwork, good sportsmanship, and sometimes ugly ego. Most athletes stand, clap for, or offer handshakes to [...]

I’ve recently been reading some of Ernest Hemingway’s classic novels this summer. Other than triggering some flashbacks of high-school English class, it’s been great. He is poetic, honest, and cathartic in his writings. One thing [...]

The character value of integrity is most often associated with “doing the right thing” – especially when nobody is witnessing it. But what is “right”? Is “right” something we each define for ourselves (subjective), or [...]

When I was in middle school way back in the day, I was playing on a local little-league baseball team. There were four teams for the small-town league, and we all practiced at the same [...]

Although it may come as a disappointment, there’s no such thing as a “cure” for mental health struggles. Depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem issues, difficulties related to past trauma, substance use, and more very rarely just [...]

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month to all who celebrate! Each May, we are proud to share our stories, to practice better self-care, and to build empathy for each other during out times of need. Together, [...]

One of the hardest things to do in life is get honest with yourself and others about the fact that you need therapeutic support. Even though there is no shame in participating in therapy or [...]

American painter and author, Walter Inglis Anderson, is quoted as saying, “Our lives improve only when we take chances – and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with [...]

My favorite part of improving our understanding of brain science is this: the activities that make up the way we live our lives can directly affect our brain chemistry and pathways both positively and negatively. Three [...]

The last time a car pulled out in front of you unexpectedly, did you feel scared? The last time your kiddo got defensive and started yelling at you, did you feel angry? The last time [...]

“’No’ is a complete sentence,” says author and advocate, Anne Lamott. However, it’s a sentence most of us are rather uncomfortable utilizing as much as we should. At the core of learning how to set [...]

John has a friend that gives him a big, tight-squeezing bear-hug every time they see each other. John, however, is not fond of bear-hugs, and frankly feels uncomfortable with any hugs altogether, but he grits [...]