Adult Coloring Books were big sellers this past holiday season. If you checked Amazon.com’s list of top-twenty best-sellers at any time in the last couple of months, you would find that up to 10 of the books listed on any given day were coloring books. The books feature mandalas, secret gardens, enchanted forests and a number of other intricately patterned designs.
The New Year symbolizes a time for fresh starts. Everyone is making resolutions to better themselves in the coming year, so it’s no surprise that many people decide to pursue sobriety. Starting a new year with the decision to find sobriety and heal lifelong wounds is a very courageous decision. Usually, though, simply making a resolution is not enough. This is true even with non-addicts. But the good news is, there are steps to take that can significantly aid in reaching and maintaining sobriety.
By Lynn Litschke, Chaplain/Spiritual Care Provider at The Meadows
‘Tis the season of celebration. The landscape of our everyday lives is transformed with the glow of candles, the jingle of bells, the fragrance of pine and spice, wrapping paper and ribbons, feasting and festivity. There is a touch of magic in the air.
Yet for those of us in recovery this can also be a difficult season fraught with triggers, painful memories, and feelings of being disconnected and flawed. In the midst of it all are opportunities to lean solidly into our spirituality and discover new understandings of ourselves and of the season.
The holidays can be an especially difficult time for women struggling with eating disorders. Many of our traditions and celebrations are centered around food. And, the additional pressures and obligations that often come with the season can intensify the unhealthy behaviors and coping mechanisms associated with the eating disorders.
By Helen Pak, Director of Nutrition Services
At The Meadows Ranch, one of the ways we help our eating disorder patients improve their relationships with food is through a series of fun and educational culinary challenges.