Connections In Recovery

03/04/2026

Not all manic episodes start with a crisis. Many start with feeling unstoppable.

Knowing the early warning signs, and knowing when to reach out for support, can make all the difference before things escalate.

We just published a new blog covering exactly that: how to recognize a manic episode before it escalates, what the crash looks like when one goes unaddressed, and how to build the kind of support that creates real, lasting stability.

Share this with someone who might need it.

How to Recognize a Manic Episode Before it Escalates: Signs, Risks, and When to Get Help: https://connectionsinrecovery.com/how-to-recognize-a-manic-episode-before-it-escalates-signs-risks-and-when-to-get-help/

03/02/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended Saturday’s CiR’s Quarterly Educational Series with UCLA! We appreciate you making taking to come! And an equally grateful thank you to the insightful Clinical Speakers’ Dr. Timothy Fong, Franchesca Gordon, LMFT, and Dr. Georgina Smith for your outstanding presentations 🙏🏽🙏🏽

CiR has immense admiration and respect for the vital work professional coaches do. We thank everyone for their active participation this weekend 🙏🏽💛

02/27/2026

Don't forget to RSVP for tomorrow's Educational Series zoom. We have a great lineup and we are looking forward to seeing you.
RSVP @ patty@connectionsinrecovery.com

02/25/2026

We hear this question a lot...what is a sober companion and do you need one? Recovery is rarely a straight line. The transition from treatment back into everyday life can be one of the most vulnerable phases, especially when stress, triggers, and social pressures resurface.

In fast-paced cities where social substance use is normalized, a sober companion can serve as a critical bridge, helping protect early recovery and reinforce healthy structure.

Not all sober companions are the same. Look for someone with professional training who works within a clinical framework alongside your treatment team and is affiliated with a reputable organization that provides proper oversight.

The right support at the right time can make all the difference.

Read the full blog here: https://connectionsinrecovery.com/what-is-a-sober-companion-and-do-you-need-one/

At Connections in Recovery, sober companions participate in ongoing training to ensure high standards of care. Founded in 2011, CiR supports individuals and families in Los Angeles, New York, and Europe with coordinated, individualized care.

If you or a loved one could benefit from experienced recovery support, we’re here to help. Reach out to learn more or schedule a confidential consultation. Visit our website (see our Linktree in our bio) for more information.

02/21/2026

02/20/2026

Across Europe, we are seeing increased need for coordinated addiction and mental health support that integrates clinical collaboration, cultural awareness, and real time crisis response.
Grateful to be part of work that prioritizes ethics, personalization, and long term stability. Read full blog below 👇

Comprehensive addiction recovery and mental health in Europe for sober coaching, crisis support, case management, and treatment coordination.

02/18/2026

Grateful for the warm welcome and meaningful time spent together. Thank you so much, Erin Royer, had such a lovely visit at Sabina Recovery and truly appreciated the connection and collaboration.
Community and partnership matter. 💛

02/16/2026

Recovery isn’t just about breaking free from substances.
It’s about learning how to feel safe with yourself and others.

Secure attachment in recovery means building trust, setting healthy boundaries, and staying present in connection instead of running from it.

Healing isn’t just sobriety.
It’s learning that closeness doesn’t have to cost you your safety.

02/13/2026

When the substances go away, something else often shows up.

Grief.

Grief for the years lost.
Grief for relationships that didn’t survive.
Grief for trust that was broken, including trust in yourself.
Grief for the version of you that never got a chance.

Many people realize they weren’t just numbing trauma.
They were numbing grief.

And when it surfaces, it can feel overwhelming, heavy, confusing, even destabilizing.

But here’s the truth:
Grief is not a sign you’re failing in recovery.
It’s a sign you’re finally feeling.

Recovery isn’t just about sobriety.
It’s about learning how to hold sorrow without escaping it.

Grief is not weakness.
It’s evidence that something mattered.

And feeling it without running is strength. 🤍

02/10/2026

CiR Newsletter, give it a read! https://conta.cc/4rfucYA

02/09/2026

As the week begins, staying present helps you ground yourself in what’s right in front of you instead of getting pulled into everything at once. Beginning the week with mindful focus creates clarity, steadies your energy, and sets a calmer, more intentional tone for everything that follows 🧘🧘‍♀️

02/06/2026

Emotional regulation skills are foundational to recovery because intense or unmanageable emotions often drive urges to use substances or engage in other harmful coping behaviors.

Many individuals in recovery are learning to tolerate, name, and respond to emotions without avoidance or escalation, sometimes for the first time. Skills such as emotional awareness, distress tolerance, grounding, and impulse control.

Here are 🔟 practical, evidence-based ways to regulate in the moment:

▪️Pause your body first
Stop moving, sit or stand still, and place your feet on the ground. Physical stillness sends a signal of safety to the nervous system.

▪️Breathe longer on the exhale
Inhale through your nose for 4, exhale through your mouth for 6–8. Longer exhales activate the parasympathetic (calming) response.

▪️Name the emotion out loud or silently
Saying “This is anxiety” or “I’m feeling overwhelmed” reduces intensity by engaging the thinking brain.

▪️Lower sensory input
Dim lights, reduce noise, or step outside. Overstimulation accelerates emotional escalation.

▪️Ground with temperature
Splash cool water on your face, hold something cold, or wrap in a warm blanket—temperature shifts can rapidly reset arousal.

▪️Orient to the present moment
Identify 5 things you can see, 4 you can feel, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. This anchors you in “now.”

▪️Release muscle tension intentionally
Gently clench and release your hands, shoulders, or jaw. Stored tension keeps emotions activated.

▪️Slow your speech
Speak fewer words, more slowly, or pause before responding. Speech pace directly influences emotional intensity.

▪️Change your environment briefly
Step outside, move rooms, or take a short walk. A physical shift often creates emotional space.

▪️Remind yourself this is temporary
Say: “This feeling will rise and fall.” Emotions peak and pass when not fueled by fear or resistance.