by Andrew John Tucker, LCSWwww.addictiontherapynyc.com When you consider “injury” instead of “brokenness,” a few powerful shifts happen: Research into trauma’s healing mechanisms supports this. A recent special issue of the journal Life named “Healing after Trauma-New Knowledge and Procedures” argues that trauma impacts physical, cognitive and psychological systems, and healing requires repair…..not simply a return […]
Written by Andrew John Tucker, LCSWwww.addictiontherapynyc.com When you first start treatment, everything feels urgent: survival mode, white-knuckle days, the adrenaline of “I’ve got to fix this.” Therapy is a lifeline, and it’s powerful. But when the crisis passes, that sharp edge dulls. The danger isn’t gone, it’s just quieter. This is the moment that decides […]
by Andrew John Tucker, LCSW, CASAC Picture this: You’re standing outside a coffee shop, palms sweating, heart racing. Six months ago, you would have had a drink or two before this simple meetup with an old friend. Now, in recovery, that familiar crutch is gone, and you’re facing something that feels impossibly hard, being yourself, […]
by Andrew John Tucker, LCSW, CASAC Picture this: you’re sitting in your apartment, staring at your phone after another argument with your partner, and someone asks you how you’re feeling. “Bad,” you say. Or maybe “upset.” If you’re really digging deep, perhaps “angry.” But here’s the thing: when we limit ourselves to these basic emotional […]
by Andrew John Tucker, LCSW, CASAC Some people grow up in households where humility was more than a value, it was a family identity. Their parents may have been highly accomplished in business, academics, politics, or service, but they wore their success lightly. They might have deflected compliments, emphasized community over ego, and quietly modeled […]
Written by Andrew John Tucker, LCSWResearched by Corina Evi Tucker y de la Huertawww.addictiontherapynyc.com Summer can be full of light — and full of landmines. Sunsets, cookouts, vacations… and cravings. As many of my clients know firsthand, being in recovery doesn’t mean avoiding all triggers — it means building a plan to meet them when […]
Written by Andrew John Tucker, LCSWwww.addictiontherapynyc.com We’ve all felt it—that pull to “make things right” by making someone pay. But in The Price of Revenge, a riveting Hidden Brain episode, Shankar Vedantam shares what neuroscience reveals: revenge lights up the brain’s reward circuitry—the same part activated by substances like alcohol, cocaine, and opioids. That’s not […]
Written and Researched by Andrew John Tucker, LCSWwww.addictiontherapynyc.com My kids will tell you – I’m sensitive. I cry at sentimental cards or acts of genuine acknowledgement or kindness, I sometimes take things personally, and I feel deeply for those around me. So as toxic masculinity is increasingly addressed, I’ll ask the question: What does it […]
Written and Researched by Andrew John Tucker, LCSW, CASAC Masterwww.addictiontherapynyc.com Imagine if addiction were actually a superpower? People with substance use disorder often experience stigma and shame from an identity of feeling broken or genetically cursed — but what if we reframe addiction as the form of strength is actually is? Drawing on Dr. Anna […]
Written by Andrew John Tucker, LCSWResearched by Corina Evi Tucker y de la Huertawww.addictiontherapynyc.com Roughly 40 to 60% of people treated for substance use disorders relapse at least once during recovery—similar to relapse rates for other chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, or asthma (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018). But what determines whether someone spirals […]