Welcome to Rising Above Addiction
With Rising Above Addiction, we'll provide thoughtful commentary on addiction-related issues from industry leaders and members of the recovery community.
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On Friday, March 5, pop superstar Beyoncé and her mother and business partner, fashion designer Tina Knowles joined us for the opening of the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at our Phoenix House Career Academy in Brooklyn. Here, the music icon discusses her inspiration for creating the program—and what we must to do to erase the stigma of addiction. read more
One film predicted to win big at this year’s Oscars is Precious, the story of a young African American woman who shows remarkable resilience in the face of incredible odds—including her mom’s physical and emotional abuse. While Mo’Nique tackles the role beautifully, New York Times columnist Charles Blow recently pointed out that her character revives the 1980s myth of the crack-addicted black mother. read more
Phoenix House counselor Lena-Lindsey Stern, who recently marked her golden anniversary as a person in recovery, tells us how treatment has changed—and the principles that remain the same. read more
Since the opening of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, it’s been hard to miss the images of beaming athletes on podiums, with shiny medals around their necks. But a couple days ago, I came across a USA Today article that created a different sort of spotlight on British Columbia’s largest city. read more
A responsible physician might have looked at Michael Jackson’s drug-seeking behavior and evaluated the possibility of substance abuse. But instead, Dr. Murray appears to have let celebrity and maybe a handsome sum of cash cloud his medical reasoning. read more
As heroin addiction among our youth continues to rise, residents of Long Island are beginning to see that an “anywhere but here” way of thinking creates a false sense of security. read more
Please join the Phoenix House community as we support the people of Haiti. Click below to read a call to action from our president Howard Meitiner. read more
When President Obama issued orders this month to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, one priority was clear to me: We must prepare for the surge of veterans who will need substance abuse treatment when they come home. read more
On Thanksgiving, as I sat at the table, stuffing myself with turkey and pumpkin pie, I thought what a miracle it was that I was there at all. I surveyed the room filled with loved ones—grateful that I was still alive and that I no longer needed to use. read more
Last week, I read, with a heavy heart, the Washington Post story about 19-year-old Alicia Lannes—one of four young people who died as a result of a teen-organized heroin ring in the comfortable suburban town of Centreville, VA. It was a story I knew all too well. read more