Tag Archives: Stories of Recovery

TLAP launches new Stories of Recovery video series

The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program has launched a video counterpart to its “Stories of Recovery” that are featured on the Texas Bar Blog. “This ‘Stories of Recovery’ will be one with diverse stories but many of the things about these stories are similar, which is the path to recovery,” TLAP Director Chris Ritter said. “I … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Solving the problem of me

“Lately it occurs to me — What a long strange trip it’s been.” — The Grateful Dead Editor’s note: This post was originally published on August 22, 2014. Editor’s note: TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance use or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP), text TLAP to … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Fearing Discovery

I drank my first full beer at age 9. It was decades ago, but I remember it vividly. My parents were having a party and my childhood best friend and I stealthily looted two Coors Lights from the cooler and retreated to a back room.… Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: A colleague’s suicide inspires attorney to join the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program

Editor’s Note: The following “Stories of Recovery” post was originally published in September 2017. We are republishing it in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. Another … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: A Different Meaning of ‘AA’

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery blog series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. My ideal resume would read as the antithesis of conventional resumes. I’d memorialize both … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: ‘The Scariest and Most Amazing Gift’

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery blog series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. A little over four years ago, I believed my life was over. Not because … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: A Rocky Road to Sobriety

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I started drinking in high school and immediately liked the way it made me feel. … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Living with Bipolar II Disorder

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. What’s it like living with bipolar II disorder? It’s been a while since I’ve had … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Becoming an Alcoholic

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. Sometimes I am insecure explaining how I became an alcoholic. I felt like I should … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: My personal story is one of success—and mental illness

By C. Kelly Rentzel Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. According to a recent study, those who score top grades in … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: In Law School, I Partied My Way to Notoriety; Now I’m Building a Foundation for Sobriety

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. My first experience with alcohol at age 13 should have been as good a deterrent … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: It’s a Disease, Not a Character Flaw (And It Won’t Get Better on Its Own)

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. There is no doubt that I am an alcoholic, and there is no doubt that … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: A colleague’s suicide inspires attorney to join the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program

Editor’s note: This is the third of four special posts in the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series for National Suicide Prevention Week (September 10-16). TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. Another trip, another deposition. … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: An attorney with bipolar disorder gets back on track

Editor’s note: This is the second of four special posts in the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series for National Suicide Prevention Week (September 10-16). TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: BPD and me

Editor’s note: This is the first of four special posts in the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series for National Suicide Prevention Week (September 10-16). TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: The Problem Was Me

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. We lawyers are all pretty clever. We spend our careers trying to distinguish our facts … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Like a Freight Train

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I feel like alcoholism just appeared in my life overnight. Logically, however, … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: High Anxiety

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at 1-800-343-8527 (TLAP) and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I was the first born, over achiever, good grades. I worried so … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Too Young Not to Quit!

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at (800) 343-8527 and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I went to my first AA meeting at the age of 22 … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: She realized she was not alone

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at (800) 343-8527 and find more information at tlaphelps.org. A while back, I had a plea in county court and another … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Alcohol was not my friend

Editor’s note: This post is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s Stories of Recovery series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at (800) 343-8527 and find more information at tlaphelps.org. I was raised by hardworking and loving parents in a large Mexican-American … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: Stumbling Toward Freedom

The journey from lawyer to yoga teacher to yoga-teaching lawyer Editor’s note: This story is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s “Stories of Recovery” series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, ‘law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at (800) 343-8527 and find more information at texasbar.com/TLAP. When I … Continue Reading

Stories of Recovery: My husband left and I got sober

Editor’s note: This story is part of the Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program’s “Stories of Recovery” series. TLAP offers confidential assistance for lawyers, law students, and judges with substance abuse or mental health issues. Call TLAP at (800) 343-8527 and find more information at texasbar.com/TLAP. If you’d told me I would look better and be happier … Continue Reading
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