Your tummy and brain are in constant conversation, a never-ending gut-brain chatter that scientists often call the gut-brain axis. These conversations impact your body’s overall function, including your moods, mental health, and recovery experience. Research shows that your gut’s microbiome, or all the stuff that lives in your belly, influences cravings, emotions, decision-making, and even […]
Researchers have recently released several warnings against drinking, referencing major concerns over alcohol’s carcinogenic characteristics and its generally negative health consequences. The warnings resurfaced just before January began, along with the incentive to enter a worldwide, month-long challenge to drop drinking. As you spend more time in our Des Moines-based intensive outpatient program (IOP), you
Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are suddenly gaining attention for their potential to treat not just obesity and diabetes—but addiction, too. Research on Ozempic holds promise for managing the same brain mechanisms involved in the cravings and reward-seeking behaviors that often drive relapse. However, the recovery world doesn’t yet fully understand the effects of
Alcohol often plays a central role in our social lives, making it difficult to avoid. Public health experts say that abstaining from alcohol is the safest route, but alcohol’s cultural significance may keep you from cutting it out of your diet. While social drinking might seem harmless, St. Gregory Recovery Center in Iowa can’t ignore
Recovery is a holistic transformation that extends into every aspect of your life: physical, emotional, psychological, mental, spiritual—you name it. And while sobriety may look like a series of straightforward physical and mental achievements at first—your sense of identity can also change for the better. Throughout St. Gregory Recovery Center’s residential addiction treatment programs for
St. Gregory Recovery Center offers virtual support meetings, but we understand that many folks have questions about how effective they are. We’re here to say that what works best—in-person or virtual support meetings—depends on the individual, their needs, and where they are in their recovery journey. Regular group support meetings have been a cornerstone of
For the most part, Americans find deep satisfaction in their community, family, and social bonds. When a person can quit using addictive substances and enjoy their family and social lives, they’re happier, healthier, and more motivated to stay sober. At St. Gregory Recovery Center in Iowa, we know that the treatment for substance use disorder
Peril of Hope, by Robert Frost It is right in thereBetwixt and betweenThe orchard bareAnd the orchard green, When the boughs are rightIn a flowery burstOf pink and white,That we fear the worst. For there’s not a climeBut at any costWill take that timeFor a night of frost. In 1962, American poet Robert Frost published
One of the Catholic Church’s most revered figures, Pope Gregory I, commonly known as Gregory the Great, lived during the early medieval period. He was the product of a noble Roman family, blessed with wealth and prestige in Roman society and government. Despite this elevated placement in society, Gregory was naturally pious and had deep
If you’ve recently graduated from an inpatient addiction treatment program or you’re continuously showing up for yourself in an intensive outpatient program, you may be wondering how to navigate the winter holidays without substances. One of the biggest concerns for our patients is family dynamics during dinners and holiday parties. Family gatherings are a wonderful
Shorter days and colder temperatures don’t just change the mood of the local communities here in Des Moines and Bayard; they can also significantly impact our clients’ mental health and recovery journeys. One particularly challenging condition that emerges during the winter months is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which can pose risks for individuals maintaining sobriety.
At our St. Gregory Recovery Center locations in Iowa, inpatient and intensive outpatient addiction treatment is a journey, not a destination. More specifically, it’s a three-part journey—with early, middle, and late stages. Our teams work hard to offer safe, trauma-informed detox services, opportunities to engage in both group and individual therapy, equine therapy programs, and
Halloween celebrations are often a core childhood memory for people across the nation. Well into adulthood, people can recall their most frightening costumes, their biggest candy stashes, and the scents and temperatures of the cold fall nights of trick-or-treating. However, for many people in recovery from addiction, Halloween may bring up triggers, temptations, and problematic
That time of year is upon us in Iowa: the winter blues, that bout of seasonal depression, sad in overdrive, winter depression, the low-temperature lonelies, angry-winter-bird mood, frozen heart syndrome: these are all real and pretend names for seasonal affective disorder (SAD). While people with SAD still retain a sense of humor, there’s no doubt
St. Gregory Recovery Center is delighted to report that overdose deaths are down nationwide, but there’s still much work to be done on the recovery frontier. Synthetic drugs continue to wreak havoc on the country’s health system—with fentanyl and nitazene still posing a significant threat to the population. Alcohol continues to trap people in addiction
How important is your diet when it comes to overall mental health, physical strength, and immune system function? It may seem like a no-brainer, but the answer is: very! Our food can often directly influence our mood. In fact, medical professionals have found that a large number of people who suffered from depressive disorders also
Drug addiction and criminal behavior are closely intertwined. Studies on opioid abuse, for example, show that the more you use, the more likely you are to engage in non-violent criminal actions. Violent crime tends to be associated more strongly with alcohol and sedatives. In addition, it’s speculated that more than 60% of America’s prison population
The postpartum period is the same for all women in the world, whether or not they suffer from substance use disorder (SUD). When a woman gives birth, the first 40 days up to the first year following that birth make up the postpartum period. New motherhood can be a beautiful experience, both rewarding and life-changing.
Maybe you have a friend who always seems to drink an incredible amount of alcohol and yet still performs well in a corporate role at a prestigious company. Or maybe you know someone who smokes an alarming amount of marijuana but seems well-adjusted and successful. You might even know of a parent who relies on
While timelines aren’t always cut and dry, substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction treatment and prevention have evolved in both devastating and hopeful ways this past decade. In the past ten years, there have been two overarching trends: drug-related deaths and overdoses have risen in the United States, and so have the efforts to intervene
On August 31, St. Gregory Recovery Center in Iowa observes International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), the world’s largest campaign to lower and eliminate deaths by overdose. It’s also a day to remember all those who were directly and indirectly affected by an overdose and the possible death or complications that it triggered. IOAD’s roots are
St. Gregory Recovery Center can’t stress enough the importance of life skills. Developing them is crucial for all those who are fighting substance use disorder (SUD), whether with recovery meetings, residential treatment, outpatient treatment, or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The World Health Organization defines life skills as any of the abilities needed to adapt to
St. Gregory Recovery Center proudly provides alcohol and substance addiction recovery programs to the Bayard and Des Moines communities, with both intensive outpatient and residential pathways to sobriety. We’re always interested in new, scientifically supported methods of treatment and therapies, and we love to explore new trends in addiction medicine. While we do not at
Bayard, IA – July 2, 2024—St. Gregory’s Recovery Center (St. Gregory’s), a 50-bed dual diagnosis treatment center with a free-standing outpatient facility providing treatment for substance use, trauma, and mental health disorders, is pleased to announce the launch of its specialized Tactical Recovery mental health and substance use disorder program for veterans and first responders.
Little Miss Sunshine debuted in 2006, and it told the story of one family’s dysfunction, redemption, and their young daughter Olive’s search for beauty and confidence. (Watch out—spoiler alert!) The character we care about here is Grandpa Edwin, played by Alan Arkin. On a family road trip from New Mexico to California, it becomes clear
America’s Independence Day can be a joyous time for many and a cause for celebration. Typically, beers and barbeque characterize the holiday festivities–but here at St. Gregory, we’re committed to relapse prevention for all of our clients and community members 24/7 and during every holiday. We’re thrilled to say that there are plenty of ways
If you struggle with addiction and are ready to get help, you may wonder whether you need to enter inpatient treatment for 28+ days or whether outpatient treatment would be enough to get your recovery journey underway. The answer is that both types of programs are highly effective and both have some distinct advantages. The
Our St. Gregory Recovery Center teams operate in Des Moines and Bayard, Iowa, and we see clients who struggle with marijuana use disorder (MUD) in our substance use disorder treatment program. Marijuana use disorder is characterized by dependence on the substance marked by withdrawal symptoms that can manifest for up to two weeks in its
The Tactical Recovery Program is in your community! You Are Invited! Join us for an Open House at St. Gregory Recovery Rec Center 103 3rd St. Bayard, IA 50029 July 9th from 9:30a-11:30a The Tactical Recovery Program at St. Gregory’s wants to provide you with details of the new program, facility & rec center tours,
Employee Spotlight Sammarra Platt-Smith Business Office Manager I am the Business Office Manager at St. Gregory and Ivory Plains. I work with clients to understand insurance billing and their portion of payment. I also process Accounts payable which makes sure all the bills for both buildings are paid accurately and timely. At the end of
Playtime isn’t just for kids—adults need to have fun regularly for the sake of their social, physical, and mental well-being. Luckily, the medical world takes play seriously, and extensive efforts have been made to research the neurological, emotional, and physical benefits of play in both children and adults. The findings on fun are overwhelmingly supportive
In 1996, a popular kids’ film, Harriet the Spy, was released. It focused on an 11-year-old girl who observed the world around her and documented her judgments in a journal. When her journal is discovered by her friends, it causes conflict that Harriet must do her best to mitigate. By the end of the movie,
Are you angry and frustrated all the time? Have your behavior and poor choices made others angry with you? Anger is a state of feeling frustrated, irritated, or enraged after experiencing negative internal or external triggers. While anger is a natural, necessary emotion that needs to be expressed in healthy ways, it can also be
Social media is any internet platform that supports conversations, info-sharing, and web content creation for users. Social media is so much more than Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly called Twitter). Blogs, social networking sites and forums, podcasts, video and image-sharing platforms, instant messaging apps, dating apps, and virtual reality platforms are all forms of social
Imagine this: flashing strobe lights; pounding electronic music with an upbeat, bubbly base; people dancing energetically all around you; happiness, laughter, a buzz in the air. You’re in a crowded club, it’s pre- or post-pandemic (take your pick), and life is good. In fact, life is too good. Life isn’t normally so good. The reason
Are you more at risk for relapse at certain times of year or in certain situations? The honest answer is: yes. Relapse is a universal experience, but it finds us in unique ways and through triggers that may look or feel insignificant to others. However, those who struggle with substance use disorder can be especially
Prosocial activities include any action that benefits other beings, both human and animal, directly or indirectly. If you’re participating in a prosocial activity, you’re supporting, providing for, consoling, working for, or cooperating with others in some way to help an individual or community. Prosocial action serves those who may or may not have a connection
You may recognize a group of sedatives called benzodiazepines by their brand names: Valium®, Xanax®, Halcion®, Ativan®, and Klonopin®. Commonly referred to as benzos, the earliest form of the drug first appeared on the American pharmaceutical market in the late 50s. It worked well to cause sedation or hypnosis, reduce anxiety, decrease muscle spasms, and
When individuals in recovery hear the term resilience, they may think of a quality they don’t possess—or a challenge they doubt they’ll be able to overcome. What many don’t realize is that there’s an entire field of scientific research dedicated to resilience theory. The research defines resilience as the human capacity to adapt to challenges,
Toxicity in a relationship is present when the relationship makes one or both people feel regularly misunderstood, undervalued, or unwanted.
More than half of everyone who enters treatment for a substance abuse disorder (SUD) relapses within just twelve months. Relapse is a common occurrence, and it doesn’t make or break the possibility of successful long-term recovery. If you feel like you’re heading toward relapse, consider one sobriety tool that can offer big-time support: exercise. New
It’s no secret: the American economy sustains repeated hits due to drug and alcohol abuse. Traffic fatalities, lower productivity at work, rising insurance premiums, and more can be attributed to the effects of substance use disorder (SUD) in the workforce. At the same time, stress from work overload or job insecurity can contribute to substance
More than half of everyone who enters treatment for a substance abuse disorder (SUD) relapses within just twelve months. Relapse is a common occurrence, and it doesn’t make or break the possibility of successful long-term recovery. If you feel like you’re heading toward relapse, consider one sobriety tool that can offer big-time support: exercise. New
Podcasts are almost always entertaining, often uplifting, many times educational, and, honestly, great for your mental health. They’re an awesome way to stay connected to others, stimulate your mind, and learn—all while driving, cleaning, exercising, or simply relaxing. We’ve chosen the following podcasts for their wide reach into different experiences and perspectives of addiction and
Who was St. Valentine, and why does his name invoke a spirit of love and appreciation every year on February 14th? Some scholars say that Valentine could have been one of several people with the same name who was persecuted by the Roman church in the third century. Of the many myths about St. Valentine,
At St. Gregory Recovery Center, we believe in a holistic and compassionate approach to substance use, substance dependence, and addiction/substance use disorder (SUD). Part of having compassion for someone who suffers from SUD is understanding what it is, how it functions, and how to best recover from it. The four Cs are a helpful way
If the word therapy sends you running for the hills, you’re not alone. At St. Gregory Recovery Center, we understand why many people feel hesitant to begin therapy. It’s intimidating to be vulnerable with a stranger, even when that person is a professional therapist bound by confidentiality. Yet therapy is crucial to a sustained recovery,
If you are in addiction recovery and looking for ways to give back to your community and find work that supports your sobriety, you might consider becoming an addiction counselor. How Addiction Counseling Gives Back The role of an addiction counselor is a crucial one in recovery. It’s also a stimulating and rewarding profession with
Everyone deserves love and mutual support, whether or not they’re recovering from a substance use disorder. However, when it comes to intimate relationships, it’s important to understand that not everyone will be comfortable dating someone in recovery. That stance should be respected. But if you’re in recovery, ready to start dating again, and willing to
Iowa State is filled with culture, delicious food, and one of the highest numbers of motorcycle owners in the country. Iowa is nicknamed the Hawkeye State–called so after the legendary character from Last of The Mohicans, a novel from the mind of the great American author James Fenimore Cooper. It’s home to the most prestigious