Hey, Reader.

If you’re working on healing from a childhood shaped by alcohol or dysfunction, you already know that this isn’t an easy path. It takes courage and patience.

When I first began my healing journey, I made a lot of mistakes. Honestly, each one taught me something valuable. But if I can help you skip the detours, that’s what I’m here for.

Here are five mistakes I made on my healing journey so you don’t have to, Reader:

🩵 1. Getting overwhelmed

When I started healing, I devoured every book I could find about addiction and its effects on children and family systems.
But instead of feeling relieved, I felt broken.
Every page seemed to say, “Here’s what’s wrong with you; good luck!”

Eventually, I realized I didn’t need to fix everything at once. I just needed to start somewhere.

Try this: Pick one small, doable thing this week. Make it journaling, joining a support group, or taking a quiet walk.
Healing unfolds step-by-step as you walk it, not before.

💛 2. Expecting to heal overnight

I thought if I worked hard enough, I’d be “fixed” in six months. Then life threw me tests such as stressful work and family conflict and then I felt like I’d made zero progress.

But those moments weren’t setbacks; they were teachers.
Healing isn’t a straight line. It’s a spiral.

Try this: When you’re triggered, pause and ask yourself, “What is this moment trying to teach me?”
Every test is proof you’re still growing.

🩶 3. Giving up on therapy too soon

My first therapist didn’t get it. I left feeling unseen and ashamed and I quit therapy for years.

Later, I learned therapy is like dating. You might need to meet a few before you find your person.
When I finally found a therapist who was both an ACoA and an alcoholic in recovery himself, everything changed.

Try this: If you’ve had one bad experience, don’t give up. Keep searching until you find someone who makes you feel safe and understood.

💙 4. Trying to do too much at once

At one point, I was doing everything: therapy, journaling twice a day, meditating, exercising, volunteering.
And then… burnout.

Healing shouldn’t feel like another job. It should lighten your life, not weigh it down.

Try this: Focus on one or two practices that truly help you right now and let that be enough.
Peace comes from simplicity.

💫 5. Thinking I was “done” healing

For a while, I thought I’d arrived. My boundaries were solid and my life was calm. Then an issue with my mom brought me right back to my twelve-year-old self.

That’s when I learned: there’s no finish line with healing.
Each new season of life invites us to apply what we’ve learned in new ways.

Try this: Keep learning. Keep growing. Every time you handle a trigger with more awareness, that’s progress.

Here’s what I hope you’ll remember, Reader:

If you’ve made any of these mistakes, please don’t be hard on yourself.
Every one taught me something valuable and it’ll be the same for you.

You’re doing the work. You’re showing up for yourself again and again. That’s what matters most.

You’re not alone on this path.
You’re growing. You’re learning.
And your peaceful, joy-filled life is absolutely possible.

Rooting for you!

-Jody

Resources and Recommendations

🌟 Want more support on your healing journey?

I share new videos every week on my YouTube channel — all about healing from growing up with an alcoholic parent and how to create a peaceful, joyful life.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

🎥 3 steps to start your healing journey

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👋 Hey there! You’re getting this email because you’re on a healing journey — learning how to build the healthy, peaceful, joy-filled life you deserve. I’m Jody Lamb, a personal growth author who helps adult children of alcoholics break free from the past, build confidence, and create real emotional freedom. In each newsletter, I share honest stories, practical tools, and encouragement to help you strengthen boundaries, practice self-care, and keep moving forward — one brave step at a time. 💛 I’m so glad you’re here. You’re not alone on this path.💛 Visit my website for many articles and resources: JodyLamb.com