Gratitude in the Trenches

This two-page worksheet offers a gratitude practice that doesn't ignore the hard stuff — because typical gratitude exercises can feel hollow when you're carrying grief about clients, burnout, or the weight of this work. It starts with space for three things that went right this week (not "good things" — just things that went right), then moves to client wins you noticed, even small ones. The middle section offers space for grace: naming what was difficult this week and offering yourself compassion for it. There's a section for people you're grateful for, and the worksheet ends with space to honor the ones who didn't make it — clients lost to relapse, overdose, dropout, or death.

Best for: Clinicians who find typical gratitude practices feel dismissive of the weight they carry, or who want a more honest approach to gratitude that makes space for grief alongside appreciation. Use weekly or whenever you need grounding.

Thanksgiving Survival Guide

This two-page guide helps addiction counselors prepare clients for Thanksgiving — one of the highest-risk holidays for relapse. It opens with why Thanksgiving is particularly hard (family triggers, alcohol at the table, grief about who's missing, financial stress from hosting or travel, and pressure to perform gratitude when you don't feel it). The guide then offers questions to ask clients before the day, ready-to-use scripts for saying no to drinks or deflecting intrusive questions, and specific guidance for clients who will be spending Thanksgiving alone. The final section provides day-of reminders to share with clients — what to do if they feel triggered, when to leave, and who to call.

Best for: Addiction counselors who want to get ahead of Thanksgiving stress. Have these conversations the week before — not the day before. Also useful for clients to review on their own as a reminder of their plan.

Holiday Season: Highest-Risk Period

Trend: Holiday relapse prevention is NOW. Thanksgiving through NYE is the highest-risk period of the year.

Watch for: Clients isolating before Thanksgiving. Family dread, grief, financial stress—and the pressure to pretend everything's fine.

Action: If you haven't started holiday planning with clients, start now. Use the Holiday Relapse Prevention Planning guide from October and the Thanksgiving Survival Guide this month.

Great American Smokeout

November 19 is the Great American Smokeout—a day encouraging people to quit smoking.

If your client is working on nicotine: Acknowledge the day. Offer support. Celebrate any progress.

If they're not: Don't pile on. Many clients in early recovery use nicotine as a coping mechanism. Meet them where they are. One thing at a time.