On the morning of Yom Kippur our rabbi says a prayer for children. He asks parents to stand with their sons and daughters, regardless of age. Parents place their hands on their child and repeat the threefold ancient blessing. May God bless and protect you; May God cause His face to shine upon you and …
Is a parent ever prepared to hear bad news about his or her child? When that first phone call came from Jacob’s teacher at the beginning of high school’s senior year, some sickly fear chilled our home, even on a warm late-August night. I wondered if he had the wrong child. I hoped he did. …
Addiction and overdose are among the most serious social and health issues facing our country today. Attorney General Jeff Sessions called drug overdose deaths “the top lethal issue” in the U.S. with preliminary data showing nearly 60,000 overdose deaths in 2016. With overdose deaths rising, and friends and loved ones battling addiction, it’s not uncommon …
Write a book about a topic, and instantly you’re an expert. Or people think you are. I often am asked questions that are better directed to those far more knowledgeable. What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana? How about programs that give addicts medication? What about needle exchanges? My answer is, typically, I am neither …
NPR station WXXI’s Evan Dawson interviews Lisa Hillman about her book, “Secret No More.” Listen here for her personal story “with the goal of offering hope to other struggling parents.”
In July I let my gym membership lapse. My husband and I would be traveling most of the month so it seemed a waste to pay dues. Instead, on a sultry Saturday morning, I chose to walk through the grounds of the United States Naval Academy. We live three blocks away and “the Yard” – …
A phone call forever changed Lisa Hillman’s life. She appeared to be living the American dream. Lisa was a highly-successful healthcare administrator and fundraising executive for the local hospital in Annapolis, Md. As president of the hospital’s foundation, she spearheaded a drive to raise millions of dollars for a major facility expansion. Her husband, Dick, …
When addiction first crept into our household 11 years ago, I started keeping a journal. Retreating to clean white paper became my refuge. The blank pages stared back, non-judgmental and welcoming. On their unvarnished surface I poured out my anguish, fear, confusion and shame. It was the only place – until many years later – …
The first call came while Lisa and her husband, Dick, were relaxing after work in their Annapolis Historic District home. At the time, Lisa was President of Anne Arundel Medical Center’s foundation and Dick, a retired lawyer and former mayor of Annapolis, was involved in a variety of post-retirement activities. When the call came in, …
It often begins like this. I’m at a book talk. A woman seated in a back row slowly raises her hand. “I’m just curious. What does your son think of the book?” It’s a question I’ve come to expect. And since honesty is at the core of recovery, for both the addict and the family, I …