Colleen Schaeffel's childhood in Minnesota was upended when both of her parents became alcoholics. As her father's addiction escalated, he lost his job, home, and family bonds. But through it all, Colleen remained dedicated to helping him, making countless trips to detox and rehabilitation centers over nearly two decades.

It was a painful journey that tested Colleen's own mental health and strength. But she persevered by setting healthy boundaries, practicing mindfulness, reframing negative thoughts, and leaning on the love of family. Her unwavering compassion and forgiveness toward her father never faltered, even when he hit rock bottom again and again.

Despite the chaos at home, Colleen blossomed into a high achiever - earning advanced degrees, building a successful medical career, and raising three amazing kids. She found meaning by sharing her story through writing and counseling others struggling with addiction, including publishing a memoir called Do You Believe in Me: A Memoir of Addiction, Hope, and Family Bonds. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJL9SYGW

Colleen is living proof that with resilience, hope and loving bonds, you can triumph over even the most traumatic upbringings.

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Intro and Outro music by:

Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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