Some people don’t just walk into your life, they pour into it.

For me, that person is Flo Hilliard.

Flo has been more than a mentor. She’s been a trusted friend, a fierce advocate, and a steady light through seasons when hope felt far away. Her decades of work in women’s advocacy and recovery have helped shape not only my path, but the path of so many others fighting for healing and dignity.

Today, Flo continues to lead with bold compassion, working to ensure that women who are pregnant or parenting aren’t criminalized for substance use disorders, but supported with care, dignity, and evidence-based recovery resources.

Her message is clear: Addiction is not a moral failure. It’s a health issue.
And motherhood should never be used as a weapon against women who are trying to heal.

Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and Managing Editor of Recovery.com, where she combines expert guidance with research to help people find the best path to healing and treatment. Her next book, When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide for Understanding Addiction, is coming Spring 2026 with Nelson Books. Drawing from her own recovery journey through addiction, mental health challenges, and trauma, along with training as a clinical mental health provider and addiction recovery expert, Caroline is passionate about guiding you into seasons of greater healing. Learn more about her books here.

Subscribe to her Circle of Chairs Substack community at carolinebeidler.substack.com

This week on Circle of Chairs Conversations, I’m sharing a powerful conversation with Nubia Tarango from Mothers Against Addiction.

This mission is deeply personal for Nubia. Having grown up watching her own mother struggle with addiction, she understands the sleepless nights, the fear, and the helplessness that can consume a family. At just 15, she became a mother herself—an experience that shaped her identity, building resilience, responsibility, and a fierce love that fuels everything she does today.

Nubia’s story is a powerful one as she shares about her work with the organization and also her why. Her personal experience to help support hanging lives others, one story, one support group, one mother at a time.

Addiction doesn’t just affect the person struggling, it impacts the entire family. And for many moms, it can feel like an invisible grief. MAA was created to change that.

Here’s what makes MAA so special:

• Weekly “Mothers Share” Zoom meetings – a safe space where moms gather to cry, laugh, and heal together.
• Hope Mentors – one-on-one calls with a mom who’s walked a similar road.
• Free therapy sessions – no insurance required.
• Guest speaker Saturdays – featuring experts in recovery, grief, and healing.
• “Spread the Red” movement – wearing an MAA shirt becomes a public stand for hope.

MAA reminds us that being a mom in the middle of addiction doesn’t mean you're powerless. It means you are love in action.

🧡 If you or someone you love is facing addiction, you don’t have to go through it alone. Visit mothersagainstaddiction.org to join a meeting, book a session, or simply find hope.

Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and Managing Editor of Recovery.com, where she combines expert guidance with research to help people find the best path to healing and treatment. Her next book, When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide for Understanding Addiction, is coming Spring 2026 with Nelson Books. Drawing from her own recovery journey through addiction, mental health challenges, and trauma, along with training as a clinical mental health provider and addiction recovery expert, Caroline is passionate about guiding you into seasons of greater healing. Learn more about her books here.

Subscribe to her Circle of Chairs Substack community at carolinebeidler.substack.com

This week on Circle of Chairs Conversations, I’m diving deep into a topic that feels more urgent than ever: resilience.

If you’ve been feeling worn down by the pace of life, struggling to bounce back from hard seasons, or simply wanting to strengthen your own mental and emotional foundation, this conversation is for you.

As the American Psychological Association puts it, resilience is “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.” Or as I like to think of it, building the kind of backbone, grit, and perseverance that helps us move forward with courage, even when life feels uncertain.

In this episode, we explore:

• The science of resilience—how trauma impacts the nervous system and what it really means to “self-regulate”
• Practical, evidence-based ways to strengthen your resilience starting today
• How movement, mindfulness, and community connection can help repair what trauma has disrupted
• Why leaning into your feelings—yes, even the hard ones—can be a powerful act of healing
• The link between caring for your physical health and building emotional fortitude

Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and Managing Editor of Recovery.com, where she combines expert guidance with research to help people find the best path to healing and treatment. Her next book, When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide for Understanding Addiction, is coming Spring 2026 with Nelson Books. Drawing from her own recovery journey through addiction, mental health challenges, and trauma, along with training as a clinical mental health provider and addiction recovery expert, Caroline is passionate about guiding you into seasons of greater healing. Learn more about her books here.