J.J. Valderrama Behavioral Management Center

30/07/2026

Welcome to J.J. Valderrama Behavioral Management Center, Kristine Melody Igar, a student-intern from New York University Abu Dhabi studying Psychology specializing in Brain and Cognitive Science minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Studies!

We are delighted to have you join us for your .

May this internship be a meaningful season of growth deepening your skills, strengthening your compassion, and enriching your understanding as you support individuals on their journey to recovery.

We look forward to learning and growing together with you!

29/07/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗱𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

We often notice recovery through the visible moments: attending sessions, rebuilding relationships, learning healthier ways to cope and making better choices. But sometimes, progress also looks like putting the phone down, dimming the lights and allowing the body and mind to rest.

Getting enough quality sleep can support overall health, emotional well-being and our ability to function throughout the day (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024).

Sleep may become difficult during withdrawal or recovery. This does not mean that the person is weak, lazy, or failing. Their body and mind may still be adjusting, and they may need patience, support and guidance from their treatment team.

Tonight, try starting with one small habit:

🌙 Sleep and wake up at around the same time.
📵 Put your phone away before bed.
☕ Avoid caffeine and ni****ne close to bedtime.
📖 Wind down through prayer, breathing exercises, journaling or light reading.
🗣️ Speak with your treatment team when sleep problems continue.

For families and supporters, encouragement can make a difference. Instead of saying, “Why can’t you just sleep?” try asking:

“I know sleeping has been difficult. What can we do to help make tonight more restful?”

One good night will not complete the recovery journey, but it can give someone more strength for the next step.

Rest. Restore. Continue. ❤️

29/07/2026

July 29, 2026
Expectations
Page 219

"As we realize our need to be forgiven, we tend to be more forgiving."

Basic Text, p. 39

Our behavior toward other people in our life is a mirror of our behavior toward ourselves. When we demand perfection of ourselves, we come to demand it from others around us, too. As we strive to repair and heal our lives in recovery, we may also expect others to work just as hard and to recover at the same pace as we do. And just as we are often unforgiving of our own mistakes, we may shut out friends and family members when they don't meet our expectations.

Working the steps helps us understand our own limitations and our humanity. We come to see our failures as human mistakes. We realize that we will never be perfect, that we will, at times, disappoint ourselves and others. We hope for forgiveness.

As we learn to gently accept ourselves, we can start to view others with the same accepting and tolerant heart. These people, too, are only human, trying to do their best and sometimes falling short.

Just for Today: I will treat others with the tolerance and forgiveness I seek for myself.

Copyright (c) 2007-2023, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

28/07/2026

Congratulations student-interns from SMCTI AB Psychology Program!

From the clinical field, to the industrial workplace, and into the educational setting, our fourth-year Psychology students have reached the end of their internship journey.

Yesterday’s culmination is the fruit of the hard work and sacrifices that our students poured out during their exposure to the field. A celebration held in honor of their efforts in opening their hearts to train themselves as they are being molded into professionals ready to serve the field, equipped with knowledge and empathy.

From psychology students in the classroom to now trained future mental health professionals carrying out lessons and experiences as they continue to touch lives and be a light to others.

Via | Kizziah Kagi
Pubmat | Sam Nujapa

20/07/2026

Step One
Page 210

"We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable."

Step One

The First Step begins with "we," and there's a reason for that. There is great strength in making a verbal admission of our powerlessness. And when we go to meetings and make this admission, we gain more than personal strength. We become members, part of a collective "we" that allows us, together, to recover from our addiction. With membership in NA comes a wealth of experience: the experience of other addicts who have found a way to recover from their disease.

No longer must we try to solve the puzzle of our addiction on our own. When we honestly admit our powerlessness over our addiction, we can begin the search for a better way to live. We won't be searching alone--we're in good company.

Just for Today: I will start the day with an admission of my powerlessness over my addiction. I will remind myself that the First Step starts with "we," and know that I never have to be alone with my disease again.

Copyright (c) 2007-2023, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

17/07/2026

Welcome to J.J. Valderrama Behavioral Management Center, student-interns from CJC - Society of Junior Psychologists (Batch 3)! We are delighted to have you join us for your .

May this internship be a meaningful season of growth deepening your skills, strengthening your compassion, and enriching your understanding as you support individuals on their journey to recovery.

We look forward to learning and growing together with you!

16/07/2026

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱

There’s a moment in every lecture on addiction where the room shifts, where statistics stop being numbers and start being people. That moment came when Sir Jay Valderama, CEO of J.J. Valderrama Behavioral Management Center, told a room full of clients and psychology interns: "Willingness is the first step, but when paired with competency, it becomes a pathway to recovery”.

It reframed everything.

Addiction, he explained, is never one story. It’s psychological wounds, biological wiring, and social circumstance converging long before the first destructive choice is made. Family can be both the risk and the refuge, depending on what safety looks like inside a home. And healing demands more than wanting it; it takes internal strength and external support working together, because willpower without competency simply doesn’t hold.

What struck hardest was hearing how recovering individuals carry regret, not as punishment, but as proof that conscience never left them, even in their darkest moments. There’s a certain kind of courage in facing the people you’ve hurt, in sitting with the weight of what your addiction cost someone else, and choosing to stay anyway.

Choosing to keep showing up, keep doing the uncomfortable work, and keep trying - even on the days it feels impossible.

They aren’t bad people trying to be good. They’re people who were sick, learning, slowly and painfully, how to be well. And that process isn’t clean or linear. It’s relapse and grace. It’s shame followed by forgiveness. It’s waking up every single day and choosing discipline over comfort, honesty over hiding, again and again, because healing was never a one-time decision.

Watching that kind of empathy... that raw willingness to be seen at your worst in order to become your best was humbling. It’s easy to talk about recovery in theory. It’s another thing entirely to witness the real, unglamorous labor behind it: the hard work nobody claps for, the discipline nobody sees.

Change is possible. But it is never accidental, and it is never easy. It is built, one hard, honest day at a time.

15/07/2026

𝗝𝗝𝗩𝗕𝗠𝗖 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹

As part of its continuing commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for its personnel, clients, interns, and visitors, J.J. Valderrama Behavioral Management Center (JJVBMC) conducted a Fire Safety Seminar and Fire Drill on July 14, 2026, in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region XI – Talomo Fire Station.

The activity was facilitated by SFO1 Magdalena M. Magsico, FO1 Shiela Vanessa Rose B. Biaje, and NUP Eduardo C. Baba, who provided participants with essential knowledge on fire prevention, emergency response, and evacuation procedures. Discussions focused on the common causes of fire incidents, preventive safety practices, and the appropriate actions to take before, during, and after a fire emergency.

Recognizing that preparedness is a shared responsibility, JJVBMC actively engaged its personnel, clients, and interns in a practical fire drill that simulated emergency evacuation procedures. The exercise reinforced the importance of remaining calm, following established protocols, and working together to ensure everyone's safety during emergency situations.

The BFP team also emphasized proactive fire prevention measures, including the regular inspection of electrical wiring and appliances, proper storage of flammable materials, and keeping evacuation routes unobstructed. These simple but essential practices contribute significantly to minimizing fire hazards within the facility.

At JJVBMC, safety is an integral part of quality care. Conducting regular emergency preparedness activities reflects the Center's commitment to maintaining a therapeutic environment where the welfare of every individual remains a top priority. Through continuous collaboration with partner agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection, JJVBMC remains dedicated to fostering a culture of preparedness, prevention, and resilience.

JJVBMC extends its sincere appreciation to the BFP Region XI – Talomo Fire Station for sharing their expertise and for their continued partnership in promoting fire safety and disaster preparedness within the community.