Who we are has been etched by the chapters of our childhood.

We carry the echoes of experience that become the instincts we use to navigate the world. Every choice, every reaction, stems from a deep-seated desire to survive and find safety.

The reasons behind those choices blur, the emotions driving them hidden beneath layers of life experiences.

Within us lies a spark, a potential for understanding.

With introspection, patience, and a gentle hand on our own hearts, we can rewrite our reactions.

We can heal the wounds of the past, reconnect the script that binds us, and emerge stronger, more whole, more authentic.

Eugene C Santillano, MD

My brother, Daniel Santillano, was 45 when he was a victim of fentanyl poisoning in the streets of San Francisco. He was celebrating with alcohol at a bar after securing a new position as a local election campaign manager.

The lethal combination of alcohol and fentanyl stopped his breathing in the streets in the spring of 2022.

His journey ended too soon. This is a personal and tragic testament to the devastating power of addiction in families. His survival behaviors included using alcohol, a substance that inhibited his ability to protect himself.

Addiction may feel like a solitary prison, but the impact ripples far beyond the individual.