According to new research, spirituality may be a key part of what makes Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) effective, Health Day reported Dec. 14. Investigators tracked 1,726 adults through their recovery from alcohol dependence for 15 months. According to the study abstract, attending AA meetings resulted in “increases in spiritual practices,” and spirituality played a part in reduced use…
by Davee Chandler, LCSW Most people are familiar with the 12 Steps as a program, or have at least heard of them. Many, however, are woefully misinformed about 12 Step programs, particularly as they relate to the process of recovery. Unfortunately, this is the case in the professional community and even in the recovery community.…
By Janene HeldmanUnlike many of the helping professionals in the substance addiction field, I am not a recovering addict. I have, however, lived in the realm of addiction for the last 11 years. I am a psychotherapist who has treated many clients with addictions. More important, my son, Justin, was a methamphetamine addict. Justin became addicted upon…
By William L. White, MA In 1979, Dr. Ernest Kurtz published his now classic work, Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous. In the years that followed, he mentored a generation of addiction recovery historians, including myself, and broadened his investigations into the growing varieties of spiritual, religious, and secular frameworks of addiction recovery and the…
Yogi Tommy Rosen uses his practice to help others in recovery. By the age of two, Tommy Rosen was hooked on sugar. At 13, deeply affected by his parents’ bitter divorce, his addictive behaviors escalated to drugs and alcohol. By the end of his teens, he was trying any substance that pulled him away from…
Written by Geoff Kane, MD, MPH05 August 2015 “Spirituality”—like “love”—has many interpretations. Some identify spirituality as their personal sense of connection, meaning, and purpose. Others identify it is an elusive abstraction they have never experienced. Those who equate spirituality with religion and are not religious themselves may assume spirituality is not relevant to them. But…
By Chris McDuffie, MA, CADC-!! I believe cultivating spirituality is critical for those in recovery from addiction, and Buddhism and Twelve Step recovery programs are two powerful spiritual pathways to end suffering. I define spirituality as “nondualistic bonding in love”—whatever our spiritual practice may be, secular or otherwise, cultivating love is essential to our physical,…