Here's the link to this news bulletin. http://www.wbrc.com/clip/11643585/ccso-holds-substance-abuse-recovery-workshop
The week started in Washington DC at the Unite to Face Addiction Rally. A truly inspirational event that I'm not going to write about here, you can read more about it on their website, see lots about in the news and find pictures and stories all over Facebook etc.
After the Unite toFace Addiction Rally I travelled down to Georgia with Dr Al Mooney where I had the opportunity to present on the Integrated Step Course and Dr Al on the Recovery Zone System. We first went to a long term residential half way house, the guys here enjoyed the presentations and were enthusiastic to engage in the teaching process used in the Sponsor Manuals. They are already using the Recovery Zone System. We had discussions on implementing the process of my books within their house and how to get some to them.
A similar session took place in the women's house, discussing the processes of learning the Steps and how to apply those in a persons life.
We then went to Chatham County Jail, Savannah, to present to the prison staff and associated treatment providers. See the link above for the news bulletin.
A general theme of both of these sessions is the fear around sponsoring and how to move through that fear into a place that safely carries the message. The consensus was that having the Sponsor's 12 Step Manuals was welcome in helping people move into a sponsoring role. Again we discussed getting some books sent to this house.
Later that day we went to an outpatient clinic and spent some time presenting on the Recovery Zone System and the Sponsor Manuals. Those persons there enjoyed the presentations and again are looking at a way to implement the manuals into their recovery and the use them in the system that the clinic follows.
My final day in this part of the world was spent talking to the clinical staff at Willingway Hospital. It was an enjoyable morning with some great discussion around applying teaching and clinical principles to patients (and families of patients) that are trying to get well from the disease of addiction. Again, for me, there was some good traction with The Sponsor's 12 Step Manuals and I look forward to strengthening our connections and looking at ways to implement the books into this well established hospital. Some exciting conversations arose about visiting again and doing some presentations further afield to include the local alumni and other facilities.
This last 10 days have been exhilarating, productive and exhausting. I want to look at ways of working towards a Unite to Face Addiction Rally in the UK and continuing to develop the work with Dr Al Mooney, the Recovery Zones, The Sponsor's 12 Step Manuals, the WISC Integrated Step Course and anything else appropriate that comes my way.
John E
