Posted in: certified addiction counselors, happiness through sobriety, modern addiction recovery, recreational addiction therapy
We lovingly called it…Purplepalooza. It was a psychedelic recovery experience; a music festival with an experiential twist. Designed by Ashley Kilpatrick, Purplepalooza embodied sounds, sights, and evoked emotions that tickled the recovery palette. Purple, Inc. clients, alumni, and staff all participated. Even though the rain stopped us from going on at 9 pm like we’d planned, once it got started, everyone soon realized it was well worth the wait. We all knew it would be good for the clients; inspiration through music, a sense of belonging and accomplishment-we never expected to be so inspired ourselves. It was an evening to be remembered!
Posted in: addiction counseling blog, addiction recovery for men, live life drug free, men in recovery, overcoming obstacles to recovery, parents of recovering addicts
For a lot of our clients this holiday season will be their first sober Christmas and New Years, which brings about a lot of excitement and gratitude for their new lives. They will know what it feels like to truly enjoy giving instead of receiving. After all, there is no better gift they could give to their families than the gift of sobriety. They might even discover that a season they used to dread is not only enjoyable but something they will look forward to in the future.
However, for some of our clients (and recovering alcoholics and addicts in general for that matter), celebrating this holiday season sober with family and friends isn’t an exciting prospect, its downright scary. What is one to do if the family drinks and drugs the way he used to before he got sober? What if he’s the only one there not drinking? What if his alcoholic father picks a fight with him AGAIN? Is it possible to stay sober through this stuff?
Any recovering person would tell you the answer to that question is an emphatic “yes”! It is not only possible, it is a guarantee as long as the recovering alcoholic/addict is willing to stay sober and willing to take the suggestions of his fellow recovering alcoholics and addicts.
For our clients, we require a plan in writing before leaving to spend time with their families. If that plan does not include talking to their sponsor and other recovering folks while away, they cannot go. If the plan does not include attending 12-step meetings, they cannot go. If that plan does not include a willingness to go to any length to stay sober, they cannot go. We have found the best solution to staying sober during these “firsts” is a solid plan that is laid out ahead of time mapping hour by hour and sometimes minute by minute. It’s a solution that works for our clients and has worked for many recovering alcoholics and addicts.
Here’s hoping everyone has a sober, safe, and happy holiday!
Posted in: addiction blog, addiction recovery meditations, atlanta treatment centers, today's gift, touchstones daily meditations
I resolve to meet evil courageously, but when even a small temptation cometh, I am in sore straits. That which seemeth trifling sometimes giveth rise to a grievous temptation.
—Thomas a’ Kempis
Even in recovery, we know we are vulnerable men, always subject to a return to old patterns. Sometimes we can understand the triggering event; other times there is no apparent reason for temptation to reappear. Perhaps it comes when we least expect it, when our guard is lowest. We may be tempted simply because we are addicts or codependents. Our powerlessness reminds us of our need for faithfulness to the program.
When we think we have moved beyond the draw of old behaviors, we veer away from our path of recovery. In saying we have grown out of our powerlessness, or that our resolve can now protect us, we are heading back into old troubles. Admitting the truth is unsettling. It also makes us more honest, more accessible, more spiritual, and more ready to deal with threats to our recovery.
I live with my powerlessness every day. Help me admit it to myself.
From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men ©1986, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.
Posted in: addiction blog, addiction recovery meditations, today's gift, touchstones daily meditations
I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome.
—Golda Meir
Living a principled life is what the inner self desires. It’s what God desires. And it’s what the healthier ego desires. Living the program’s principles is giving each of us practice in living a principled life, one that is free of guilt for our shortcomings.
Having principles assures direction. We need not ponder long how to proceed in any situation, what decision to make regarding any matter, when we are guided by principles. They offer us completeness. They help us define who we are and who we will be, in any turn of events.
As women, particularly as recovering women, we have struggled with self-definition. Often we were as others defined us, or we merely imitated those close by. Sometimes we may slip into old behavior and lose sight of who we are and how we want to live. It’s then that the program’s principles come immediately to our aid.
There is no doubt about how today should be lived. I will do it with confidence and joy.
From Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women by Karen Casey © 1982, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.
Posted in: addiction treatment professionals, atlanta treatment centers, certified addiction counselors, excellence in addiction counseling, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment
National Recovery Month takes place in September and has been going strong for 20 years. The purpose of National Recovery Month is to raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction and to honor the successes of treatment professionals around the globe.
GARR, the Georgia Association of Recovery Residences, celebrated National Recovery Month last year by starting a Recovery Awareness Fair. The Fair included breakfast, a keynote speaker, lunch, and plenty of networking opportunities for local treatment professionals.
Joel Bagley, President of GARR and also Executive Director of Purple, Inc. played a large role in organizing the event last year. It was such a huge success, the members of GARR decided to have the Fair again this year. The Fair took place on September 10th at the Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta. There was an even larger turnout than last year. Many came for the endless networking opportunities and to hear keynote speaker, Dr. Ronald Hunsicker.
For more information, please call Purple, Inc. at 770.962.8215 or visit Purple, Inc. online at http://www.purpletreatment.com.
Posted in: addiction recovery meditations, atlanta treatment centers, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment, today's gift, touchstones daily meditations
I’m a trader at heart. . . except that I don’t like trades that come out equally–that’s too much like borrowing. I’d rather trade a strong hand for a patient ear or a story for a meal: anything that keeps things turning over.
—Gordon Bok
There is an old saying that there are just two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. Those of us who are givers delight in it. We have a buck to lend when someone is broke, a kind word when they’re down, a helping hand when they need it. But sometimes we givers are uncomfortable when we’re on the receiving end. We brush off thanks and gifts and help, even when they’re needed or deserved.
Those of us who are takers, on the other hand, know how to receive graciously what others have to give; we know how to ask for what we need. Often, however, we don’t know how to give. We may be afraid our gifts will be wrong or rejected or laughed at.
We can all strive to become traders, people who have learned how to both give and receive. We each have the capacity to give what we have freely and to ask, gratefully, for what we don’t have. That is the greatest gift of all.
What can I give and take today?
From Today’s Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©1985, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.
Posted in: addiction counseling, addiction recovery for men, addiction treatment professionals, atlanta treatment centers, certified addiction counselors, excellence in addiction counseling, live life drug free, men in recovery, purple residential treatment, residential addiction treatment
The residential addiction counseling and recovery program is structured as a four – six month program and consists of three primary components:
1. A safe, supportive, structured, drug and alcohol-free living environment where the client is immersed in sobriety as a way of life and surrounded by a group of his peers all with the common goal of acquiring and maintaining sobriety.
2. Group sessions led by certified addiction counselors with varied life and scholastic experiences in a non-judgmental, loving atmosphere.
3. Participation in the recovery community and attendance at 12-step meetings everyday develops a sense of ownership for one’s own recovery and often leads to opportunities to give back to the recovery community.
Included in this treatment structure are:
• Screening & Intake, Assessment & Treatment Planning
Each individual will be thoroughly interviewed for appropriateness to the program and will have an opportunity to interview staff as well. Upon admission, each client will be oriented to “the way we do things.” We will discuss with him the things that brought him here and what he hopes to accomplish while he is here. Together we will develop goals and a plan for his sober recovery.
Some of the tools used to accomplish those goals are:
• Step Work – clients will work towards completing 12-step assignments as a means of uncovering causes and conditions for their substance abuse
• Weekly Goal Setting - setting small goals on a weekly basis enables the client to track his progress without feeling overwhelmed
• Life Skills Education – an important introduction to sober living out there in the real world – finding and keeping a job, completing or continuing his education, buying groceries, preparing his own meals and money management
• Spiritual Life Group – a group session focusing on developing a relationship with one’s higher power and one’s self
• Anger Management – learning to respond, rather than react, to life’s situations and becoming willing to explore the fear that is the fuel of our anger
• Addiction Issues – getting to the “real” reasons we use drugs and alcohol to change the way we feel and exploring a new way of thinking and living that is based on sobriety as a way of life
• Recreation Therapy – life is more fun without alcohol and drugs; we can prove it!
• Drug and Alcohol Testing – regular and random screening to ensure they remain drug and alcohol free
• Family Support Groups – healing the family unit is as important as healing the alcoholic or addict to promote healthy, happy relationships
As the client progresses in his recovery and nears the time for him to leave the residential program, together we address:
• Relapse Prevention – an integral part of the recovery process developed to give the client tools for staying sober even in the midst of depression and challenging times
• Transition Planning – an in-depth plan used in conjunction with the relapse prevention plan to address ongoing recovery needs and to foster a smooth transition to the next phase of his recovery
• Aftercare – each client who has successfully completed the residential program is encouraged to attend ongoing group therapy, outings, and events which will solidify his own sobriety and offer hope to the new clients.
There is no such thing as graduation from treatment. As part of a continuum of care, completion of the residential program leads to aftercare and ongoing self-care through involvement in the 12-step community. We encourage all of our clients to be active in our alumni program so that we can continue to support their ongoing recovery.
Posted in: addiction blog, addiction counseling blog, addiction recovery meditations, today's gift, touchstones daily meditations
Life is change … Growth is optional… Choose wisely…
—Karen Kaiser Clark
We can certainly count on change. We become fathers, our children become more independent, we make new friends, and other friends move away. When a man clings too tightly to the status quo or tries to control the direction of change, he is bound to be disappointed. We are like skiers on a mountain. We must continue down the slope. We can vary our speed somewhat, but if we stop for too long we will get cold or hungry; if we ski too fast, we may have a serious fall. Part of the pleasure is in not being able to control or predict every circumstance we will meet.
We don’t control which loved ones come into our lives and which ones go or whether we become ill or stay healthy. We don’t control life’s opportunities. We can control how we choose to respond to these transitions. Whatever happens can be used for growth and we can commit ourselves to use all experiences that way.
Today, I will not try to control change but will choose to use whatever happens for growth.
From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men ©1986, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation.
Posted in: parents of recovering addicts
The integration of family therapy of substance abuse treatment is relatively rare. Family therapy in substance abuse treatment helps families become aware of their own needs and provides genuine, enduring healing. Family therapy works to shift power to the parental figures in a family and to improve communication. Other goals will vary according to which member of the family is abusing substances.
Another reason that family therapy is effective in substance abuse treatment is that it provides a neutral forum in which family members meet to solve problems. Such a rational venue for expression and negotiation often is missing from the family lives of people with a substance problem.
In the supportive environment of family therapy, this uneasy silence can be broken in ways that feel emotionally safe. As the therapist brokers, mediates, and restructures conflicts among family members, emotionally charged topics are allowed to come into the open. The therapist helps ensure that every family member is accorded a voice. In the safe environment of therapy, pent-up feelings such as fear and concern can be expressed, identified, and validated.
Often family members are surprised to learn that others share their feelings, and new lines of communication open up. Family members gain a broader and more accurate perspective of what they are experiencing, which can be empowering and may provide enough energy to create positive change. Each of these improvements in family life and coping skills is a highly desirable outcome, whether or not the identified patient’s drug or alcohol problems are immediately resolved. It is clearly a step forward for the family of a person abusing substances to develop a stable, functional environment within which abstinence can be sustained.
At Purple, Inc., we are committed to helping the whole family heal. As part of our men’s residential treatment program, we offer a bi-weekly family group session. This ongoing process allows the family to grow and change during the entire treatment process. Joel Bagley, the family coordinator, can be reached at 770.962.8215 for more information about our family program or visit our website at http://www.purpletreatment.com.
Posted in: addiction recovery for men, atlanta treatment centers, purple residential treatment, today's gift
Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud.
—Alex Osborn
A garden of flowers blooming is a beautiful sight to see. Through the green leaves surrounding a tulip we see hints of yellow or pink or red. Each day the flowers greet us with their radiant color. Yet, a sudden frost would wilt and fade the flowers.
Each time we create something new with our talents we are like a young flower opening. Whether we draw or write or sew or play a musical instrument, all creativity has this in common. Appreciation from those around us is like sunshine for the flowers. Harsh criticism, however, is like the cold air - it wilts and deadens our desire to create.
We all need warm encouragement for our endeavors, and we can give as well as receive it. In this way, creativity can bloom in our homes and our friendships, bringing a garden full of color and delight into our lives.
What encouragement can I offer to someone near me?
From Today’s Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©1985, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.