In therapy and mental illness, there is a historical prejudice that clients must be supervised and monitored. This has spilled into addiction recovery and often defeats the required personal responsibility factor. It feeds into a victim mentality—addicts being “helpless or incompetent”, and thusly, the greater licensing and client supervisory demands for treatment. It endorses the centuries-old view that addicts and alcoholics are morally corrupt and require supervised guidance. As a very important aside, this invites the meddling of doctors in recovery which is another matter, entirely and defeats the participation of the client as a responsible volunteer. When undertaking educational courses it is assumed that adults applying for them are capable of learning and choosing. There are no victims in applying for school courses. As a process of education, students are held accountable for choice. This is why addictions “treatment” would be more effective if presented as education. It would still carry the goal of a spiritual lifestyle and abstinence, but be presented as voluntary involvement. This is discussed in some detail in The Addiction Recovery Handbook.
As an educational process this would not threaten any already established therapy-oriented treatment centers or funding arrangements in a social mental-health organization. These quasi-medical oriented “mental health” institutions could refer their clients to an education process when their residents become somewhat stable in abstinence. It would be easier to make referrals to an educational center after discharge from their facility than to keep them in a treatment bed. This addresses a substantial gap in present services now available: credible and in-depth education for mid- and long-term addictions recovery that side-steps the conflict in perceptions of higher powers and God and social stigmatization.
Education provides the knowledge base for making healthier recovery-oriented choices. This will be especially true in the category of abstinence not-available addictions and for atheists-agnostics. Over the long course of recovery, continuing to stay “in recovery” is more a determined intellectual choice based on reliable information than anything else. Education supports commitment.
The Green Room Lectures, therapy, and discussion forums are designed to stand against the emotional and addiction problems we face in this era of modern culture. It is a devastating and pernicious epidemic. It can’t be made any simpler than that. The presentations are designed to bring awareness to adults and to suggest alternatives that are presently hidden by ignorance, not ignorance in an insulting way, but ignorance as a lack of insight regarding all of this.
Fees for private consultation (therapy, coaching, supervision) and for seminars are negotiated on a per-case basis. These are established after an assessment can be made. What I give you lasts for the rest of your life; what you give me lasts until the end of the month.
Addiction
Addiction in history and cultural eras— early alcohol use before and after 1840; opiates, laudanum, alcohol, drugs, and prescriptions. Definition of addiction—abstinence available vs. abstinence not-available. Illness theory of addiction vs. the disease model and the phenomenon component. Types and categories of addiction; their resolution difficulty with social approval of some and religious-social condemnation of others. Crossover therapy, treatment, and complications within gender issues. Social perceptions and changing values.
The Twelve Steps
The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are discussed from a spiritual perspective (which means they are made available to agnostics, humanists, and atheists). The need for a personal God is discussed as important for some but not essential. The mechanics of each step and the related psychological requirements are identified, why they are in the order they are in (there is a specific and important sequence to them), the risks of repetitive inadequacy, and the significant difference between the first nine steps and the last three. This will make more clear the difference between being forever in recovery and being recovered.
Spirituality – What Is It?
Debates continue and conflict persists in understanding what ‘spirituality’ actually is. This seminar is usually offered after the first two. With basic knowledge from from the first two seminars, spirituality is explained in relation to a more non-religious point of view. It is presented as a life governed by principle. Being spiritual is separated out from religious opinions that make it so confusing for many people and makes a no-God spiritual lifestyle available to humanists, atheists, and agnostics. The concept of humility, so important to addiction recovery, is explained in detail. A clear outline of a spiritually principled life is described.
Dynamics Of Relationships
Family systems theory, childhood development, personality, and fear, shame, and guilt are discussed. Ego defenses as a part of personality are examined, as are surviving childhood and defeating compensations in adulthood. How relationships develop, developmental dependency needs, the wisdom of choice, and complications in therapy or addictions recovery are examined.
Emotions And Communications
This is actually a course in applied problem solving. How people may or may not be expressive of emotion, the emotional rackets, and how to resolve emotional conflict. Who and what are victims and what decides that? When is it impossible to argue fairly? How does stereotyping develop and how is it perpetuated? What does communication really mean, anyway?
Perceptions, Vows and Beliefs (context vs. content) are identified. Communication styles and anger and ineffective vs. effective methods of communication are identified.The seminar will touch on all of this, including the cultural stereotyping that presents delusion as real.
Culture And Gender
Understanding the cultural changes (drastic), social transformation of roles (significant), sexual expression, changing relationship values (from 1920 to 1990). Misunderstandings about equality and minority rights are covered. Explanations of Stage 1 (Traditional), Stage 2 (Chaos) and impending Stage 3 (Unknown) relationships and what these mean for you and future generations is discussed. Anomie and the wisdom of choice are examined. This is closely related to the presentation on Dynamics of Relationships.
Many of us, in this endeavor of equality, are reluctant to abandon our large share of influence, and those of us without it are reluctant to accept responsibility which is required to abandon victimhood.
Buddhism (Best As A Full Day)
Part 1: History of the Three Eras (some people describe it as four eras) and Buddhism’s early anti-vedic origins, the effort at social integrity around 475 BCE, and that cultural chaos. Time is spent on its international dissemination. There are corruptions in the concept of responsibility that Siddhartha presented, and presently there are the four main types of Buddhism. Leading to: Part 2: The basics of the Four Noble Truths and the eight disciplines within them, the Three Poisons and Dependent Origination. This is generally presented as the practical application of Buddhism for a modern culture.
Body Energy Healing /EFT (A 1/2 Day Weekend Training Program)
Illness and trauma will be discussed including the types of trauma, theories of acupuncture and acupressure, energy meridians, brain structure, and cellular memory of anxiety and triggers. There will be training in the personal applications of energy healing methods. Tapping protocols to manage anxiety, headaches, illness, resolution of historical trauma, self-calming techniques and self-application are demonstrated. The inner insight of physiology and body-mind is discussed. This includes a 90 page manual of self-instruction.
Discussion Forum
Often it is quite beneficial to have a discussion forum a few hours after or on the day immediately following a seminar. People in group conversation get to participate at a personal level and support each other in resolving any confusion that is specific to a seminar. In these, the participants will be encouraged to discuss and understand, moderated by the presenter. This keeps attendees involved and develops their own process. These forums are a more philosophical and practical interactive discussion that is made personal, addressing the topics and information presented. This helps resolve their misinformed views of addiction, treatment, general ignorance about recovery.
The presentation outlines are generally standard but can be adapted to meet group needs and sometimes adjusted for length. In unique circumstances they can be combined.
FEES: Fees for private consultation and seminars are flexible and negotiated on a per-case basis and always include transportation and accommodation when outside of the Surrey, BC area. A negotiated fee will be offered after an initial consultation and an assessment can be made.