Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Mar. 3, 2015              A Weekly Newsletter for the Treatment Industry & Recovery Community               Vol. 2., No. 28
Writers In TreatmentREEL Recovery Film FestivalAddiction/Recovery eBulletin WebsiteTestimonials

The Recovery Oscars! 
Joey Pants & Daniel Baldwin - Two of the Honorees at 6th Annual Experience, Strength and Hope Awards in Los Angeles. 
This year's honoree was actor and writer Joe Pantoliano, best known for his portrayal as Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos. Bob Forrest walked up to say hi to D.H. Peligro, the drummer from the Dead Kennedys. I've known Bob for years. "I've been to every one of these things. Sometimes there's only been 10 people. Look at this (indicating that the room was packed). Leonard has finally gotten it together," he said. All-in-all, an inspiring and amusing night, I thought,as I grabbed my gift bag and headed to the parking lot. CONTINUED @ TheFix.com 
What A Concept   
Teaching Kids How to Learn Without
Study Drugs
 
Work loads in high school can be extreme, causing some kids to think about cheating or taking study drugs. GSE senior lecturer Denise Pope comments on the problem and possible solutions, such as cutting homework load and ensuring kids get enough "play time, down time and family time. The question is do they really help normal people with learning," Goldsmith said, "There hasn't been any reason to study them because the risks are so significant." Those risks include depression, psychosis, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, seizures, decreased appetite and insomnia.
Isn't This Soberlink?
Researchers Combining Money With Breathalyzers To Combat Alcoholism    

That's where a new device, just on the market from a company in southern California comes in.  The device mixes a breathalyzer with a camera. "It's a remote breathalyzer that uses cell phone towers to transmit the results immediately to a central server where we can review it," said Koffarnus.
Does It Begin with a 'C'?   VIDEO     
Porn Dddiction Prevalent!
One man says he found his cure VIDEO
   
Jimmy Tarrant says he's living proof of the effect.  As a Baptist minister, he prayed for God to take the temptation away.  It didn't work.  He says only when he turned from porn to the grace of God, surrendered the addiction to higher power instead of trying to use willpower, did he begin to recover.  He says once he confessed, he found people, including his wife Connie, forgave him.
Get well at New Method Wellness

Check out the Waismann Method 
Now I Really Can See Russia
Alaska Third State To Legalize-It    
On the day Alaska became the third state in the nation to legalize recreational pot use, folks in this party town best known as the finish line for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race seemed more interested in watching snowmobile contestants blast into the city than smoking a joint.
WARNING: Not  Before Yom Kippur   
Religious Leaders Aim High To Make Marijuana Kosher   
Orthodox Jews in New York might eventually be able to celebrate the high holidays - actually high - under doctors' orders.With collaboration from a Colorado drug firm and a Jewish group that offers kosher certification, cannabis could be available to Orthodox Jews by next year. The Orthodox Union, could offer certification to start selling legal, edible marijuana with a kosher stamp of approval, The Jewish Daily Forward reported on Monday.
Twelve Promises: Rewards of Recovery

Brandi's Wish     
Even Beer
Lower IQ Linked to Increased Drinking in Young Adult Men    
It turns out that there may be a link between lower IQ and increased drinking among young adult men. While previous research has suggested a link between intelligence and health outcomes, this latest study shows that poor IQ does have something to do with riskier drinking. "In two studies where the CAGE questionnaire-a method of screening for alcoholism-was used, a higher cognitive ability was found to be associated with a higher risk for drinking problems.
Crash Course   AUDIO   
Drunkorexia: Swapping Meals For Drinks AUDIO   
A new phenomenon seems to combine these two common problems of undergraduate life into a bigger issue, and one that has its own name: "drunkorexia." There's little scientific research on drunkorexia, but some say they see it happening among college students. "Drunkorexia basically means somebody is using inappropriate eating disorder behavior, such as restricting or binge eating, in order to compensate for binge drinking later on."
Click here for Biosound Therapy

Check out Loma Linda University     
AcademicAddiction.com

Come to Denver This Spring     
Drunk Abroad
Korean Households Spend Record Amount on Alcohol in 2014    
South Koreans spent the most in over 10 years on alcoholic beverages in 2014, mainly on beer and soju, statistics agency said Monday, while demand for cigarettes fell, most likely from the price increase. Data provided by Statistics Korea said local households spent an average of 11,267 won (US$10.16) monthly to buy alcoholic beverages. This represents a 4.8 percent increase from the year before. The result from the survey conducted on households with two or more members is the highest tallied since the office started taking related data in 2003.
Not On The Curriculum 
12 at Wesleyan University Are Hospitalized for Drug Overdoses   
By the time the ambulances were through, 10 Wesleyan students and two guests had been admitted to hospitals for possible overdoses on Molly, a club drug also known, sometimes in different forms, as MDMA or Ecstasy, and which has been linked to a number of overdoses and deaths in recent years.
Consider Milestones Ranch in Malibu

Detox With Dignity Now  
Cure This!
City of Malibu Sues, Demands Passages Rehab Shut Down    
"Passages Malibu describes itself as the 'number one rehab in the world' whose 'flagship drug and alcohol treatment center is in Malibu, California on a 10-acre property that features a breathtaking Pacific Ocean view, tranquil setting, and palatial estates that house [its] residential and treatment facilities. Yet, despite Passages Malibu's promotion of its operations in the City of Malibu as a comprehensive, sprawling, singular rehab center, and despite evidence supporting this characterization, the California Department of Health Care Services outright refused to regulate Passages."
Follow The Money   
CDC: Deaths Soared as Narcotic Painkillers Grew Popular   
The CDC has called prescription painkiller abuse an epidemic. In 2012, 16,007 people died i from overdoses involving opioid painkillers, triple the number who died in 1999, a 5% decrease from 2011 when 16,917 people died, the CDC reported last year. In September, Attorney General Eric Holder expanded a prescription drug return program that allows hospitals and pharmacies to accept excess drugs, including narcotic pain relievers.
Bridges To Recovery

His House & New Creation Treatment   
24/7    VIDEO
Amber Portwood on Her Drug Addiction: I Took Drugs "24 Hours" VIDEO    
Fans got a chance to catch up with Teen Mom's Amber Portwood during her recent Getting To Know special on MTV, and let's just say this girl opened up and then some about her past. Amber is on the record as saying that she was high for almost all of Teen Mom, and she explained to her family and producers how she started doing drugs after giving birth to her daughter Leah on MTV's 16 and Pregnant.
Too Many Kids Dying   
Mother of Son who Died of Overdose Calls for More Narcan Awareness   
Twin Cities: State lawmakers passed a law last year expanding access to a key anti-overdose drug. While the law has been credited with saving lives, now there is growing concern that the drug's distribution remains too limited - and that not enough people know about it. Nothing brought that fact home for drug-treatment advocates more than two recent overdoses north of the Twin Cities.
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Visit the Newsletter ARCHIVES   
Like GPS for Your Soul
Overcoming Addiction With an App    
Can a game installed on your smartphone help you to overcome an addiction? Soon this will be a possibility. Marloes Postel, a lecturer at the University of Twente, observed the need for easily accessible care for people with addictions. This has led to the development of an app version of an existing computer course used for training the brain to break free from acquired patterns of thought.
 Bet Yes    VIDEO 
Is A 'Sobriety Pill' In Our Future? VIDEO   
Imagine, then, if problem drinkers could be given a pill that makes them less likely to drink, less intoxicated if they do drink and more capable of enduring the potentially life-threatening alcohol withdrawal syndrome that emerges shortly after going "cold-turkey". Recent research exploring interactions between the neuropeptide oxytocin and alcohol gives some grounds for hope that such a pill might one day exist.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver  VIDEO
Marketing Drugs to Doctors   VIDEO  
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars marketing drugs to doctors. We have a few issues with that. Poignant, funny and disturbing!
Sober Love Hormone ? VIDEO   
Love Hormone Has Sobering Effect VIDEO   
The findings could pave the way for the development of drugs that help treat alcoholism in humans. "We found that oxytocin blocks alcohol's intoxicating effects and it prevents alcohol from acting at the sites in the brain that are involved in alcohol's intoxicating effects," says team member Dr Michael Bowen, from the University of Sydney's School of Psychology. The findings, reported today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, were quite "serendipitous" says Bowen.
Keep Your Shirt On Next Time VIDEO
Russell Brand Attacks the Sex and Porn Industry VIDEO
Brand, who has previously come under fire for his string of sexual encounters, has now decided to take on the sex juggernaut that is the porn industry - calling it 'corrupt'. Not because viewers see 'too much' but because people are shown 'too little'. He also lashed out at soft porn film 50 Shades Of Grey. Could this be the first time we actually agree with Brand (despite his lack of clothes)?

      The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.PRO-ACT
                                                  and
          Pennsylvania Recovery Organization --
     Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT) 
Recovery in Our Communities
March 3, 2015
 

Information and Recovery Support Line 24/7: 800-221-6333


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SMART Recovery is coming to Central Bucks

In an effort to support our ongoing commitment to the availability of multiple pathways in recovery, The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania will be piloting SMART Recovery meetings at select Council/PRO-ACT offices starting this month.  The goal of this pilot program will be to determine community interest in establishing ongoing meetings. The first SMART Recovery meeting will be held on Thursday, March 5th at our Doylestown, PA office at 252 W. Swamp Road, Unit 12.  Subsequent meetings will occur on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm and will last 60 - 90 minutes, depending on participation.  Additional meetings will be added to our facilities in Rosemont, Bristol and Philadelphia as the interest arises.

About SMART Recovery

SMART recovery is the leading self-empowering addiction recovery support group that utilizes evidence-based practices.  Participants learn tools for addiction recovery based on the latest scientific research and participate in a world-wide community which includes free, self-empowering, science-based, mutual self-help groups.  SMART Recovery stands for Self-Management and Addiction Recovery Training.  In addition to Basic & Advanced Programs for persons in recovery, SMART Recovery has programs for Family & Friends, as well as Teen & Youth.

 How can SMART Recovery Help Me?
SMART Recovery can be used to address any addictive behavior.  No matter what your addiction, the program's tools and techniques will help you overcome the behavior.  You'll find a warm and welcoming community in both our face-to-face meetings as well as online supporting activity.  The SMART Recovery 4-Point Program® helps people recover from all types of addiction and addictive behaviors, including: drug abuse, drug addiction, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, cocaine addiction, prescription drug abuse, as well as Process Addictions such as  gambling, sexual addiction, video gaming and other online activities.  The SMART Recovery 4-Point Program offers tools and techniques for each program point:  1: Building and Maintaining Motivation; 2: Coping with Urges; 3: Managing Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors; and 4: Living a Balanced Life.

 How do SMART Recovery meetings work?
Face-to-face meetings typically last 60 - 90 minutes and are designed to be highly interactive.  Participants are encouraged to share their personal experiences and discuss the tools that help them personally, offering ideas and support to fellow participants. Meetings follow an outline, which included welcoming attendees, a brief statement, a participant check-in and agenda setting for the meeting.

 What makes SMART Recovery different that other mutual support groups? 
Like The Council, SMART Recovery advocates for choice in recovery, so that those seeking recovery know the variety of pathways in recovery available and can choose among them. SMART Recovery encourages a holistic approach, with the goal being to achieve a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Therefore, the SMART Recovery program is not designed for you to become a permanent participant, but rather for you to 'graduate' when you feel healthy and ready to live a clean/sober/balanced life. Upon graduation, we encourage all participants to volunteer as facilitators, or in another capacity, to help "pay forward' the benefits they have achieved.

 The Approach - SMART Recovery is an abstinence-based program that teaches self-empowerment and self-reliance.  The meetings are educational, supportive and include open discussions.  We teach techniques for self-directed change. 
  • Encourages individuals to recover from substance use and other addictive behaviors and live satisfying lives.
  • Supports the scientifically informed use of psychological treatments and legally prescribed psychiatric and addiction medication.
  • Works on substance use disorders, alcohol abuse, drug addictions and process addictions as complex maladaptive behaviors with possible physiological factors.
  • SMART Recovery program evolves as scientific knowledge in addiction recovery evolves.
  • Differs from Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and other 12-step programs in that it does not require you to embrace a spiritual approach to the process of recovery; however, SMART recovery is often used by people who also participate in spiritual based programs such as AA. NA, etc.
Recognition - SMART Recovery is a recognized resource for substance abuse and addiction recovery by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Center for Health Care Evaluation, The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).

 The SMART Recovery pilot program will be facilitated by Stephen Osborne, CRS at our Central Bucks PRO-ACT office, Unit 12 Training Room.  For further information about this program or additional programs you can emailsmartrecovery@councilsepa.org or call Stephen @ 215-345-6644 x3113.  
Upcoming Events:

Why Can't They Just Stop? with Kevin McCauley, MD - Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 pm at Horsham Community Center, 1025 Horsham Road, Ambler PA. Our brains are amazing and complex. We'll have a conversation about how substance use can be relatively harmless for some, yet for others, can lead to abuse, or the disease of addiction. Click here for flyer. 

 ADDICT a one act play - March 19 & 21 at 6:30 pm at Hatboro-Horsham High School. The play brings to life the impact of substance abuse among adolescents through ten vignettes, each focusing on a specific drug. Click here for flyer. 

Volunteer for The Council/PRO-ACT !!

Contact one of our Volunteer Coordinators:
Central Bucks:  Email or call Rick at 215-345-6644
Southern Bucks:  Email or call Karen at 215-788-3738 x100
Philadelphia: Email or call She-Ria at 215-233-7700 or Email John or call 215-923-1661 
Chester, Delaware and Montco: Email or call John at 215-923-1661
PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! Committees: Email  or call John at 215-923-1661

Volunteer Training Schedule
Volunteer Orientation Training
March 4, 2015 1 pm  - 2:30 pm at Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center, 1286 Veterans Highway, D-6, Bristol, PA 19007
March 4, 10 am - 1 pm and 5 pm - 7:30 pm at Philadelphia Recovery Training Center, 444 N 3rd Street, Suite 307, Philadelphia, 19123
March 13, 1 pm - 2:30 pm at Central Bucks Recovery Community Center, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown PA 18901

Group Leadership/Facilitation Training
March 11, 2015  1 pm - 3:30 pm at Southern Bucks Recovery Community Center, 1286 Veterans Highway, D-6, Bristol, PA 19007
March 12, 10 am - 1 pm and 5 pm - 8 pm at Philadelphia Recovery Training Center, 444 N 3rd Street, Suite 307, Philadelphia, PA 19123
March 27, 1 pm - 3 pm at Central Bucks Recovery Community Center, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown, PA 18901

Peer Mentoring Training
March 16 & 17, 2015 9 am - 4 pm at Philadelphia Recovery Training Center, 444 N 3rd Street, Suite 307, Philadelphia, 19123

Please contact the volunteer coordinator for questions or to attend.
AT OUR CENTERS

NEW Location - Family Education Program - Tuesday evenings March 10, 17, 24 & 31 from7 - 9 pm at 1062 E Lancaster Ave. Suite 22-A, Rosemont, PA  19010 from 7 - 9:00 pm.  To register call 800-221-6333.

Planning to Sustain Recovery - every Tuesday 7 - 8:30 pm and every Thursday 10 - 11:30 am at CBRCC, 252 W Swamp Road, Unit 12, Doylestown.  Educational support group to help individuals in all stages of recovery plan goals and action steps to sustain recovery. To registeremail or call Jeanne at 215-345-6644.  

Gateway to Work every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11:00 am at SBRCC, 1286, Veterans Highway, Unit D-6, Bristol; Mon. - Fri. the first week of the month at PRCC, 1701 W Lehigh Ave., #6, Philadelphia, PA 19132; 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at 1:00 pm at CBRCC, 252 W Swamp Road, Doylestown. Get help with resume building, barriers to employment and motivation. Contact Rick at 215-345-6644 or email for more information.

  
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop atsmile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to The Council.
  • Go to www.smile.amazon.com 
  • Log in with Amazon account info or register if you are a new member
  • Type in The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. and click SEARCH
  • We will come up, hit SELECT
  • Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Council.
It is as simple as that!
Save the date!  Gather your team, consider sponsorship!
Walk Logo 
PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! 2015
September 19

Register free; Form a team; Join the Honor Guard; Donate; Volunteer; or become a Sponsor by 
clicking here www.recoverywalks.org
Join Our Mailing List
We achieve block
Employment Opportunities: Click here  
DONATEDonations help us to reduce the impact of addiction for more individuals and families. The Council is a 501(c)(3) organization.
 Women for Sobriety, Inc.
2015 WFS Conference: Registration Flyer
Hello WFS Members,
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!  We have the 2015 WFS Conference Registration Flyer on our website and for those that didn't see it, we've attached the pdf (the attachment is located at the bottom of this email).  We hope you can join us on June 5, 6, & 7, 2015 for a great weekend getaway with 4C women!  An added bonus is that you can arrive a day early - Thursday - and spend some quality time with your WFS sisters at the dormitory.  The registration price includes staying in the dormitory....the price will NOT be lowered if you choose to stay OFF CAMPUS.  Believe me, you will have a lot more fun staying in the dorm with all of your new friends!

***WFS AUCTION***  Don't forget about WFS's Annual Fundraiser!  It will be heldon Saturday of the conference and we need your support... handmade items, crafts, quilts, artwork, jewelry, baskets of goodies... it all adds up to lots of exciting bids and friendly competition to raise much needed funds for our organization.  If you are bringing auction items with you to conference, we will have a pre-auction set up tableon Friday to sort through all the goodies... SUGGESTION: ONE-OF-A-KIND ITEMS garner more bids than multiples of the same item.  That being said, we welcome 'multiples' too!

***REGISTRATION DISCOUNT***  Every year we provide a $20 discount for the early birds who register by April 1st.  The registration for the WHOLE weekend with a double room is only $265 (includes 2 nights at the dormitory, 5 meals, and all workshops on Saturday & Sunday).  After April 1st, the regular cost of $285 for a double room will apply.  Fill the form out today and join us for a great weekend retreat!  We already have 2 ladies registered!!

Registration Deadline is May 11th, 2015

WFS Conference will be held at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania.  Campus map and directions are available at their site: http://desales.edu/home/about/campus-region/campus-map

You can FAX (215-538-9026) or MAIL (PO Box 618, Quakertown, PA 18951) your registration form to the WFS office - we will not be able to take registrations over the phone due to the Personal Responsibility Form needing to be signed.


IMPORTANT - IF YOU HAVE ANY ....ANY!... QUESTIONS - CALL OR EMAIL ME DIRECTLY AT THE OFFICE...NOT THE ONLINE FORUM.  We appreciate your support of WFS!  I am so looking forward to seeing you!

Warm regards,
Becky Fenner, WFS Director

PS: Here's a peek at our new conference totes!

Email:  newlife@nni.com   *   Tel215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026
http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org
Dear Readers,

We're thrilled to let you know that the latest issue of Renew is now available in print and digital copies. And this issue is all about having fun in recovery, and helping your answer the big questions.

Some of the stories you can look forward to are:

Jane, Unchained: Former CNN reporter Jane Velez-Mitchell shares how she keeps her recovery fun, even after years of sobriety.
Repairing the damage from addiction: Physically, mentally and emotionally, addiction can take a toll on your health. Writer Michael Berg shares ways to repair that damag
e, that you may not have considered before.
Recovery 'round the globe: From acupuncture to sweat lodges, learn how addiction is treated in cultures across the world, and how these practices can help you.


The issue also features recovery experts weighing in on the role of spirituality in their lives, including:
  • Tommy Rosen, sharing how simply paying attention to your breath can bring you to a higher level of wellness.
  • Temple Hayes, on how telling her story changed her life.
  • Reverend Leo Booth, discussing the gift of spirituality.  
Of course, you’ll also find the humor and insight of our bloggers, as well as the voices of the leading professionals in the addiction fields.

As always, we want to hear from you! If you have story ideas or comments, or are interested in blogging for Renew, email
editor@reneweveryday.com.

As a bonus, we've also included a 
sneak peek of Counselormagazine. Enjoy!

Be well.

The Renew Team

Get a Sneak Peek
of 
Renew's

Winter Issue 
here!

 


Get a FREE
preview ofCounselor'slatest issue 
here!





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on Social Media!
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2 ( TWO ) SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE !!!

The Addict's Mom Treatment Scholarships for February/ March
Deadline to apply 3/15/2015

TREATMENT CENTERS WILL DETERMINE WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
**TAM DOES NOT DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY**

The Addict’s Mom February/March Scholarships Provided By:

1.New Beginning Ministry, Beach Lake, Pennsylvania
Scholarship Outline:
One(1) Month Inpatient Treatment
Male / Female
12 Step Program Residential / Addiction/ Recovery Program 18 and over
No Detox included Non Medical – Faith Based Program

2. All About Recovery , Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Scholarship Outline:
Intensive Outpatient Therapy (8 weeks)
Male / Female
Free transportation (15 mile range)
Free Gym membership
Relapse Prevention
Therapy 3 times a week – 3 hours a day One on One 
Therapy Session Evaluation included

AAR Recovery Residence– 60 daysFARR (licensed) approved Sober Living
Age / Gender Specific Housing
Large Single Homes with Pool in Residence Areas
Providing Transportation to and from work, meetings and recreation
Food and Personal Items not provided
Will help with Food Stamps if needed
NOTE: Last 2 weeks sober living is self pay $175.00 per week
**********************************************************************
Application for TAM Treatment Scholarships 
To apply for Scholarships, please complete the requirements below:
• A family member of the client must be a member of both
• and
• The Addict’s Mom Main Facebook group www.facebook/groups/theaddictsmom
• ********************************************************************************************
• TAM member please provide:
• TAM Member Contact Information 
• Date of application
• Member’s First and last Name
• Phone number 
• Email address
• 
• Minimum of one paragraph that includes:
• Name and Age of client/addicted person
• Male or female
• Drug of Choice/ how much used daily
• Age of first drug use
• Other Helpful Information if applicable:
• Incarceration
• Previous Treatment
• Formal Diagnosis
• DSM Diagnosis if any
• **********************************************************************
APPLICANTS MAY APPLY FOR BOTH SCHOLARSHIPS:
• 
• To apply for the Treatment Scholarship at New Beginning Ministry, Inc., please send your letterto:TAMNewBeginningScholarship@gmail.com
• 
• To apply for the Treatment Scholarship at All About Recovery, please send your letter to:
**********************************************************************
ALL EMAILS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 3/15/2015

• *** Please do not contact our Scholarship Sponsors directly. Only requests submitted to the TAM email addresses will be considered.

DISCLAIMER : 
• As you consider applying for scholarships to any of these facilities or institutions listed on our webpage, TAM strongly urges you to do further research about each facility, consider consulting your family healthcare provider for input and advice.

• We would also recommend that you review the SAHMSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA http://www.samhsa.gov/) website- see if the facility is listed there. Also find the licensing agency in the State the facility is located. In Florida, the State Agency that licenses Substance abuse facilities is the Department of Children & Families. (http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/substance-abuse). If the facility is in another state, ask them who licenses them and check with that agency about whether there have been any complaints.

• While the members of The Addict’s Mom are very grateful and appreciative for the scholarships being offered, TAM does not endorse any of the specific programs. The Addict’s Mom assumes no liability or responsibility for the claims made by the service providers or institutions.


• We wish you and your families the best of health and recovery!


 Women for Sobriety, Inc.
"Your Attitude is Contagious."  So, make it a good one to spread around!

҉ 

“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.”  -Samuel Taylor Coleridge

“Your attitude is contagious.”  -Kevin Plank

“Enthusiasm is as infectious as a new viral strain.  Let one woman in a room have it and everyone gets it.  It spreads freely, never caring who gets it or what the results might be.”
-WFS Program Booklet by Jean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D.

**********************************************
Statement #11, “Enthusiasm is my daily exercise.”
I treasure all moments of my new life.
**********************************************

+++++++++++++++++++
Karen’s Perspective  +
+++++++++++++++++++
     So many people have come down with the flu or various kinds of viral infections during this seemingly long, cold winter season.  Hacking coughs, runny noses and tired bodies have flooded the isles at their local stores, painfully searching for some kind of relief.  Taking note of this vast and quick transmission of microscopic invaders, I was reminded of the words that Jean wrote in the WFS Program Booklet:  “Enthusiasm is as infectious as a new viral strain.”  I began to think about “catching” enthusiasm from someone.  I thought long and purposeful on this and discovered an interesting question.
     “Would anyone want to ‘catch’ my attitude?  I wondered.  The answer was both YES and NO.
     Asking myself this question before sobriety and my New Life, I would have said that everyone would want to catch anything from me for I said that I was filled with enthusiasm and loving life.  I was living large and in charge and there was no stopping me.  Of course this was a complete lie; my alcohol abuse was the first clue.  Alcohol owned me at that point and what I thought was enthusiasm was nothing more than drunkenness.  Today I can honestly say that the one thing people caught from me back then was anything but enthusiasm.  So, NO.
     Looking at my life today, I can answer this with a beautiful and honest YES.  I am a 4C woman who really enjoys and appreciates life and feels genuine enthusiasm.  I recall a moment when I felt that I was supposed to feel enthusiasm; but, I felt blank instead, almost empty.  My brain was telling me this was a moment to be enthused but my body was not cooperating.  I quickly recognized this and “faked it til I made it” and then, sure enough, I began to genuinely feel it.
     Statement #11 and the WFS Program offer me the opportunity to make different choices and feel different.  I feel thankful to be around anyone with real enthusiasm and love it when I “catch” theirs.  It is a feeling that stays with me long after the initial appearance and continues on, transforming, connecting and embracing life.  I really do treasure moments!  Hugzzz, Karen

  • Is my attitude worth catching? 
+++++++++++++++
+  Dee’s Insights  +
+++++++++++++++
     Hi 4C Women, Having been one of those sick people this winter, along with other health issues, I relate to wondering if anyone would want to catch my enthusiasm at this very moment.  I recently told someone that I consider myself a positive person; but, lately, I had to work hard at it.  That brings me to what I call my foundation of peace and calm that I have found through WFS.  Even when I am struggling with being positive or enthusiastic, I know I have built a strong foundation to keep me grounded when I am feeling a bit out of sorts.
     However, there is something about physical health that has a strong impact on other aspects of your life.  It is feeling vulnerable and stuck in a place you don’t want to be.  I am more comfortable dealing with emotional challenges because I can reach out for help, reflect on my own personal growth in this area and know that I have choices which I can learn from when I make mistakes.  Being sick is the one area where my attitude can be put to the test.
     I would encourage everyone to work on building that foundation of strength for the times when life throws a curve and work on building relationships that support you when you need help.  That is the beauty of WFS.  We accept what we are feeling and work through it, not run away or deny it.  It keeps us authentic and helps us receive compassion as well as giving it.  -Dee
_________________________
Thank you, Karen and Dee, for your words of encouragement and inspiration to start off our week!  ~Becky Fenner, WFS Director
Email:  newlife@nni.com   *   Tel215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026
http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org