Thursday, August 27, 2015

Find the link to your state , join today and meet up your local TAM sisters for our upcoming Lights of Hope events

Canada www.facebook.com/groups/TAMCanada

Visit The Addict's Mom at: http://addictsmom.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Were you impressed by the sportsmanship shown by a teen this past year? Did the youth coach of your child’s team take the time to demonstrate the meaning of healthy competition?

Now is the time to honor your local student athlete and youth coach.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball Charities, we are recognizing outstanding student athletes and youth coaches in any sport – on and off the playing field – who embody the spirit of teamwork and healthy, drug-free competition.

Nominate your community’s youth sports heroes for the 6th annual Commissioner’s Play Healthy Awards contest! The awards are a part of our joint efforts, including the Play Healthy website, to educate families about the risks of steroids and performance-enhancing substances.

“I cannot begin to thank you for giving youth such a fulfilling experience and opportunity. It will forever lead her, inspire her, shape her future and commit her to serve others in her community and (what will undoubtedly be) her long, splendid life."

-Holly Jordan, nominated Kelsey Barrett, student-athlete winner of the 5th annual Commissioner’s Play Healthy Award

One winning youth coach and one student athlete will receive prizes, including a trip for themselves and one special guest to New York City.

Plus, join us in spreading the word on Facebook and Twitter with these sample posts:

#PlayHealthy #Contest! Nominate extraordinary coaches & student athletes for chance to win trip to NYC & more! http://ow.ly/Ri3VT

Inspiring #studentathlete & #youth #coach can win trip to NYC & more! Find out how http://ow.ly/Ri3VT #PlayHealthy

We're here to help.
Call our Parents Toll-Free Helpline
1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373)

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Partnership for Drug-Free Kids | 352 Park Avenue South | Ninth Floor | New York, NY 10010

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Women for Sobriety, Inc.

The passing of fourcwoman

August 26, 2015

Dear WFS Members and Friends,

It is with such great sadness to share with you that our beloved fourcwoman, Nancy Cross, has passed away last night. Her increasing ill health in the last few years had taken so much of her energy and time away from the WFS forum and chat room that she created and loved so very much. She had unrelenting devotion and commitment to getting Women for Sobriety online in a format that would bring together women from all across the world to share and connect with one another as they traveled the road to recovery using the WFS “New Life” Program as their guide.

Nancy became WFS’s “Internet Liaison” from the very moment she was able to set up chat room meetings way back in 1998. As a member of the Women for Sobriety Board of Directors and a Certified Moderator, leading face-to-face meetings in Cincinnati, Ohio, she worked very closely with the WFS office and the board members to create the requirements needed for women to become Certified Chat Leaders and creating the guidelines and rules to participate on the WFS forum and in chats. Nancy became WFS’s first CCL. I remember way back in 1998 when she first told me about this social site on AOL, where you type messages back and forth in real time, and we both checked it out and thought it was the most fantastic thing on the World Wide Web! Soon the first official WFS chat was underway on AOL, with 25 women attending! There have been many changes and locations since that time…from Yahoo groups to MSN to our current location through a website company dedicated to online forum and chat software. And because of Nancy’s passion and patience and unrelenting enthusiasm to help women learn about WFS and gain a foundation into recovery, we currently have over 10,000 women registered at the WFS forum site: http://www.womenforsobrietyonline.com/. There are also 7 formal chat meetings each week, led by dedicated Certified Chat Leaders who volunteer their time and share their experiences and hope.

Please be reassured that her legacy will continue on! With Nancy’s blessing, prior to her passing, the WFS office will take on the responsibility of managing the online community; and, with the support of the WFS Board of Directors, embrace the forum and chat as an official part of the Women for Sobriety organization. I have been working with the Chat Leaders and designated members of the online community to insure that the message boards, chat meetings, and the online community will remain a positive place to gather and share in a nurturing environment, learning and growing as women embrace the WFS “New Life” Program into their sober lives.

To honor Nancy’s devotion and love for the online community, WFS Chat Leader, Julie Lambie will be creating a message board on the forum devoted to Nancy, called “The Wisdom of fourcwoman”. She will pull together all of Nancy’s posts over the years, like her MondayMessages, so the past and current online members can read and continue to be inspired by Nancy’s wisdom and experience with using our program.

We will also dedicate an upcoming edition of the WFS newsletter, Sobering Thoughts, for all who wish to share a special moment in time you shared with Nancy or remembering the first chat meeting with her…or how she may have helped you through a difficult time….share with us how the wisdom of her words or her gentle voice reached you at a time you needed it most. Please email me at becky@womenforsobriety.org with your reflections and I will gather them through toSeptember 21st.

I have received information on her funeral service and her obituary; also for those who wish to leave an online message for her family, please visit this site My husband and I will be traveling to the service to share our love and respect for Nancy and to be able to, at some level, express to her family how much we treasured her as a member of WFS, a friend, a mentor, an inspiration to never give up hope and to try one more time. We also want to reconnect with her face-to-face group members and share in their grief as they work through this difficult time. Please join me in holding thoughts of love and care for her family and her devoted group members; especially for a dear WFS sister who continues to lead Nancy’s meetings and has been such a close and caring friend all these years; a bond of friendship that is now experiencing a great loss.

We will be forever grateful to Nancy for her inspiration to start this huge movement for WFS to get ‘online’. Every one of us in WFS still feels that same empowering positive energy that is created when there is a gathering of WFS women on the internet. And, so, her loss is so very hard for us to take in our hearts and to accept. She has touched so many lives; she has made a lasting positive imprint on our memories. We have not lost our fourcwoman; her spirit lives on with our online community and in the words and stories she has posted over the years.

Her family has shared with us that in lieu of flowers, sending a donation to WFS in Nancy’s memory would be welcomed. In fact, your donations will help us to continue supporting her dream to see the online community live on and thrive for many years to come. If you also wish to send a sympathy card to her family, please send it to the WFS office and I will be honored to pass that along to them. And, if you wish to attend Nancy’s service, please let me know so that I may share more details of our gathering.

Rest in peace, beautiful fourcwoman; thank you for your kindness, your generosity and your loving service to WFS, to all of us. I will miss you, my friend.

In deepest sympathy,

Becky Fenner, WFS Director

Women for Sobriety, Inc.

PO Box 618

Quakertown, PA 18951

To send a donation using a credit card, please visit our catalog page at: www.wfscatalog.org/Donations_c16.htm

Email: contact@womenforsobriety.org * Tel: 215-536-8026 * Fax: 215-538-9026

http://www.womenforsobriety.org * http://www.wfscatalog.org

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

August 25 CHP 107 v 29 TWELVE STEPPING WITH STRENGTH FROM THE PSALMS

HE CALMS THE STORM , SO ITS WAVES ARE STILL !

(GODS BIG BOOK)

STEP 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Being a long term Recovery member does not mean I have it all under control and I am exempt from Relapse . It does mean that if I am willing to pray trust and work with GOD I will have no fear when the storms of life come. In this verse GOD is making a Promise that HE WILL CALM THE STORM! GOD has kept HIS promises 2000 years plus so you can count on HIM. Step Eleven does not mean that your a professional RECOVER EEE , it means you have been broken and humbled in ways most folks will never experience and you have developed a Relationship with your creator GOD ! Continue to trust HIM and when life Hits the fan don't get cocky remember your pain and pray . BE STILL AND KNOW HE is your GOD and HE will CARRY you THROUGH !

GOD, GRACE ,AND GRATITUDE !

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

(GODS BIG BOOK) By Joseph Dickerson

Cincinnati Hospitals Will Test All Mothers, Babies for Opiates - Partnership for Drug-Free Kids

The Addict's Mom Lights of Hope National Event - Hosted in all 50 States by mothers who are brave enough to "Share Without Shame."

Lights of Hope - South Florida - Boynton Beach..

The Addict's Mom Announces the Lights of Hope 2015 Vigil in Boynton Beach, Florida During Recovery Awareness Month Attracting all South Floridians to Partake in this Special Ceremony.

The Addict's Mom announced their nationwide campaign, Lights of Hope, 2015. They will be honoring and supporting those whose lives have been shattered by addiction and remembering those lost. Ceremonies will be hosted by local chapters throughout the United States. On September 20th 2015, candles will burn bright as beacons of hope for the 22.7 million Americans addicted to drugs.

In Florida, the vigil will take place on Sunday, September 20th at 5:45pm until 8:30pm at Aion Recovery - Station House, 13000 Barwick Rd, Boynton Beach, Florida 33436, 5:45 – 8:30pm. Speakers will shed light on their personal experiences and help this struggling population find resources.

The speakers include Barbara Theodosiou of The Addict’s Mom, Patricia Rosen of Sober World Magazine, Linda Mautner of the Ian Mautner Foundation, John Lehman of FARR, and Lyle Fried of The Shores.

The Addict's Mom hopes to highlight:

The lack of available resources specifically structured to care for curtail, and combat addiction issues.
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Campaigns for foundations, such as hospitals, to increase their efforts in treating those plagued by addiction.
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Information that is available to those struggling with addiction about where they can receive help.
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The fact that recovery is possible.
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The need to never lose hope.

Lights of Hope is an offer extended to all to step out of the shadows of shame and stigma and raise their voices as one by lighting three candles to spotlight September as National Recovery Month. One candle represents those in active addiction, the next celebrates addicts in recovery, and the last speaks for those who have perished. Together the tapers embody the hope that one day this national epidemic of death and despair will end.
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An extremely painful and private battle, most addicts and their families suffer alone. When Barbara Theodosiou found out that two of her four children had fallen prey to addiction, she knew she had to do something. That something was to announce, very bravely, to the world that she was an addict's mom and she was not going to hide in shame, but she was going to be there to help every mother like her cope with this beast that was destroying her. Her crusade, now called The Addict's Mom, a burgeoning Facebook community, is a home for many--a place where mothers share their hopes, fears and grief without shame.

Like millions of other parents who have lost their kids to addiction, she speaks for all, regardless of the circumstances. "It shocks me. It crushes me. It steals my soul . . There are no breaks, no holidays, there is no solace here. All I can do now is tell his story to the world in the hopes that I am able to make the smallest change in a broken system that houses the mentally ill in violent jails." She's not alone anymore. The Addict's Mom, now 40,000 strong, takes pride in bolstering battered spirits, sharing the miniscule amount of community resources available, and offering support where once there was none—a huge victory
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Very few choose to publicize their battle, like Theodosiou, Mautner and Rosen who have all lost their beautiful children to this horrible disease. The Lights of Hope can promote change.
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Please join in our quest to share without shame and cast away the chains of stigma, which continue to keep us prisoners of sorrow and secrecy.
For more information contact: Barbara Theodosiou, 954 309-0992, barbara@theaddictsmom.com

Visit The Addict's Mom at: http://addictsmom.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Monday, August 24, 2015

Women for Sobriety, Inc.

Spontaneous, Joyful, Sober Fun...
It IS Possible!

“Look for little ways to express yourself more creatively and differently. Don’t aim too high and get discouraged. Start with small things. Let yourself take a step that’s fun and relatively easy and enjoyable. Then appreciate yourself for that. If you keep taking small steps, you will end up being exactly where you need to be. Have fun with it. What it really boils down to is this: You can do things in the same old way you’ve always done them, which is safe and secure but also a bit dull and boring, or you can try something new and different. The reason we don’t try new things is because our protector selves are afraid they are not safe for us. But if you reassure those parts of ourselves and don’t try to do too many new things at once, we can create more excitement and fun in our lives.”--Awakening: A Daily Guide to Conscious Living by Shakti Gawain

********************************************************************

Statement #12, “I am a competent woman and have much to give life.”

This is what I am and I shall know it always.

********************************************************************

+++++++++++++++++++

+ Karen’s Perspective +

+++++++++++++++++++

One of the earliest and harder transitions for me to experience in sobriety and my New Life has been my concept of fun. When under the influence, everything felt fun and exciting; but, today, I know that that was a complete lie. Alcohol just covered up my feelings, unleashed drama and prevented me from experiencing reality. My self-esteem took a direct hit. I needed to relearn and redefine my concept of fun.

Sobriety and Statement #12 in action assist me in redefining many areas of my life as well as redirecting my encouraging self. A great example is how I have changed how I speak to myself about alcohol; instead of urging myself to drink, I encourage growth in sobriety and my New Life.

Another example was last year when I set a goal of taking a watercolor class and, though initially I felt quite unsure of myself, it turned out to be an exciting new adventure. It was so enjoyable. Not only did I learn some valuable techniques, but I also made new friends and instant connections. Again I proved to myself that I am a capable, competent woman who has so very much to give life and who now has a new exciting and creative outlet! Hugzzz, Karen

How do you define fun and excitement in your New Life?
What is your creative outlet today?

+++++++++++++++

+ Dee’s Insights +

+++++++++++++++

Hi 4C Women, I have been talking about fun for way too long and not working enough at achieving it. Fortunately, I do have some fun, in spite of myself. However, I have come to realize that just like most wants and needs, even fun requires commitment, time and some planning. As Karen said, and I agree, drinking seemed to provide fun, but who truly knows that it is not authentic until you stop drinking and realize the difference between the alcohol-induced fun and the spontaneous, joyful sober fun? Why couldn’t I have fun without having a drink to lower my inhibitions, to allow myself to be silly? All I can say is that sobriety taught me that I can laugh even harder and remember it the next day. Heck, I know what I’m doing every moment. I don’t feel self-conscious anymore about being silly and I highly recommend trying it!

Now some of you might be wondering why anyone would say that drinking at times provided fun when we are talking about sobriety. I learned in WFS that I needed to be honest with myself and others because it would be a hindrance to personal growth to say otherwise. Sober, I learned that it became a habit to drink in order to have what I considered fun, to be at ease. For some people, the idea of denying how alcohol calmed nervousness in new situations or helped make conversations easier around new people, denies their truth and might delay their willingness to accept that small piece of truth and find other healthier ways to have fun, to socialize and to be comfortable in new situations and around new people.

Acceptance allows change and that is what WFS is all about. Not only did I learn to have fun sober, I built my self-esteem and felt pure freedom to be me. This is who I am and I shall know it always. –Dee

_________________________

Thank you, Karen and Dee, for your words of encouragement and inspiration to start off our week! ~Becky Fenner, WFS Director

Email: contact@womenforsobriety.org * Tel: 215-536-8026 * Fax: 215-538-9026

http://www.womenforsobriety.org * http://www.wfscatalog.org

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Greatest group on FB

https://www.facebook.com/groups/recoveryfriends717/

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Greetings,

For those of you I haven’t met yet- I am Steve, Recovery Center’s Coordinator and Community Mobilizer. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to working with you all

Happy Friday!

Steve Calderbank

Recovery Centers Coordinatror

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12

Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901

Phone: (215) 345-6644 ext 3006

Fax: (215) 230-3377

Bristol, Pennsylvania

1286 Veterans Highway, Suite D-6 19007

Phone: (215) 788-3738 ext 112

Fax: (215) 788-2919

(800) 221-6333 - Information Line 9 to 5 PM

Email: scalderbank@councilsepa.org

www.councilsepa.org

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCouncilSEPA

Prevention, Intervention & Addiction Recovery Solutions

Attachments area

Preview attachment CBRCC September Calendar 2015.docx

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Best of the week from Choose Help

AA Sponsorship: How to Find Your Ideal AA Sponsor

Developing a support system in early recovery can be overwhelming. Choosing a sponsor is an important choice that gives stability. Here's what to look out for.

Traditional wisdom in Twelve-Step Programs dictates that having a sponsor is a crucial component of growing, healing, and learning in recovery. Sponsors offer us the opportunity to be accountable. They guide us through the highs and lows of working the steps.

However, it’s a common misconception that all sponsor/sponsee relationships are the same. Just as each person in recovery has both unique and common struggles, sponsors come with equally unique and common character and approaches.

How to Pick the Right Sponsor

In order to pick the best sponsor, you have to know what you want and more importantly, what you need to meet the challenges of early recovery.

We urge folks to put pen to paper and consider what that looks like. The more you know about what you’re looking for, the more likely you are to find it.

Pick someone who clearly practices what they preach...

We often focus on choosing people we see as being like ourselves, whether by age, education, race, or socioeconomic status. Instead, it’s often more effective to seek folks who have the ability and willingness to challenge us. Long term sobriety is desirable, but not crucial. As a general rule two years or more is a starting point.

Avoiding Commitment Issues

Don't get bogged down in the fear of choosing the wrong sponsor. The easiest way to avoid "commitment issues" is to ask for a temporary sponsor. This is a well-established and respected practice in 12-Step Programs. It allows you to ensure a good fit and it recognizes that your needs may change as you go through early recovery. When you find someone who more fully meets your needs, you can thank the temporary sponsor for their service and move on.

Expectations

In “old school” recovery, it's common practice for sponsors to clearly dictate what they require from their sponsees in the first minutes of the relationship. Most often this includes directives to call regularly as well as in times of need and to meet once a week. This approach establishes clear boundaries, limits and expectations - all of which promotes actively utilizing support.

Progressively, it has also become common practice that sponsees are asked to share their expectations, needs, and wants. This not only ensures a good fit but also helps to reduce misunderstandings. The greatest benefit is that it helps identify needs that exist in addition to sobriety and step work.

A Common Pitfall

The most common pitfall in working with a sponsor is that we subconsciously relate to them as the mom or dad we always wanted.

It’s an easy mistake to make: we’re relating to someone we depend on who guides us and cares about us. These are the kind of interactions we associate with parenting. Those of us who did not experience healthy parents growing up are especially vulnerable to making this mistake. But just as our sponsors do not sign up to be our parents, they also do not sign up to be an authority figure in our lives.

The importance of this trap cannot be overstated for a very simple reason: Most of us hate authority figures.

In early recovery, we tend to have the emotional maturity of an oppositional and defiant child. Consciously and subconsciously, we expect authority figures to judge us and reject us. This most often leads to projection (deciding our sponsors see us as we see ourselves) and transference (relating to them as our high school principals, bosses, or police officers).

Why We Encourage "Same-Sex Sponsorship"

Without intention, this approach is admittedly heterosexually biased. We recognize the inherent vulnerability in the sponsor/sponsee relationship and seek to inhibit impulsive romantic or sexual behavior. A very high percentage of us find it easier to relate to members of the opposite sex and so this practice should be viewed as an opportunity for growth.

Don’t Put Your Eggs in One Basket

In any recovery program, a strong and holistic support system is recommended. Depending on your sponsor to meet even a majority of your needs is ill advised and no responsible sponsor would seek to meet all of your needs. In addition to friends and family, we have found it remarkably beneficial to have contacts (peers in the program available for phone calls or coffee).

Many of us chose spiritual advisers and even secondary sponsors to support us. In an active recovery community, you’d be hard pressed to find an area of expertise that is not available to you.

Those we’ve seen achieve the greatest success in twelve step programs develop their own “families” in the halls. There is no such thing as having too many supports in your quest for transformation.

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