‘This is What Recovery Looks Like’: Meghann Perry

February 12, 2023 by

It’s always wonderful to see new initiatives developed by people in recovery. Here is someone who has been doing lots since she began her recovery journey. I am in awe after reading this recent Facebook post from Meghan Perry about the initiatives that she has developed or been involved in over the years since she found recovery.

‘I am now officially a Consultant to provide Technical Assistance with the Opioid Response Network!

In 2009, I was in jail, facing a 5-year prison sentence for selling crack, after decades of profound chaotic substance use and everything that comes with it.

In 2011, I changed my relationship to substances and started to rebuild my life.

In 2015, I became a Recovery Coach.

In 2017, I co-created my first experiential learning workshop with Andrea Lovett, Recovery Storytelling.

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How I Became an Emergency Department Recovery Coach | Addiction and Recovery: CCAR

February 8, 2023 by

I just love this concept and the beautiful and powerful film! Well done all concerned at Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR).

Hear about CCAR’s revolutionary program from the view of the recovery coaches who serve in the Emergency Department, the hospital staff who work along side the coaches, and those who have experienced the benefits of these collaborative recovery support services. This nationally recognised model has had a 93% success rate with since it began in the Spring of 2018. CCAR Training. 8 August 2019. [12’00”]

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Life After Prison: David Higham

February 3, 2023 by

Awesome film of David Higham, who created and developed The Well Communities, by UNILAD. ‘The Well is a vibrant community of people. Together, we support each other and we believe wholeheartedly that recovery is possible for anyone. By valuing and investing in the people who use our services, we’re able to show a different side to addiction. A side which sees members start their lives afresh with new friends, stronger family links and better prospects.’ The Well Communities are located in Cumbria and North Lancashire. 21 August 2017. [6’08”]

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From Addiction to Recovery: CCAR 20 Strong Documentary, Recovery Community History

February 3, 2023 by

Long-term members of a pioneering organisation in the development of recovery communitites tell the inspiring and moving story of CCAR, the Connecticut Community for Addiction (CCAR). ‘CCAR is a centralized resource in CT for all things recovery. Whether you are contemplating a life in recovery, are new to recovery or are in long-term recovery, CCAR is here to help you to navigate the recovery community, by connecting you with others in recovery and providing access to area support services. Since 1998 we have worked to make this reality – the CCAR 20 Strong documentary tells this story.’ 16 April 2020. [32’32”]

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It Takes a Village to Recover From Drug Addiction: Charlotte Colman (TEDxGhent)

February 3, 2023 by

“Once an addict, always an addict”? Most addicted drug users do recover, but it takes time. We know that recovery results from an interplay between individual and social factors such as personal motivation or meeting the (wo)man of your dreams. But that’s not enough. After all, there’s a huge difference between wanting to change and having the opportunity to change. That’s why we should focus more on social connectedness and the role of the community in successful recovery. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organised by a local community. 2019. [14’35”]

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Positive Social Networks & Recovering From Addiction: Mark Gilman

February 3, 2023 by

Huseyin Djemil introduces “the hardest working civil servant”. Mark Gilman’s presentation talks about ‘Positive social networks & recovering from addiction’ in his typically engaging and witty style – delegates wanted the presentation emailed over to them the following day. ‘No one can do it for you and you can’t do it alone’, get on the boat, any boat, and talk about the technique / route later and don’t do it on your own!’ Mark Gilman, Strategic Recovery Lead, Public Health England (at the time). Towards Recovery Conference, Helping to build a recovery community, Henley Recovery Cafe, 23 November 2013. [30’17”]

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What is Recovery from Addiction?: Beth Burgess

February 3, 2023 by

Recovery Coach Beth Burgess points out that a lot of people don’t realise that there is a difference between recovery from addiction and being clean and sober. She describes her experiences of when she first tried to get sober—it was horrible. Now she is in recovery, Beth doesn’t have those negative experiences, like intense cravings and obsessing about alcohol. She stresses that if you are to find recovery from addiction you need to change things, like your thinking patterns and outlook on life. Connecting to other recovering people is also very important. Beth introduces her book The Recovery Formula: An Addict’s Guide to Getting Clean and Sober Forever. 30 November 2012. [6’17”]

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Authentics: SMART Recovery USA

February 3, 2023 by

AUTHENTICS is an amazing new dramatic film about addiction and recovery, and the first-ever to feature SMART Recovery in its storyline. It centers around a young photographer struggling with addiction who books a job to shoot an engagement party. She meets a man who is no stranger to addiction himself who gently introduces her to the principles of SMART Recovery. He inspires her to change and, in the process, he changes too. 12 December 2019. [38’20”]

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Kevin Kennedy Opens Up About Beating His Alcohol Addiction: This Morning

February 3, 2023 by

Former Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy reveals how bad his alcoholism got, and what he did to overcome it. 5 January 2017. [5’46”]

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Prologue

January 31, 2023 by

Describes the author’s story, and his development of the grassroots initiative Wired In; the eBook Our Recovery Stories; the nature of substance use problems; changing behaviour and recovery, and the nature of addiction treatment. (4,024 words)

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Factors That Facilitate Addiction Recovery

January 31, 2023 by

Describes the nature of addiction recovery and the factors that facilitate the process, using the Stories and quotes from our Storytellers and research conducted by members of the Wired In team. (12,698 words)

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Factors Facilitating Addiction Recovery

January 18, 2023 by

In my last blog post, The Nature of Addiction Recovery, I finished by saying that I would describe the key factors that facilitate recovery from addiction in today’s blog post. In fact, I’m going to summarise these factors and provide links to my relevant blog posts of 2022 which provide much more detail. The descriptions linked to have come from a chapter of my eBook Our Recovery Stories: Journeys from Drug and Alcohol Addiction.

Hope: This hope is based on a sense that life can hold more for one than it currently does, and it inspires a desire and motivation to improve one’s lot in life and pursue recovery.

Empowerment: To move forward, recovering people need to have a sense of their own capability, their own power.

Self-Responsibility: Setting one’s own goals and pathways, taking one’s own risks, and learning one’s own lessons are essential parts of a recovery journey.

A Sense of Belonging: People recovering from addiction need to feel the acceptance, care and love of other people, and to be considered a person of value and worth.

(Gaining) Recovery Capital: Recovery capital is the quantity and quality of internal and external resources that one can bring to bear on the initiation and maintenance of recovery.

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My Interview with Huseyin Djemil for his ‘Journeys’ Podcast

July 18, 2022 by

Last year, I was interviewed by Huseyin Djemil of Towards Recovery for his ‘Journeys’ podcast. I was really pleased to be Huseyin’s first interviewee for his podcast, as I hold him and his initiative in high regard. It was also really nice to talk to him again, the first time in around 15 years. The last time we had met was in London, and now we were communicating via Zoom, with me in Perth, Western Australia, and Huseyin in Henley, UK.

Huseyin Djemil is Senior Consultant and Trusted Advisor with 25+ years experience working in the substance use, addiction, recovery, social care, criminal justice, and not-for-profit sectors. He is Founding Director of Towards Recovery, which offers an open safe space for people in recovery from addiction and helps them find the right path for themselves. He started the Journeys Podcast last year because he believes strongly that the stories of recovering people need to be visible to give others hope.

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The New ‘William White Papers’ Website

June 7, 2022 by

On May 13, William (Bill) L White posted the following important announcement, The Future of William White Papers Website, on his blog (NB. I have broken up some of the original paragraphs):

‘This image, which has greeted visitors to my website since its inception in 2009, will soon have a new look.  The website has grown to include nearly all of my writings over the past half century, including all of my major papers and monographs on recovery advocacy, recovery management, and recovery-oriented systems of care. Also archived are more than 100 interviews with addiction treatment and recovery advocacy leaders and classic documents on the history of addiction treatment and recovery in the United States and in other countries.

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The Recovery Scholarship of Ernie Kurtz

January 16, 2015 by

Ernie GLAATC InterviewHere’s some great reading for you, from one great scholar and storyteller about another. Bill White starts the New Year with this excellent posting on his blog. Enjoy!

‘One of the distinctive voices within the modern history of addiction recovery is that of Harvard-trained historian Ernie Kurtz.

Spanning the 1979 publication of his classic Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous to the just-released Experiencing Spirituality (with Katherine Ketcham), Kurtz has forged a deep imprint in studies of the history of A.A. and other recovery mutual aid groups, the varieties of recovery experience, the role of spirituality in addiction recovery, and the personal and clinical management of shame and guilt.

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