Mark S

The 12-step recovery programs include service as a major component. Members are expected to take on responsibilities in the group and to help newer members travel their own path to recovery. The reasons why this would be important are numerous. To begin with, helping other people tends to take the attention off of yourself, something that can be of enormous benefit for a recovering addict. When you assist the other person in making progress and receive gratitude for your efforts, this reward can give you an enormous boost in your own happiness and sense of well-being.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

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As you progress through your own recovery, it is easy to lose sight of how far you have come and even to become critical of yourself when you feel cravings. By working to help another person who is headed down the same road as you are, you get to look back and see where you started.

We will start with you Clyde,
Where do you want to start on this topic, helping others?

When you were new, did others help you?
How?
Did you wonder why they did that?

Who was the first person your helped on purpose?
What happened?
What did you learn?
How did that help your recovery?

Have you ever used this principle of the program for someone outside the fellowship?
Who?
What happened?
How did that help your recovery?

Why does helping others help you?
How does it strengthen your program?
How does it affect your fellowship?
How does it affect your relationship with your higher power?

Why is this such a spiritual principle?

Are you ever resistant to helping?
Why?
What is the character defect that is in effect when this happens?
How do you get over it?

What part of the program helps?
Steps
Fellowship
Prayer
Service work
Sponsor
Sponsee
Slogans
etc

What would you say to the new guy who about Helping Others?

Check out this episode!

Thank you for supporting the podcast by becoming Premium.  The show would not be online without Premium Members

Premium Membership  Premium members are the main reason why Recovered Podcast is still online.  If you want to help us continue to help the new guy, watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium.

If you want Recovered Podcast to come to you so you can share your story with us, please reach out to mark@recoveredcast.com and let me know.  We would love to come to your roundup, your conference, your event, your open talk….whatever, we want to carry your message to the person who still suffers.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

Who’s going to the 2020 International Convention?

So, listeners, join us at The 2020 International Convention of AA in Detroit.  If you are coming into town for the convention, the Recovered Podcast wants to meet you!

If you would like to get all the information regarding the Recovered Podcast at the 2020 International Convention, just email me and we will get you on our google group.

Just email me at mark@recoveredcast.com

This google group will be notified with all the Recovered Podcast Plans for the convention and will have all the information about how to find our tailgate party.  Right now, our google group has been provided with maps and general information about Detroit. 

Check out this episode!

Hurricanes. Fires. Shootings. The headlines are filled with tragedies.

No one wants to get caught up in an emergency situation or tragedy, but good people sometimes go through bad things or are exposed to unexpected crisis situations.

Some situations are national calamities, but a crisis can result from any difficult situation or loss. And people in recovery are especially vulnerable in times of trouble.

That’s why it is important to be vigilant about self-care and the best way to start
is to have a recovery disaster preparedness plan in place for relapse prevention.

“Tragedies hit people in recovery harder than others,”\
One of the reasons for this is that
recovery makes people very open and empathic and they pick up easily on the pain of others and it can trigger their own trauma. “
Preparing ahead of time to deal with horrible news can keep you balanced when it feels like the world is falling apart,”

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

What comes first to mind, where do you want to start?

What crisis were you faced with when you were new in program?
What part of program helped?

Have you ever relapsed? Was this a crisis? What helped?

What other crisis have you dealt with

Are you dealing with a crisis today?

Here are some ways to put relapse prevention in place and protect your emotional health.

1. Breathe and relax.

2. Have sober support.

3. Allow for emotional help.

4. Practice processing difficult emotions.

5. Have healthy distractions.

6. Gratitude

Is self inflicted crisis different than one that is caused by external forces?

Do you know somebody outside of program dealing with difficult situations?
How are they dealing with it?
Is it any different?

How has our disease affected the way you react to crisis?
How has the program helped?

What part of the program helps?
Steps
Fellowship
Prayer
Service work
Sponsor
Sponsee
Slogans
etc

What would you say to the new guy who about crisis?

Check out this episode!

Thank you for supporting the podcast by becoming Premium.  The show would not be online without Premium Members

Premium Membership  Premium members are the main reason why Recovered Podcast is still online.  If you want to help us continue to help the new guy, watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium.

If you want Recovered Podcast to come to you so you can share your story with us, please reach out to mark@recoveredcast.com and let me know.  We would love to come to your roundup, your conference, your event, your open talk….whatever, we want to carry your message to the person who still suffers.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

Who’s going to the 2020 International Convention?

So, listeners, join us at The 2020 International Convention of AA in Detroit.  If you are coming into town for the convention, the Recovered Podcast wants to meet you!

If you would like to get all the information regarding the Recovered Podcast at the 2020 International Convention, just email me and we will get you on our google group.

Just email me at mark@recoveredcast.com

This google group will be notified with all the Recovered Podcast Plans for the convention and will have all the information about how to find our tailgate party.  Right now, our google group has been provided with maps and general information about Detroit. 

Check out this episode!

Perfectionists hold themselves to rigid standards. This often inhibits healthy behaviors resulting in no action because of fear that they’ll mess up. It’s not surprising that perfectionists often procrastinate. Perfectionists might also impose their rigid standards on others and character defects such as anger results when these individuals don’t measure up.

It is not surprising that perfectionists often suffer from anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Moreover, those who have perfectionistic tendencies often struggle with balance, acceptance, self-care, and self-compassion …the list can go on.

Perfectionism and substance use often go together. Perfectionism can also make recovery much harder, since as with other things, perfectionists typically expect too much too soon and are unforgiving of their own mistakes. Perfectionism is a difficult problem to overcome, but with persistent effort, you can loosen its grip on you.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

What comes first to mind? Where do you want to start?

What does perfectionism mean to you?
Have you suffered from being a perfectionist? How?
How did you learn this behavior? Was this learned behavior?
Has perfectionism ever “worked” for you?

How did perfectionism hinder your early recovery?
How does it affect you today?

Perfectionists have unrealistic goals and standards.
How do you know if your goals or standards are unrealistic?
How does being competitive effect this condition?

Perfectionists usually have an all or nothing attitude.
How can his hinder recovery?
Surrender to win
Must admit total defeat to take step 1
________________________________________________________
We asked our listeners about this topic.

We asked,
“Are you a perfectionist?”

Did you take the survey?

https://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/H8rm2Pi4NAWig98bQ2JQdLL5Up_2B8_2FrnCKFnEG_2FChhhrqRKTsGRWx7jI_2Bx3Anp6cK

What would be your answer?
________________________________________________________

Have you suffered at the hand of a perfectionist? How?
How do you cope?

In our text on page 60 right after the 12 steps appear, we read…

Many of us exclaimed, “What an order! I can’t go through with it.” Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

What does “perfect adherence to these principles” mean to you?

What does the slogan “progress not perfection” mean to you?
What program principle do you fail at?
How do you make progress in this area?

How do you deal with failure in recovery?
Give an example of a failure you had in recovery.
How did you cope?
What did you earn?

How do you know when your recovery standards have moved from admirable to unrealistic?
What is the underlying character defect when you suffer from perfectionism?

Check out this episode!

Recently I went on vacation to Ireland. When most people think of vacationing in Ireland they think of Dublin, green landscapes, castles, pubs, Guinness stout, and Irish whiskey. This last part can be a problem for people in recovery from a substance use disorder. However, just because you are in recovery from drugs and alcohol doesn’t mean you can no longer enjoy your travels. Tonight, we talk about maintaining your sobriety while traveling. Tonight, we talk about Vacationing in Recovery.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

What comes first to mind?

What was vacationing like for you before recovery?
Did you have fun?
Where did you go?
Was was the best vacation during this time for you?
What was the worst?

What about early recovery, what were you thoughts about vacationing in early recovery?
Where did you go?
Did you avoid vacations at this time?
________________________________________________________

What about today, how do you prepare?
What do you suggest?

How do you take your recovery with you?
What apps?
What books?
Does prayer help?
How do you stay connected?
Do you go to meetings when out of town?
What recovery tools do you take with you?

What would you say to the new person in recovery about vacationing while in recovery?

Check out this episode!

The Spera Recovery Center provides a safe, recovery-friendly environment for detoxification, brief residential treatment, and ongoing recovery support services for individuals and families struggling with addiction.

Clients attend daily 12-step meetings and are introduced to the recovering community, as well as the philosophies and traditions of 12-step programs. Spera Counselors complete initial assessments, monitor withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs, develop treatment plans, facilitate groups, and help develop sustainable plans for continuing recovery.

Dawn Farm believes in the power of the recovering community. We rely on this community to show Spera residential first hand that they can get better.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

Anna’s Bio

Anna is the Coordinator of the Spera Recovery Center. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the detox center, including supervising the Spera staff, assisting with client intakes and their programs, facilitating the needs of clients at Spera in correlation with the other services offered by Dawn Farm.

Tell us more about yourself and how you came to
tell us more about

Why Spera for you?
What is special about Spera?
How does Spera and the recovering community interface?

Tell us about yourself,
how did you come to Dawn Farm?
What is Spera?
Why is Sera separate from the farm?

Tell us about the detox center?
this detox medically supervised.
Are there doctors and or nurses on staff?
Is medication used in this process?

How do you define success at Spera?

How is mental illness handled,
do you admit people with co-existing or comorbid diagnoses?
If so, how do they handle that?
And if not, what do they recommend?

Walk us through a day for a client, what does that look like?
How long is the stay?

Tell us about discharge, do you develop an action plan?
What does that look like?

Are you seeing new addiction patterns?

Do your clients go to meetings?
Who provides support to your clients?
what does a coordinator do?
What would you say to the person who is considering treatment?
What would you like to say to our audience?

Advice
What was the #1 thing that has held Spera back in working with alcoholics and addicts?
What is the best advice you ever received regarding running Spera Recovery Center?
What is something that is working in your facility today?
What is the best recovery book you have read?

Hope
What do you want to say to the new person?

Check out this episode!

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

Prayer and meditation are keys to emotional and physical wellness. While being different in the object of focus, these two practices nevertheless both are spiritual exercises. Prayer and meditation can also get us in touch with our own feelings.

Prayer and meditation are whatsoever you allow them to be, but it should quiet the mind and restore the spirit. For some people, meditation might be gardening, a long hike, or painting.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

What comes first to mind when you hear the expression “Prayer and Mediation?”

How difficult is it for you
to ask for help from a recovering friend?
How difficult is it for you to trust?

How difficult for you is it to reach out to something spiritual and ask for help?

What is prayer to you?
How do you pray?
How long do you pray?

Why do you pray?
Why should the new person pray?

Meditation is the practice of watching one’s thoughts, reactions, and emotions from a slight distance, enough to observe them with more clarity.
What is meditation to you?
How do you meditate?
What small steps have helped you in the process of using prayer and mediation?

Do you pray in the morning
Do you pray at night?
Do you pray in a specific place?
What do you pray about?

What is answered prayer to you?
Have you ever had a prayer answered?

For me, strong feelings can come up when I pray.
After I came came through the fog of early recovery, feelings begin to surface, feeling like anxiety and . Prayer can help me sort through some of these feelings.

What do you when your prayer is dry and hollow?

How is prayer and meditation important to your recovery?

When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life? But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken.

On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use. Our thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives.

In thinking about our day we may face indecision. We may not be able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. We relax and take it easy. We don’t struggle. We are often surprised how the right answers come after we have tried this for a while.
Thoughts?

What would you say to the new guy?

We have Calls

Check out this episode!

Maplegrove Treament Center has a storied history here in the southeast Michigan area in the field of addiction treatment.

According to The Maplegrove website: The Maplegrove Center, has a team of addiction experts providing personalized care for patients. They have an in-depth understanding of the disease of addiction and treatment and they use their experience and training to create treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

Chris is a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor.
Chris has a myriad of experience within healthcare management
Chris has been Director of Behavioral Health
He has also been Director of Health Professional Recovery Programs
Chris has developed and implemented an embedded therapist program and launched telemedicine within outpatient facilities.
Chris has also worked with evidence based practice models that included Stage of Change, Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, and overall assisted in a the treatment of addiction with special attention to co-occurring disorders
Chris is also active with community awareness around mental health and addiction.

Ok, Chris, now it’s your turn

Tell us more about Maplegrove,
What is Maplegrove about and
What makes Maplegrove special?

Why Maplegrove for you?

Tell us about the history of The Maplegrove Center
What sets The Maplegrove Center apart from other treatment facilities?

Joe/Chris
The first thing many want to know is how successful is Maplegrove in the treatment of addiction.

How successful is Maplegrove and How do you measure success?
What has changed over your years of service in the treatment process?

Joe/Chris:
Tell us about residential and outpatient treatment options
and how does a client know which is right for them?

Andy: How did you get to Maplegrove’s doors?

Joe/Chris
You offer outpatient and intensive outpatient, what is the difference?
You offer Medical Assisted treatment for addictions, Why?

Andy: What was your experience at Maplegrove?
What were your days like?
How was your treatment structured?

Joe/Chris
Tell us more about Addiction Care for Women and Addiction Care by Profession.

Joe/Chirs
What are some of the obstacles to recovery for your clients?

Andy
What were your obstacles to going to treatment?

Joe/Chris
How can therapy help recovery?
What relationship do you see between trauma and addiction?

Joe/Chris
How has medical marijuana affected treatment at The Maplegrove Center?

Joe/Chris
What is in the future of the recovery for Maplegrove?

Joe/Chris
Tell us a success story.

What would you say to the new person about treatment to the person thinking about it.

We Have Calls

Kathy from Georgia
https://www.google.com/voice/fm/00557165274674955804/AHwOX_DkDlIhqSDxeMULmqY2_-WNPFs5J6RAsoMAzlahnjeo-jVtBIx8x2DsNulmJYuQg3VolzzfrFn4O8TVxU82JpUFICGteIWNSE9UIAJQiptqKJ-WUl9YWzH2JAh8dxooF7vYPLF3dnO6KcDGsu8x_3FGtX7Nmg

Advice Joe/Chris/Andy
What was the #1 thing that has held Maplegrove back in working with alcoholics and addicts?
What is the best advice you ever received regarding running Maplegrove Center?
What is something that is working in your facility today?
What is the best recovery book you have read?

Hope
What do you want to say to the new person?

Check out this episode!

The remainder of the Joe and Charlie Episodes will now be available for Premium Members.  Thank you for supporting the podcast by becoming Premium.  The show would not be online without Premium Members

Premium Membership  Premium members are the main reason why Recovered Podcast is still online.  If you want to help us continue to help the new guy, watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium.

You will see several references on this site to “Joe & Charlie”. Their names are sometimes heard at local Twelve Step meetings. So, who exactly are Joe and Charlie? They were two long-recovered alcoholics who traveled the world for several decades, sharing their insights into the Big Book of AA. Because all Twelve Step programs are derived from the AA Big Book, I suspect their recordings might help anyone in ANY Twelve Step program….not just AA.

The Big Book Study (officially called “The Big Book Comes Alive”) recordings are not conference-approved literature. Any sponsee interested in listening to the series should ask their sponsor first. I can recommend the talks with confidence because many long-sober speakers have openly given credit to Joe and Charlie with their own recovery. I have heard people say said they never really “got” how Twelve Step recovery works until they heard the free-wheeling and good-natured recordings of Joe P and Charlie McQ. I know that was true for me.

If you want Recovered Podcast to come to you so you can share your story with us, please reach out to mark@recoveredcast.com and let me know.  We would love to come to your roundup, your conference, your event, your open talk….whatever, we want to carry your message to the person who still suffers.

Our generous Recovered Podcast Community allows us to be self supporting and not rely on outside contributions.  If you would like to join us, there are two ways.

1. Episode Sponsorship  We will recognize you by first name only at the top, mid, and end of the episode.  Any amount will qualify.
2. Premium Membership  This is the single most effective way to support the show.  Watch the video in its entirety and learn how to become Premium

Call Us Now  http://recoveredcast.com/speakpipe

Who’s going to the 2020 International Convention?

So, listeners, join us at The 2020 International Convention of AA in Detroit.  If you are coming into town for the convention, the Recovered Podcast wants to meet you!

If you would like to get all the information regarding the Recovered Podcast at the 2020 International Convention, just email me and we will get you on our google group.

Just email me at mark@recoveredcast.com

This google group will be notified with all the Recovered Podcast Plans for the convention and will have all the information about how to find our tailgate party.  Right now, our google group has been provided with maps and general information about Detroit. 

Check out this episode!