“An addiction is a pathological relationship, to any mood altering experience,
that has life damaging consequences.” John Bradshaw
I combine an educational format with participatory experiences to teach about the obscure, subconscious, intolerable
emotions behind compulsive behavior. This course is uniquely educational and experiential addressing compulsions and
addiction from the following experiences and materials;
1. 10 individual psycho-educational sessions at the Executive Park office
2. Attending 10 AA meetings, filling out an insight form anonymously
3. Providing a copy of the Driver’s abstract
4. A note from your Physician indicating a recent visit and/or good physical health
We begin with an intense video demonstration of how an alcoholic husband’s denial is destroying his marriage, and he is
tragically clueless about his drinking. We move on to John Bradshaw’s PBS video lecture on Toxic Shame that changed
professional thinking in the 1980’s. Also included is the viewing of a video from Fr. Joseph Martin on the process and
stages of alcoholism. We integrate the anonymous material from the AA meetings as we identify the shame, the
compulsions, and the denial among the tragic stories.
We then view the healing of the original emotions behind the compulsion/addiction with video sessions with alcoholics in
therapy. The above materials and participation blend together to create a very thought-provoking, compassionate and
intimate understanding of addictions and compulsions.
that has life damaging consequences.” John Bradshaw
I combine an educational format with participatory experiences to teach about the obscure, subconscious, intolerable
emotions behind compulsive behavior. This course is uniquely educational and experiential addressing compulsions and
addiction from the following experiences and materials;
1. 10 individual psycho-educational sessions at the Executive Park office
2. Attending 10 AA meetings, filling out an insight form anonymously
3. Providing a copy of the Driver’s abstract
4. A note from your Physician indicating a recent visit and/or good physical health
We begin with an intense video demonstration of how an alcoholic husband’s denial is destroying his marriage, and he is
tragically clueless about his drinking. We move on to John Bradshaw’s PBS video lecture on Toxic Shame that changed
professional thinking in the 1980’s. Also included is the viewing of a video from Fr. Joseph Martin on the process and
stages of alcoholism. We integrate the anonymous material from the AA meetings as we identify the shame, the
compulsions, and the denial among the tragic stories.
We then view the healing of the original emotions behind the compulsion/addiction with video sessions with alcoholics in
therapy. The above materials and participation blend together to create a very thought-provoking, compassionate and
intimate understanding of addictions and compulsions.
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Alcohol Information Program
Kayaderosseras Creek
".....Most of us do not take these situations, [being nailed by life] as teachings. We automatically hate them. We run like crazy. We use all kinds
of ways to escape---all addictions stem from this moment when we meet our edge and we just can't stand it. We feel we have to soften it, pad it
with something, and we become addicted to whatever it is that seems to ease the pain.....There are so many ways that we have dreamt up to
entertain us away from the moment, soften its hard edge, deaden it so we don't have to feel the full impact of the pain that arrives when we cannot
manipulate the situation to make it come out looking fine....."
Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart
of ways to escape---all addictions stem from this moment when we meet our edge and we just can't stand it. We feel we have to soften it, pad it
with something, and we become addicted to whatever it is that seems to ease the pain.....There are so many ways that we have dreamt up to
entertain us away from the moment, soften its hard edge, deaden it so we don't have to feel the full impact of the pain that arrives when we cannot
manipulate the situation to make it come out looking fine....."
Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart
| ".....Wandering in the world of desire involves looking for alternatives, seeking something to comfort us--food, drink, people. The word desire encompasses that addiction quality, the way we grab for something because we want to find a way to make things ok. That quality comes from never having grown up...." Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart |
