OASAS certified provider since 2011

In the mid-90'a, from his video called, "The Chalk Talk on Alcohol", Father Joseph Martin used the term ''drinking safely". This term has proven far more useful information than the label, ''alcoholic'' because it offers a far wider definition of the whole subject. "Drinking safely" not only considers driving while intoxicated. Other valuables at risk from excessive drinking are one's physical health, one's finances, relationships and family, job, career, reputation, mood/peace-of-mind, and anything else that would be in jeopardy. Alcohol can be delightful to enjoy, but never trusted, always under one's own critical scrutiny.

 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. 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 stories. We then view the healing of the original emotions behind the compulsion/addiction with video sessions addressing compulsions. The above materials and participation blend together to create a very thought-provoking, compassionate and intimate understanding of addictions and compulsions.