General

When people enter recovery, their brains often are not functioning well. Their thinking is so clouded that they are sometimes diagnosed as delusional. The truth is, we all get confused from time to time, and small phrases of truth can help us navigate stormy waters. Support groups rely heavily on these sayings to penetrate cloudy…

In many meetings of AA, there is a scheduled reading (frequently toward the beginning of the meeting) of what are known as “The Promises.” To be more accurate, they are the 9th Step Promises, and many long-time attendees can recite them by heart. In short, they are a brief list of the many things a…

The prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi has found itself reprinted on posters, plates, and journals – pretty much everywhere. Spending time with individual lines of this prayer is a long-used pathway to contemplative prayer. Regardless of who actually wrote this piece, it has a great deal of value in the lives of any…

An article I read the other day lamented that the holiday of Thanksgiving has become just another secular excuse to miss work, overeat, and drink beer while binge-watching football. For most in the United States, the days of dedicating time to recounting one’s blessings and expressing gratitude to God for the abundance many of us…

Most AA meetings I’ve ever been to are opened with a group recitation of the Serenity Prayer. Here it is in its short form: God, grant me the serenityto accept the things I cannot change,courage to change the things I can,and the wisdom to know the difference. The purpose of this new book, “Dissecting the…

Another very common prayer used in the rooms of AA is the Lord’s Prayer. This is most frequently used to close the meeting, with all standing and holding hands. Again, many simply recite the words with little or no thought as to what is being said or simply stand quietly. We tend to think ahead…

In my new book, Dissecting the Prayers and Promises of AA, we do a deep dive into the history of prayer and meditation in Alcoholics Anonymous. Many prayers are used in AA, but unfortunately, many people simply repeat them without thinking about what they are saying or why. The purpose of this new book is…

In the past few weeks, we have been exploring various domains of post-traumatic growth (PTG). Our society is inundated with information regarding PTSD. Many books, counselors, medications, and non-traditional treatments offer hope to those willing to swipe their credit cards. While I don’t dismiss these treatments as ineffective, we often see people suffering from PTSD…

The Bible is full of stories where trauma and extreme hardship became the springboard for a life of new strength and power to move forward. The secularization of our society has led to these stories being moved to ancient myths rather than important examples of how God can use your weakness to develop new strengths.…

As a physician with over thirty years of experience, particularly the last seven spent working in a mental health facility, I have encountered countless stories of unimaginable trauma and the accompanying pain. A common thread among those in our care is the struggle to move past their trauma. The perceived injustice of their experiences lingers…