We're all recovering from something... People frequently hear me say that or read it on websites and articles I've written, but they seldom really stop to think about what I mean. For decades, we've associated recovery with addiction, and addiction with stigmatized behaviours, being out of control, or some sort of dark seedy underworld. We've bought into the lie that addiction is a disease... that alcoholism is a disease... and that distorted (and scientifically inaccurate) belief has hurt countless people who struggle with substance use and their loved ones. Addiction is the result of our bodies' intelligent response to perceived pain, trauma or uncertainty. It becomes dysregulated and uncontrolled and in some people can lead to medical issues, such as chemical dependency, organ damage or psychological problems. But at its core, it's not unlike any of the things we all experience that cause us to become "unbalanced", "lost", "hurting" or "anxious". And our approach to recovering from these things has often-times become overly clinical, diagnostic, forced and generally ineffective. My approach relies on various evidence-based, medication-free, safe, confidential and proven strategies that not only address the root problems (rather than the symptoms, such as drinking, or using other substances), but which can also allow our bodies to begin to heal other areas of our lives that have become caught up in the "anxiety loop". We don't demand abstinence. We don't brain-wash people into believing they are "powerless" or need external "deities" to help them. We reject labels, such as addict, alcoholic and "out of control". And that's why we've been able to ensure that 94.3% of those who enter our one-on-one or group recovery programs achieve successful outcomes. No meetings to attend. No embarrassment or "steps" to follow. No indoctrination into cult-like groups or books to follow. Just one-on-one sessions. Meeting you where you are. And whether it's a substance use issue, depression, anxiety, grief, anger, religious trauma or sexual abuse or any other issue -- working with you to find the solution that allows you to begin to heal.

Join us for a moment of slowing down and checking in with ourselves...

In this post, I share why I believe the "disease model" in addiction is a lie. https://recoveryreset.substack.com/p/why-the-addiction-disease-model-is

True human development requires autonomy, critical thinking, and the space to evolve past your worst days. The 12-step ecosystem, however, heavily relies on a collective compliance that discourages deviation from its core text. Members are often explicitly warned that thinking for themselves—referred to in meetings as “self-will run riot”—is the very defect that will lead them back to a relapse. This creates a high-pressure environment of group-think. Instead of discovering who they are underneath their trauma and coping mechanisms, individuals are pressured to adopt a ready-made, uniform identity. If you must conform to the group’s rigid dogma to remain accepted and sober, you haven’t actually resolved the core emotional dysregulation that drove the substance use. You have simply replaced one external modifier with another.

Come check it out and share it with someone you know! https://open.substack.com/pub/recoveryreset/p/the-12-step-trap-why-group-think?r=5xqbb4&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true