Before discussing five strategies that help me stay clean with regard to porn and masturbation, let me start by explaining that nothing short of the grace and mercy of God ever worked in helping me experience victory over this ongoing battle, which spanned over 40...
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A Reflection on Attachment, Addiction, Psychology, and Spiritual Formation: Part Two
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Other Addictions, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Psychology & Therapy, The Twelve Steps | 3 Comments
In my last article, I talked about “attachment” as a common thread among addiction, psychology, and spirituality. Attachment in all of these areas is about relationships, whether spiritual (God and the human being), psychological (mother and child), or...
For the Addict Who Still Suffers: How Recovery Brings About Unexpected Relationships
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Twelve Steps | 0 Comments
My first sponsor in SAA (Sex Addicts Anonymous) formed a relationship with me that included doing step work, but also included other activities not related to recovery. Seeing my youth, strength, and a willingness to help, he once asked me to come to his house in...
Allowing the Infinite Power of God to Save Us from Our Sinfulness and Addictions
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps | 0 Comments
Scripture tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:30). Too often, when we think of or talk about God, we speak of a being who is meek and mild. We see Him as completely approachable, and that there is nothing to fear in approaching Him....
Remembering the Truth of Christmas In Order to Stay Sober
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, The Twelve Steps | 2 Comments
The snow falls quietly. And slowly all is covered and blanketed in whiteness. The cold of winter is in the air, and it gets in your bones when outside. There is the anticipation of the holidays and all of the hopes and dreams of Christmas that come with the onset of...
A Reflection on Attachment, Addiction, Psychology, and Spiritual Formation: Part One
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Other Addictions, Psychology & Therapy, The Twelve Steps | 2 Comments
I’ve confronted addiction from several directions in my life: as a therapist treating people in recovery, as a codependent in an alcoholic family, and as a Catholic man trying to discern God’s will and action in the midst of the fear, rage, and despair that addiction...
One Woman Finds Recovery from Addiction through God’s Grace
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, The Twelve Steps | 1 Comment
I never wanted to stop drinking. I loved to drink. I realized I was an alcoholic in my 20s when I was in school in New York. I remember telling this to my brother, to which he responded, “You think?” I grew up in a middle-class home in northern Virginia. My parents...
The Grace of Group Therapy: Embracing A Life Without “Tea-Shade Glasses”
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Psychology & Therapy, The Twelve Steps | 0 Comments
Some time ago, my life brought me to a point of humility, which made me realize I needed help. Through the help of my home 12-step group and therapist, I sought out an inpatient rehab facility. My 35 days in Tennessee not only provided me with the healing that I...
The Hidden Addiction
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Other Addictions, The Sacraments, The Twelve Steps | 6 Comments
I’m an addict. But you can’t tell by looking at me. I don’t have needle marks and I don’t smell of alcohol. I’m not a compulsive gambler or a shopper, either. I’m a food addict. And I hide it well. Most of my family members and work associates are unaware of my...
The Power of “The Serenity Prayer”
| Alcohol & Drug Addiction, Prayer & Scripture Reflections, Spiritual Tools, The Twelve Steps | 1 Comment
“The Serenity Prayer” God, Grant me the Serenity To accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things that I can And Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace....