It very much so was an answer. You may not have liked it, but that’s on you. Don’t be an idiot, Every therapist has their own proven, research backed modality of therapy they choose to use or specialize in that has been around for years upon years for most of them. Therapist don’t have their own agenda, that’s idiotic if you to assume. Therapy is for the individual, and a good therapist will work with that person to develop goals using proven and researched backed methods. Therapists themselves don’t have a hundred years of success, but modalities of therapy we use have all kinds of years of success. There are several research based modalities within the therapy domain of ways to help, google them if you’d like to learn, I’m not gonna teach you how therapy works and how there are many proven, research based modalities of therapy. Therapy works if the individual works it, that’s what people say about AA as well. I’m not against AA/NA, but I do know there are many ways for sobriety. This seems to be an issue for you to understand. But to give you a jumpstart, there’s CBT, The Cope Model, Trauma Model, and it goes on. I personally have a library full of recovery resources, including AA/NA stuff. An individual can choose a therapist that they find a fit with. When you ask if they know if a therapist has 100 years of success, I don’t know any, cause they’d be really old. But CBT has been around for bout 75 years or so, so that’s quite a while. Cost varies and yes, AA/NA is free, but that isn’t an issue for everybody. There are many ways to pay for treatment if someone chooses that route. I think I made a comment about myself personally on how I work with people. I’ve answered the question as much as I’m going to and need to in the time frame I have right now, as I’m enjoying time with my daughters, take it or leave it. You seem to be trying real hard to defend AA. there is no need for that, cause I’ve already said many times, there’s nothing wrong with the program, it does work for many, not all, but many. I’m not against it, I don’t try to persuade people from using it, all I’ve said was there are other ways and some people, possibly like yourself, seem to think not. Take care. Enjoy your day.
Probably the part about god giving us grace and not only for us but to help the next alcoholic/addict.
Can't keep what you don't give type thing. I do beleive it's a spiritual disease.
Not sure if that's true but I do believe in god. I havnt finished the steps or have a sponser or go to AA meetings and have been sober over 3 years now with no obsession. I do beleive god took that obsession away
You know all of the people here in treatment are mandated to do aa meetings I've seen many people try doing treatment only and I've been to many funerals from trying treatment only I'm in recovery for almost a decade TREATMENT IS DISCOVERY AA IS RECOVERY. Why I go to meetings is because I can't do this by myself
God is the reason I'm sober and alive. I chose that route, but I have done celebrate recovery. That last time I went to NA I watched someone go in the bathroom and come out looking high. It seemed like everyone's concern was getting a paper signed. But I do have a therapist that has worked wonders for me, but he respects what keeps me sober. I think everyone has their own route to sobriety.
DBT works pretty well for me. I have a therapist but you can do DBT by yourself. There are plenty of free workbooks you can get for it. Give it a shot
I’m going to say experience. AA/NA, or other programs self run by addicts themselves have the advantage of lived experience. Therapy groups working with others who are dealing with addiction, will be traditionally run by a therapist who has gone to school to earn a certificate vs lived experience. I do understand that a lot of addicts become addiction counselors with certifications and we could certainly seek them out. But, the therapy that my insurance is going to pay for is probably going to be with a therapist who has a bachelors not with an ex addict who gained a certificate. And, speaking for myself I find less meaning in what someone who has never dealt with addiction in a personal level has to say than in what someone who has been down the same road and is willing to talk about their lived experience is going to tell me. All the schooling in the world will not replace experience. I personally have tried addiction counseling and this was exactly the case. The gal was a very nice book educated woman who had the best of intentions, but could only speak to what she had learned in a class room, a with other clients.
Meetings are about sharing experience, strength & hope. In solid AA / NA groups, there is a lot of sobriety. Thus, there is a lot of experience, strength, & hope. My experience is that many people suffering from the disease of substance addiction have burned a lot of bridges & everyone left is an active drinker/user. They are isolated from healthy people. Meetings are a fast, affordable way to make new sober, non-judgmental friends that are available 24/7. Some cannot afford therapy; a therapist cannot be your friend, sponsor, or available during an individual crisis moment. Generally, it is a planned appointment. Life happens without checking your appointment time. For me, therapy & AA/NA meetings serve 2 different purposes.
And I get that. Most therapist or counselors I know don’t have life experience, whether with addiction or even mental health, most are still good. I’m different than many. I have licensures for both and experience personally, which is why when I share some self disclosure with clients, they open up more and are more willing to go through the process once they know that I can actually relate. Not all therapists have that, which is why I got into this field, so I could hopefully bring something to the table that many licensed therapist cannot.
Do you have proof that therapy works? AA/NA etc. works only if the person is ready to turn their life over to Christ! Therapy helps but is not the key
Not really my point. But, yes, I do have proof therapy works. Every client I’ve worked with the last 12 years that’s still sober who has worked through the process
12 step never worked for me. If anything talking about it made it worse. Going on almost 2 years of sobriety now with no slip ups.
There are millions of amazing recovery stories in AA/NA (and other 12 step programs that have new and beautiful lifes without turning it over to Christ. I’m sure many people do use Christ as their HP, but no 12 step program I ever attended was based upon any religious belief system or specific HP. I’m happy if it works for you and countless others, but please be open minded and tolerant to other paths of HP/God
Preach!!!
Well… Daniel. Coming from another well educated drug and alcohol addiction counselor/therapist myself after reading through all of this it would seem to me that you seem to have a lot of self run riot going on still within you, with some none admiring beliefs for the program or respect. Getting sober or clean is through the program at hand that is handed down by bill and bob in the big book of AA, that goes over to NA whichever is your choice, and so first and foremost you admit you are powerless over alcohol or substances and your life is unmanageable. So whether you think or feel it didn’t work for you, which is personal choice. It just like therapy if you give a client a medication to take, therapy comes with it. Goes hand in hand, so in your sessions or as I do, detox, you hand them a big book, what comes next.. AA or NA. Correct. You can not practice what you’re not willing to teach.. meaning you can’t speak the lingo if you’re are not willing to suit up and show up.
I have no self run riot within myself. Not sure how you derived that from my post? I’m great, sober for years and helping people daily. I never stayed no respect for the program. It didn’t work for me and I’ve seen many others say the same, and that’s perfectly fine. Not every method works for everybody. We are all different even though we may struggle with similar things. I don’t believe the program is guaranteed like I’ve seen some people try to state. Nothing is guaranteed unless the individual actually puts in work, whether it be therapy or a program. I don’t think or feel it didn’t work for me, I know it didn’t. And when I work with addicted clients, I don’t give them the big book, that’s what the program is for, I use research based therapeutic methods. And I’ve had tons of clients get and stay sober with therapy alone. Again, I’m not against programs, all I’ve ever said was that the programs are not the only way to get and stay sober, and apparently some people freak out about that. And explain to me what you mean by I can’t practice what I can’t teach?
I honestly need all of them! I completed a 28 day program after some jail time to change my attitude/want towards sobriety. Then a 90 day Veterans program with therapy & CBT based recovery. I am continuing after care with meetings and a Domocilary program along with therapy. But I think it depends on the person, situation, & reasons for sobriety! But I’m just an Iraqi veteran from Indiana so what do I know…Lol.
I was simply making a statement that like you’re in therapy your therapist so if you give somebody medication then obviously you’re gonna give them therapy along with that medication so all I was simply saying is that if people are gonna do an AA or an NA program then simply they’re going to get a big book so if you’re teaching sobriety along with your therapy, then you would probably supply somebody with a big book so that big book is in (AA) program correct or an NA program so what I’m saying bye You’re teaching obviously you’re teaching your clients alcoholics anonymous so that’s what you’re preaching which is alcoholics anonymous just because it didn’t work for you. You should still teach your clients that there are those programs out there even though it didn’t work for you don’t get something that didn’t work for you. You should teach all methods within your therapy sessions And I read your post that you were being pretty provocative and kind of a little snooty and that’s why I said that you were running on self riot. I don’t believe exactly what it said but I think you were saying something like I don’t think it didn’t work for me. I know it is to be a therapist and making a broad statement like that I don’t really think you gave it a chance you’re basically saying that the reason why the program didn’t work for you it’s because people made fun of you and stuff like that. I just don’t think you really gave the program a chance the programs not for you to go in thereand make the programs higher, which is a God of your understanding or something that you believe in and then that big book what’s in that big book is all you should’ve been concerned about that book is very powerful and so is that book and 12 traditions
I don’t teach alcoholic anonymous. I use researched based therapeutics interventions related to substance abuse. Different from programs, programs aren’t therapy. I do inform clients of the various programs out there, not sure where you saw that I said I didn’t, cause I’ve never said that. I tell them about programs if they already don’t know, but I don’t teach them in sessions and don’t give out big books. That’s not my role as a therapist. Meetings are way different than therapy. I wasn’t being snooty, I was asking a question. To see why some people almost pressure others to do the program cause it worked for them. I don’t pressure anybody to go one direction or another, it’s about what works for each individual. And I also never stated anything about being made fun of in meetings. Not sure where that came from. I wasn’t accpted in one or two I went to as the age difference was an issue for some, but I was never made fun of or anything like that. I think you’re misreading things I’m saying or not getting my point. Just cause AA didn’t work for me doesn’t mean I don’t let others know about it, I just don’t pressure anyone to get into it, I give them a choice.