NEWSLETTER Thursday’s Meeting 7:30 - 9:00 EATON CANYON SOBER LIVING Jim W.: Understanding the Problem sional — a doctor, a dentist, a car mechanic — and that person can find out what your problem is and tell you. But alcoholism and other drug addictions are the only diseases in which the patient has to make his or her own diagnosis. It won’t do any good to have a doctor tell you, “You’re powerless over alcohol [or cocaine, marijuana, etc.].” You must make this diagnosis yourself. This is very hard to do because alcoholism and other drug addictions are diseases that tell the patient, “You haven’t got it; you’re fine.” That is how you can tell who has the disease. If someone swears, “I haven’t got it,” it’s pretty certain the person does. What exactly is the problem? The Big Book tells us, without The very first thing you have to do to solve a problem is find out what the problem is. This sounds simple, but it often isn’t. In order to find a real, lasting solution, you have to understand the problem thoroughly and know exactly what it is. Until you have this information, you can’t solve your problem. If your roof is leaking, you can’t begin to fix it until you find the hole. Usually when you have a 12345678901234567890123 problem, you can go to a profes- 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 Visit Us 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 On The Web! 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 www.eatoncanyon.org 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 12345678901234567890123 pulling any punches, in Step One of the Twelve Steps: The problem is that we’re powerless over alcohol and our lives have become unmanageable. Understanding and acceptance of this will be the first step in your recovery. It all boils down to that one word: powerless. Once we really see this and accept it, then we can understand that there’s a solution. Until we fully understand this, however, we’re still lost. This newsletter was written, edited, published and printed by Alcoholics and Addicts in Recovery. Eaton Canyon Foundation 3323 E. Fairpoint St. Pasadena, CA 91107 N EWSLETTE R IN THIS ISSUE • Live in the N.O.W. • Relapse Prevention • Understanding the Problem • Testimonials Vol. 1 No. 1 August 1998 Change Everything By Devin R. my experience and the experiences My experience has been that of many others I know, drug and change is the most basic ingredialcohol abuse are but one symptom ent of recovery, one which applies of the disease of addiction — the to every aspect of life. I had to Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous change everything about me — tells us that we need a program of my friends, my values, my ideas, living which will my morals, my thinking, my behavA common miscon- both prevent future relapses and allow ior and my overall ception is that once us to function as lifestyle. I had to drugs and/or alcohol positive and contribbecome a entirely uting members of are taken away, life for new person. I the alcoholic/addict and society. acquired a new The entire his family will be serene belief system based program here at on an understanding and prosperous Eaton Canyon of a power greater —Devin R. centers around than myself. giving people like A common misconception is me an opportunity and structure in that once drugs and/or alcohol are which I can begin to change and taken away, life for the alcoholic/ grow. Using the 12 Steps of Alcoaddict and his family will be holics Anonymous, other on-site serene and prosperous with no education, plus the fellowship of our further action necessary. But in house and 12 Step meetings, I have begun to develop an entirely new lifestyle, one I can enjoy without substance abuse. I’ve come a long way from the person I was just a year ago. Drugs and alcohol are no longer a part of my daily life. I can enjoy life on life’s terms, be of service to others, and be a productive employee and citizen. If you’d asked anyone, a few years ago, if I was capable of The Choice Is Yours! such changes, they would have said Eaton Canyon House “NO” and so would I. It’s only been possible through this program Helps You Choose Wisely! of recovery. “ ” A Human Service Provider EATON CANYON SOBER LIVING Eaton Canyon House People Helping People I Need To Tell You... ...in spite of what you think!” By James Heard, Executive Director ‘In order to become someone that you’ve never been...you have to do something that you’ve never done.’ The same man will drink again... and such can be expected if there is no change. The recovery process begins with taking an indepth look at self. Since, of course, drugs and alcohol are only symptoms of the problem, the real problem lies within. Thus the only logical and reasonable conclusion would be that a complete overhaul of self is necessary. What an order! This involves abandoning everything that we believe in and live for. It leaves us vulnerable to all our fears, naked of our facade, our egos crushed, and our false pride deflated. How can I live with myself? The answer lies within the 12-Step Program, a proven design for living. It provides a new set of concepts and motives which begin to dominate our lives. A new way of thinking, character development and belief system that allows us to successfully live life on life’s terms, thus controlling and minimizing character defects that once tried to destroy us. Without making these necessary changes, “the same man will drink again.” Tuesday’s Meeting 8:00 - 9:00 Wednesday’s Meeting 7:30 - 9:00 Bill M.: Live In The N.O.W. Yvonne P.: Relapse Prevention Has it ever occurred to you that the only time you can recover is in the present moment? Probably HAVE YOU Talked To Your Higher Power Today? Eaton Canyon House EATON CANYON SOBER LIVING NEWSLETTER Executive Director . James Heard Peer Counselors . . . . . Bill M., Yvonne P., Jim W. House Manager . . . . . . . Devin R. Writers . . . . . . . House Residents Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan B. Graphic Design . . . . . . . . Mike D. The Eaton Canyon Foundation is a not for profit organization that operates the Eaton Canyon Sober Living, the Navarro House, and a Bad Weather Shelter in Pasadena. This Newsletter is published once a month by the Eaton Canyon Foundation in order to better communicate it’s purpose to it’s benefactors and contributors. All information contained within this Newsletter is designed for the private use of it’s residents, staff, supporters and alumni and must not be distributed to individuals not associated with the Eaton Canyon Foundation. Contributions contained in this Newsletter do not neccessarily reflect the opinion of the Foundation. few have realized, even slightly, all that it implies. It means that you can only live in the present. It means you can only experience in the present. It means that you can only act in the present. Above all, it means that the only thing you have to heal is the present thought. When you understand this thoroughly, remarkable results will follow. All that you can know is your present thought, and all that you can experience is the outer expression of all the thoughts and beliefs that you are holding at the present time. What you call the past can only be your memory of the past. The seeming consequences of past events, be they good or bad, are still but the expression of your present state of mind (including the subconscious). What you call the future, things that you may be planning, or things Tools of Sobriety Apply the tools of Recovery in All Your Affairs Work with a Sponsor Eaton Canyon Foundation Go To Meetings People Helping People (626) 798-0150 3323 E. Fairpoint St. (626) 798-8155fax Pasadena, CA 91107 Daily Prayers that you may be dreading — all this is still but a present state of mind. The only joy you can experience is the joy you experience now — a happy memory is a present joy. The only pain you can experience is the pain of the present moment. Sad memories or existing resentments are present pain. Get conscious of the present moment and know peace, harmony, joy and good will. It is only by staying in the now that one can have a conscious contact with God which will allow you to be free of the past and accepting of the future. Now stands for: No Other Way ...to know God. The Eaton Canyon Foundation Needs Your SUPPORT! This non-profit organization needs your donation in order to continue helping those in need. “The greatest poverty that can afflict the human spirit is the loss of a generous heart. You will know that success has slipped away when your passion for helping others grows cold.” - Bill Lane Doulos, Supporter Mail your tax-deductible contribution to: Eaton Canyon Foundation 3323 E. Fairpoint St. Pasadena, CA 91107 or call (626) 798-0150 for more information or receipt. This Group is based on a cognitive-behavioral treatment that combines behavioral skilltraining procedures with cognitive intervention techniques to assist individuals in maintaining a sober lifestyle with desired behavioral changes. It is one thing to get sober — the challenge is to live sober one day at a time. To reduce the risk of relapse, we take a qualitative look at harms associated with addictive behaviors, those things that bind us. We look at high-risk situations that pose a threat to the individual’s sense of control and increases the risk of potential relapse, particularly things with emotional impact. Each week, a didactic Group is led with experiential components. The following is a list of topics: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Anger, Blame and Resentment Hurt and Sadness Fear and Insecurity Guilt and Shame Caretaking and Codependency Taking Care of Ourselves Emotionally 7. Grief Recovery Get Out Of Your Head And Into Go d! 8. Forgiveness — Self and Others 9. Relationships 10.Procrastination 11.Remorse, Responsibility and Regret 12.Love, Understanding and Appreciation In a chronic disorder such as alcoholism/addiction, the danger of relapsing is always present. The result of relapse is often very tragic. To hamper such setbacks, the Relapse Prevention Group spends time and effort attempting to identify triggers and aid in discovering what happens emotionally. In each Group one thing is always stressed — to see to it that your relationship with God is right. For only then, as the “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous tells us, can great events happen for us and countless others. We learn from the “Big Book” that “probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism” and “that God could and would if He were sought.” In Relapse Prevention Group, we seek Him together. Testimonials These are the personal words of some of our residents. They reflect their present growth and commitment to their new way of life, while also reflecting their dreams and expectations of a clean and sober life. We at Eaton Canyon feel that these comments reflect the majority of our residents. Michele G., Alcoholic-Addict Eaton Canyon has given me a structured, supportive environment in which I can begin recovering from alcohol and drugs. There exists a comraderie involving people who sincerely care about one another and are honestly concerned about each other’s problems. We go to 12-step meetings together, read and discuss the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, meditate and pray together, and generally help to promote each other’s recovery. Grant G., Alcoholic-Addict Eaton Canyon is, in every sense, a house of God. I came here after a period of sobriety during which I’d suffered misfortune in my personal and business life. I wanted to try sober living as a safeguard against a return to substance abuse. However, I never expected to encounter the experience I was to find here. This house and its residents gave me not only a place to live, but also friendship, support, education, spiritual development, love and peace. James N., Alcoholic After over a period of ten years of drinking and drugging, which resulted in losing my home, my wife, my job and self-respect. I had been admitted to many treatment centers with very little success. I then came to Eaton Canyon Sober Living and by the Grace of God had a spirtual awakening and was given a new lease on life.