Category Archives: Changemaker
My Original Posting About Changemaker
In 1994, I began to gather all my writings bout recovery. My sobriety date is Nov. 24, 1976. I named my company “Changemaker”. I mainly did group lectures while I worked in marketing for treatment centers. I didn’t begin to write about everything until 2004. So much of my work will use the name “Changemaker” because I believe we each to be the changemaker in our own recovery. At a later date, I began writing about “High Energy Life”. So you will see both names throughout my writing.
The following is a reprint from 9/25/2007.
Changemaker is a company that is committed to the basic belief that each person has the opportunity for self-discovery and the potential for self-healing. As individuals, we sometimes choose paths that may be harmful to us. To get off that path and onto a new road takes exploration and experimentation.
The Changemaker Test offers education for self-discovery as we believe that the change within a person involves the courage to see (insight) and the courage to act (action). The test will teach anyone 10 or more labels about themselves. Therefore, by using the labels to change themselves, the changemaker is the person who decides to learn and make the change happen.
Anyone interested in helping others to learn about themselves can start a grow group. Guidelines for monitoring groups, contents for structured groups, quotations for motivation, statistics about the group, suggested times for group, group size, help in helping others to professional guidance, etc. can be found online.
Groups are the recognized best method for people to gain information and acceptance from others. One of the main underpinings of AA is that all members are peers. Anyone has the opportunity to share and to be heard.
In grow groups, the group leader leads only by getting the group together. By caring for others, the group members can learn as well as teach self-discovery. The group leader/leaders may choose to charge or ask for donations to pay for the meeting room and materials. To lead education groups, the only requirement for the business is to have an occupational license to run a business. Grow groups are not therapy groups so no other license is required. All grow groups need to be peer groups with the leadership among all group members.
Healing begins when, in spite of all the negative self-talk going on inside a person, that person feels someone caring and loving them for no apparent reason. This unconditional love comes in spite of attempts to search for a motive.
My Definition of Addiction Recovery
Although many definitions exist, my definition of recovery includes the following characteristics:
1. All mind-altering addictions are given up. Often, an addict will simply trade addictions and call this recovery. If someone is addicted to one mind-altering drug, she/he will be addicted to all mind-altering drugs, legal or illegal.
2. The addict no longer uses the past as an excuse for today. Anything that happened in the past can be the springboard for growth by the beautiful experience of forgiveness.
3. The addict has balance in his/her life to include physical health, mental health, emotional health and spiritual growth.
4. In learning to get healthier, the addict will learn “one day at a time” but with continued growth, he/she will learn to take a longer view of the future and get in touch with his/her hopes and dreams.
5. The twelve steps are essential for turning a negative direction into a spiritual direction. However, the balance comes from not allowing the group to be another addiction used to avoid family and friends.
“The closest thing to a cure for most forms of serious psychological suffering is a permanent change in the way one conducts one’s life–and the changes in feeling and self-concept that occur as part of that process.” Tom Rusk
