Deprogramming You From 12 Step Mythology Periodically we receive calls asking how to contend with all of the AA/12 Step mythology that has permeated our culture. Sometimes the callers are people who are trying to avoid being unjustly accused of being “alcoholics.” Occasionally we hear from folks interested in research based treatment and encountering resistance [...]

Sometimes our readers say things better than we can and this week we're very happy to let two of them speak to you. We hope you appreciate their comments as much as we do. Dear Mary Ellen & Ed, It's funny how my messiness in my house matches the messiness inside of me. Alcohol is [...]

Here's to a Happier New Year. A woman called recently to “educate” me, noting that all we needed to do to “cure” people of their “addictions” and “alcoholism” was to inform them that the problem was simply genetic and that this knowledge would instantly “cure” them. She was well meaning, I’ll give her that, but [...]

Here's to a Happier New Year. With 2015 rapidly approaching, most of us will once again be considering how we might want to improve our lives. Many of us are also approaching the stages of life where decision making takes on new directions. Beginning in our mid-40's, we become aware that the matters that concern [...]

Twas the Night Before Christmas... ...and Sophie, in black, and Parker, in holiday red, have just settled in for a long winter's nap with visions of, well, probably bacon, in their little doggie brains.. :-{) For a bit of a change, instead of talking about abstractions and ideas, I thought we might consider a concrete [...]

Abstinence, Moderation, and Harm Reduction After last week’s Newsletter came out a couple of writers asked whether or not we support moderation and harm reduction as alternatives to abstinence when we are working with clients. The answer is yes. The reason is that neither we, nor anyone else, can tell you what you can or [...]

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn As noted in last week’s Newsletter, there’s no shortage of excuses to postpone, or avoid, doing something about any problem. In addition to waiting until “after” – the holidays, the Super Bowl, your birthday, [...]

Are you an "Alcoholic?" Recently a subscriber wrote to say, "Interesting but I live in Miami. So after a week with you it is just phone calls and back to home alone. I would like to try but since I haven't convinced myself that I am truly an alcoholic, I would be wasting my money [...]

It's Thanksgiving! And this year we’re thankful for – among other things: The opportunity to have worked with 57 of you with nearly all of you achieving the results you wanted – primarily leaving your alcohol abuse behind and addressing the causes directly and successfully, if somewhat trepidatiously; Learning from all of you how we [...]

Collaboration, Anyone? Recently I was watching an interview with Sting on Bravo’s “Inside the Actors Studio.” He was talking about his work with the writer and director of his first Broadway musical and that the end result was a collaborative effort, not a competitive one, and that the result was a better play than any [...]