What do we mean by full recovery?

You may have noticed in recent weeks that we changed the slogan for Cedars to "Your full recovery is our sole purpose." I thought I would take this opportunity to explain what we mean by "full recovery". There is one caveat, however. Coming up with a definitive understanding of what is meant by full recovery will be an ongoing process as we continue to fine-tune this concept and all that it entails. But for now, here are some thoughts I have regarding what is involved in the experience of achieving full recovery.

We talk about recovery in terms of re-covering our physical, mental, and emotional health. It is a process of recovering those things we may have lost during our addiction - it may be re-covering jobs, families, careers, money, or our reputation. It also means re-covering less tangible things such as our sense of integrity, enthusiasm for life, and self-respect.

But we can take recovery even further than that, and this is where I get excited. Full recovery is possible when people begin to recover the "possibilities". When we are born the possibilities for all of us are unlimited. Unfortunately, through the process of life, we lose sight of much of what is possible. As we move forward in recovery we begin to realize some of those exciting possibilities and reap the benefits of the human experience. People in recovery are fortunate that they have this opportunity - most people in society don't get to figure out that life is a journey where they get to decide the deeper meaning of life, and all of the possibilities available to us.

In recovery we begin to look at the extent to which our past is dictating our present. As we journey deeper into our recovery on our way to full recovery, the more we choose not to be haunted by the past - messages we may have got from our parents or from things that may have happened to us - and the more we gain freedom from our ego. We learn that as human beings we are much more than our egos and we are much more than our disease.

For example, I talked with someone recently who has suffered with depression for many years. This person admitted to me that she wouldn't know who she was if she were no longer depressed. This is also true for addiction. This may come as a surprise for some to hear me say this, but when I stand up and say, "Hi, my name is Neal and I am an alcoholic," I don't believe that is fully who I am. Technically, it would be more accurate for me to say, "Hi, my name is Neal and I have alcoholism." The fact is I am not my disease. I am a human being first and foremost who continues to deal with all the challenges and all the possibilities that life offers. When we are truly accepting of our "humanity" and all that entails, I think we begin to embrace a sense of personal freedom that allows us to experience all that life has to offer, from agony to ecstasy . 

When people leave treatment, they may not have achieved "full" recovery, but what I hope is now that they are free from drugs and free from the past, they can appreciate they are on a journey which will lead them to explore the possibilities life offers and to begin to define meaning in their life. And for me, this is a spiritual journey where we come to experience all that is good about whom we are as human beings. Some people equate spirituality with religion but the two are not interchangeable. Spirituality comes from the Latin word "spiritus" which means to breathe in or take in life.

When he was here with us, Dr. Graham used to say, "No matter what is wrong in your life you're the problem and the answer is spiritual." One could look at this statement and feel like a victim, or see that it is a very empowering concept. It just takes realizing we always have the choice about how we are going to react to whatever life throws at us, and also that have within us all the answers when we know we are connected with a power much greater than we are.

For each of us to be able to enjoy all the possibilities that life offers and find deeper meaning for our lives, I believe that ultimately it requires developing a personal relationship with a Higher Power or God as we understand God to be. For some people this can be a challenge at first - we each need to find a definition of "higher power" that works for us and decide how we will work with that concept in our life. Ironically, it is by surrendering to a Higher Power that we able to embrace our human experience.

Because our definition of "full recovery" is a work in process, I would be interested in hearing what thoughts our readers have. I would like this to be as an ongoing conversation as we further refine what is involved. If you have some ideas, please send us an email and let us know if we can share them in future issues of the newsletter.

In Fellowship

Neal Berger, Executive Director

Marie B. Reflects on her experience of Cedars 5th Anniversary and Alumni Celebration

Have you been trying to heal from Emotional Eating? Do you overeat, binge eat and generally soothe yourself with food because:

•  You feel stressed and struggle with problems in your daily life  
• You find yourself in challenging and changing times
• You feel exhausted and overwhelmed by your present life
• You feel empty inside and out of balance
• You feel anxious

Take a step towards more happiness and ease in your life. Join Ina Stockhausen, a therapist who has helped countless women stop Emotional Eating for 3 days of healing. Gather with other women like you at a residential retreat that promises to change the relationship you have with your body, with food and yourself.

Incorporating art, movement, ritual and the map of Integrative Body Psychotherapy we will explore:

• Changing negative beliefs that you have about yourself that may be holding you back and are impacting your relationship with food  
• Developing tools YOU need to cope with triggers without reverting back to disordered eating
• What you really long for when you reach for food  
• Updating coping strategies you learned during childhood which no longer serve you well
• Making peace with your body and rediscovering your inner Goddess
• Connecting to your birth right to feel good about yourself  
• Finding a new way to eat - connected to your body and your inner voice

Without the responsibilities and business of daily life you will be able to immerse yourself in healing self-exploration, integrating body, mind, emotions and spirit.

This residential Retreat isn't about dieting or weight loss. It is about addressing the underlying issues that drive emotional eating and re-evaluating your connection with food. It is also about connecting with other women.

Location: Cedars at Cobble Hill Residential Treatment Centre

April 8 - 10th, 2011

 The Retreat will begin Friday April 8th at 10 am and finish Sunday April 10th at 2 pm.

 Retreat Cost:

$ 495.00 - Registration Fee includes all the workshop material, 2 nights accommodations at Cedars and all meals.

click here for more details & to request a registration package, space is limited!