A2D - From Addict to Disciple

This is a walkabout episode where I "meet" four people and ask for their thoughts about Father's Day. Listen to how they are handling not seeing dad on Father's Day. One young man never met his dad and now he's deceased. Another who never met his dad is dealing with the fact that now that he's 25 his dad wants to meet him. The third is an elderly man who could never live up to his dad's expectatio...

We take a walkabout on "Motivation Mountain" for today's episode and look at questions like: Are you always trying to take the easy way out? Looking for shortcuts? Sliding through life without facing challenges or handling consequences? If the answer is yes, you may be a day tripper! As we walkabout we look at motivational quotes feeling with adversity, pushing through, believing in yourself, stay...

In today's episode we look at Xylazine, what it is, what are symptoms of use and health risks. We also give suggestions on what to do if you are a heroin user and not sure if it contains tranq. And we outline the reasons why dealers are bulking up their fentanyl laced heroin with Xylazine. Key resources are: www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/other-drugs/xylazine and the flyer from Philly is at www.s...

We've heard about the opioid epidemic in the US for years. Are you aware that we're hearing more about it as more overdoses occur? And that the spike in annual overdoses is directly related to the introduction of fentanyl as a profit making additive into many illicit street drugs. In today's episode we'll look at what fentanyl is and why dealers would sell drugs laced with fentanyl if so many peop...

Dr. Fred Luskin said, "There is a season for our suffering and regret. We have to have that. But the season ends; the world moves on. And we need to move on with it." In today's episode we look at the need to forgive yourself as the wise choice to move on from pain and suffering. Can you believe in yourself enough to forgive and love yourself?

In this episode we look at the voices in our head that often prod us to use or act out in our addiction. How do we silence these voices? Do they only go silent when we take them to their "home" in addiction? The key to silence those voices is to stay in the present. I hope you find the tip of how to stay connected to your five senses as an effective way to silence those voices.

Today we'll look at the things that we hold on to or cling to so tightly that they begin to redefine us. We stay focused on the thought that everything happens for a purpose, that it has come to pass, like a natural flow of events. How can we learn that the only constant in life is change? The best way to embrace change is to allow all things to pass.

Today's episode is a walkabout where I share feedback from four listeners. They each talked about how they feel disrespected. Has being disrespected become your normal, your comfort zone? How do you handle it when someone actually accepts you? What boundaries have you learned to put up over the years of disrespect? Well, the best boundary is learning to speak up and tell people what you like and d...

This episode is in response to comments and questions from listeners to episode # 158 "Victims of Violence." The listeners said they don't struggle with violence but paralysis caused by fears. Fear of getting hurt again. Fear of trusting anyone. Feeling that everyone has and will always be against them. One listener shared their struggle to learn to be grateful for what they have instead of hatefu...

Today's walkabout looks at how the pain we have felt as a victim of violence can live on inside of us for a long, long time. This can be true whether the violence that we felt was physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or economic. Chris Hedges an American journalist said "Violence is a disease, a disease that corrupts all who use it regardless of the cause." Please listen and share this poign...

Today's episode of a walkabout through Old City Philadelphia where I come across historical signs with quotes from Poor Richard's Almanack written by Benjamin Franklin between 1733 and 1758. Join me as we pause, read and reflect on the wisdom for recovery in these proverbs written to readers in colonial America.

Today's episode is a group session with our guys in recovery from the US, Australia and South Africa. They shared their experiences in relation to two quotes: 1) "Sometimes, it is how you shine in the darkness during other people's misery that is remembered more than anything you could have said or done when you have suffered just as much." Shannon L. Alder. 2) "It's not about being good. It's abo...

In today's walkabout episode we Mark Twain's quote "History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme." Have you been blindsided in the past when you were vigilant in avoiding your triggers, but didn't see the patterns that were the rhymes? Often the patterns are hard to identify because they feel familiar but they are packaged differently. I invite you to walk with me, to journey together, as...

This episode is in response to a Listener's feedback from episode #152. They shared their struggle to take their negative thoughts captive as they've been stuck in a dark place for two decades. In today's episode I take a new approach on things, I'm calling in a walkabout. You know how it feels good to just go for a walk to sort out our thoughts? So there will be no five step plan on how to get ou...

Do you find yourself seeking approval, affirmation or validation from others everyday? Is that how you define your self worth? Simply seeing yourself as others see you, or based on what they think or say about you? Well it's time to admit your approval addiction and seek to change. Approval and affirmation should not be your seratonin rush to regulate your emotions. Look inside to find happiness,...

Peter McWilliams said "For many, negative thinking is a habit which, over time, becomes an addiction." So how do we learn to take our thoughts captive? How do we get out of the addiction to thoughts which crippled, paralyzed, derailed or disabled us for so many years? In this episode we outline a plan which was published by Richard L. Ganz in crosswalk.com entitled "6 Ways to Take Thoughts Captive...

Are you feeling weary or dissatisfied with where you're at in life? Does boredom end up fueling your isolation, being a loner, turning to drugs, alcohol or porn for some ecstacy in life? Do you find it difficult to control your anger because you are always frustrated with situations, circumstances or relationships in your life? Well if any of this describes you or someone you know, this episode is...

It only takes one to know that you are loved. Too many guys in recovery stay focused on the love they lost. They feel that the only way to be whole again is to restore that broken relationship. As a result they don't see the love that is right next to them in their new friend, coach, mentor. These are people who know the real you and always have your back.

Today's group episode looks at three more signs they would place at the entrance of a recovery house to plant seeds in new inductees into the program. The quotes are about: 1) it's not easy but it's worth it, 2) recovery must come first and 3) why would anyone want to return to the hell of addiction? I'm sure all of my listeners will be encouraged by the words of my friend on recovery from Austral...

In this group session, our guys in recovery chose one of three quotes that they would put up as signs on the wall if they opened a new sober living house. Here's what the quotes are about: 1) it's okay to go slow, 2) learn to love yourself and 3) recovery opened the gates of hell and let me out. I hope you enjoy their ideas.

Do you remember when Mom would kiss your boo boo and make the pain go away? Why did that work? How did you handle pain when you were too old to get your boo boos kissed? How did you feel when Mom no longer provided the comfort you needed? Could this be a seed that fueled your search to self medicate to numb your pain? Maybe you learned that no one cared anymore so you just began to repress your po...

When you drive a car are you focused on the rest view mirror or do you look in front of you through the windshield? Obviously we all look in front and only glance back! So why do we tend to keep looking in the rear view mirror of our life? Why do we focus on our past mistakes to the point that we limit our ability to move forward? This episode reminds us to start a lifestyle of letting go just as...

Pink Cloud Syndrome is the sense of euphoria that many recovering addicts experience early in recovery. It typically includes a feeling of overconfidence and is referred to as the "honeymoon phase." In today's episode we look at the characteristics of the Pink Cloud Syndrome and how they can negatively affect our walk if we begin seeing the world through rose colored glasses and all of the clouds...

What obstacles do you have in your life or recovery? How are they keeping you from reaching your goals? How can you learn to view these obstacles like hurdles to jump over or puzzles to solve? In this episode we look at those questions and see that obstacles are normal in life. Even if they seem unfair, we have choices on how we handle them. Remember, break through your obstacles before they break...

They say the things we escape start pursuing us and this pursuit can become relentless! So we need to begin to push back so our pursuer gives up. In today's episode our group of guys in recovery discuss the thing that pursued them the most and how they pushed it away.