Spirit of Recovery

The Twelve Steps are a wisdom path that holds principles in common with numerous spiritual philosophies, including New Thought. They appeal to a wide variety of people, many of whom would never practice a religion. Fully embraced, the Twelve Steps lead to a life well-lived. Guest Fred Holmquist, director of The Lodge Program at the Hazelden Renewal Center, has worked in addiction services for 32 y...

Living with energy and creativity demands that we see with clear eyes. It isn’t always easy to face what we find inside us and around us. Singer/songwriter David Roth has a gift for grasping the plain truth and showing it to us with courage, love and grace. David shares why he writes about gratitude, transformation, societal justice, diversity, relationships and peace and what it all has to do wit...

Daily contact with our Higher Power is necessary for high-quality living. It opens us to deeper understanding of ourselves and the strength to grow from challenges. Guest Paul Tyman is a seasoned leader of silent meditation retreats for recovering people. He discusses how 60 years of conscious contact continues to expand his life and shares practical tips on developing a daily prayer practice. Lea...

Recovery means finding the authentic self that has been buried for far too long. Psychodrama and other experiential approaches offer creative ways to get unstuck. These powerful methods help recovering people release blocks and go forward to develop healthy lifestyles and productive relationships. Guest Julie Patrick, a psychotherapist experienced in addictions recovery and a nationally certified...

Trust, boundaries and respect are key aspects of recovery. With a little help from a horse, people can learn these important life lessons. Guest Lynn Moore, addiction counselor, certified equine therapist, and founder of Acres for Life, shares how the wisdom of the horse helps people heal. Read more about Lynn at www.acresforlife.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Addiction wreaks havoc with family relationships. Trust, security and hope fly out the window. However, families can find a way out of the chaos by working their own program of spiritual recovery. Guest Ellie Hyatt, director of Family and Spiritual Recovery at The Retreat in Wayzata, Minnesota, shares what it takes for families to heal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

Spirituality is the foundation of solid recovery—but it can seem so abstract. What does spirituality really mean? How do you know if you’ve got it? Are there specific things you can do to live more spiritually? Guest Val Roney, veteran addictions counselor and facilitator of the Spirituality Group in a women’s residential treatment center, gives practical tips on growing your spiritual life in rec...

The depths of the heart can only be found through healing the soul. Special guest Rev. Allen Liles shares how spiritual honesty opens the door to profound love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Current research shows that our brain has a lot to do with how we experience our spirituality. No wonder active addiction, a disease of brain chemistry, makes it nearly impossible to feel connected to Spirit and spiritual values. Ongoing brain healing is a big part of recovery. Unity minister Steve Maynard, author of the weekly Transformative Living Center e-series, "Your Evolving Brain," offers a...

Recovery brings us face-to-face with what matters most—the gift of life and our connections to other people. Musician, songwriter, author and speaker Dennis Warner touches the lives of adults and young people with messages of self-acceptance and unity. His Beads on One String Project, an anti-bullying program, has reached more than 100,000 children. Dennis shares his music and tells us what motiva...

Guest Nic K., recovering person and addictions counselor, talked with us from Assisi, Italy, on October 5, 2010, about his pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Europe and the Middle East. He went on a profound inner journey as he met himself through people, places and new situations. Nic is back in the United States and will talk about how his pilgrimage has touched him and transformed his recovery....

When posttraumatic stress and addiction both impact a person, full recovery means addressing both. Dennis S., recovering person and Unity minister, shares how he engages the healing power of Spirit to create deep recovery and an engaged, joyful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Bob Dicken shares how he builds trust and connections between treatment professionals, recovering people and the world of religion and spirituality. When these three communities come together in their common spiritual bond, recovering people receive powerful support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spiritual growth takes focus, perseverance and willingness to keep opening the heart. Listening to one’s Higher Power and taking action on guidance is essential. Being of service is a given. Standing still is not an option. Recovering person Paul A. shares how he combines recovery and Unity principles to keep growing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Were the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous metaphysicians, evangelical Christians, both, or neither? Desperate for freedom from a terrible disease, they forged a spirituality that defies description—but who cares? It works. Mark S., licensed chemical dependency counselor, dual diagnosis treatment specialist, and student of New Thought, shares the healing power of living the 12 Steps from a metaphys...

Feeling as if he were trapped in a dark tunnel in which both ends were sealed off, with a sign on the door that read "No Exit," is how guest Douglas Bloch describes his experience with debilitating depression. Determined to find a way through, he combined spirituality, the love of friends, nutrition and therapy. Douglas, author of 10 books, including Listening to Your Inner Voice, shares the gifts...

Dance puts the pieces of ourselves into motion, so those pieces can reform and we can heal. It stirs up the energy that connects us to life. Dance is a powerful recovery practice that moves us to fully embody who we are. Guest Liz T., student and teacher of dance as a spiritual and physical practice, shares how she dances with Spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no such thing as a wasted life—even when that life ends tragically. Kathleen Wilson, author of Child of Mine: Spiritual Healing From My Child’s Drug Addiction, shares how she walked through profound pain to find love and meaning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When family members of those with the disease of addiction seek spiritual growth, their lives improve whether or not their loved one is in recovery. Serenity replaces worry, compassion replaces condemnation, and joy returns. Guest Magdalena E. tells how living spiritually has graced her life with peace and amazing opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spiritual growth really takes off when deep healing is the focus. Working two recovery programs and living Unity principles opens doors to a rich and full life. Guest Jeffrey D. shares why he chooses to be a triple winner and how he walks that path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How wonderful it is to spend a few days free from the daily routine to concentrate on life-sustaining spiritual resources. The Renewal Center of the South (RCS) is a nonprofit retreat center for members of any 12-Step Fellowship that provides just such an opportunity. RCS director Jesse Sell tells how following spiritual principles built this wonderful place and how it enriches lives. Learn more a...

For years scientists have been studying what makes programs like AA work. Currently they are focusing on how spirituality fosters recovery. Researcher Dr. Val Slaymaker shares why scientists are so interested in spirituality, how they study it, and the surprising things they are finding out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being in recovery doesn’t mean we live happily ever after—it means we have the resources to meet life as it comes. Wisdom is embracing the hard times as well as the good. And we find that love is accepting people exactly as they are. Guest Jenny L., longtime recovering family member, shares how she learns to love it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Addiction is a disease of separation. Yoga is an ancient practice that unites what has been pulled apart— mentally, physically, relationally and spiritually. Yoga teacher Julie Wright integrates yoga and the 12 Steps of Recovery, creating a powerful tool that brings balance and an added dimension of well-being to people recovering from all types of addiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Recovery is a wisdom path that leads us deep into our spiritual selves. Desperation unexpectedly opens the door to natural mysticism. Doe A. has plumbed the depths of self, both psychologically and spiritually. In this episode, she shares the rich truths she has discovered in her own mystic heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices