Embracing the Joy of Recovery

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Written by John Newport, PhD

Thursday, 20 November 2008 06:16

As we approach the joyous holiday season, it seems appropriate to focus this column on experiencing the joy of recovery. As always, please feel free to share this with your clients or anyone else who may benefit from the message.

In his landmark book Passages Through Recovery, Terence Gorski highlights the various stages we go through in the lifelong process of recovery, including transition, stabilization, early recovery, middle recovery, late recovery and maintenance (Gorski, ). As we progress in our recovery, our journey is replete with new challenges at each juncture, together with exciting opportunities to more fully embrace the joy of recovery.

Following the path

To continue to progress in our recovery, we must keep the basics in sight. These include following our chosen program through attending meetings and working with our sponsor; consciously applying the steps of recovery in our daily lives; and adhering to a sound plan to prevent returning to alcohol and drug use (Gorski, )

During the middle and latter stages, many people choose to deepen their recovery through engaging in psychotherapy focusing on family of origin issues; and confronting other issues that have held them back from wholeheartedly pursuing love, joy and creative fulfillment. Examples of exciting new opportunities we may choose to pursue, once we’ve attained some grounding in sobriety, include: going back to school; embarking on a career change that is more in line with our inner sense of calling; deepening our relationships with our partner, other family members, and friends; and giving ourselves permission to pursue a lifelong dream for the sheer pleasure this brings us.

As we progress in our recovery, we should be aware that our journey may, at times, take some unexpected turns. Citing myself as an example, during my 50s, I decided to pursue a lifelong dream of attaining a doctorate in psychology through pursuing an evening weekend study program that took several years to complete. For various reasons, my original plan of becoming a psychotherapist didn’t quite pan out. Instead, my doctoral research, which focused on exploring the connection between following a wellness oriented lifestyle and maximizing one’s prospects for successful recovery, led me to write The Wellness-Recovery Connection. This book, in turn, unexpectedly opened the door to an exciting new career of inspiring addictions professionals to promote wellness in recovery — as well as in their own lives.

A few years back, when I was able to retire from my “day job” I encountered yet another unanticipated surprise. Concurrent with embracing the opportunity to spread the message of wellness in recovery on a full-time basis, I am also aware that my life has taken an unexpected turn. Shortly after relocating from Southern California to the Northwest, I found myself being drawn to pursue my lifelong love for music for the sheer enjoyment this brings. Fortunately, our little town on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula contains an over-abundance of highly talented artists and musicians. In this setting, I find myself spending more and more of my time hanging out with our local “jazz greats” and helping out as an informal PR agent. At the same time, at age 67 I am venturing forth in my new avocation as a “wannabe jazz vocalist!”

Wellness in recovery

Having worked in the addictions field for a number of years, when I wrote The Wellness-Recovery Connection, my prime motivation was to inspire recovering alcoholics and addicts to fully embrace the joy of recovery by acquiring the tools to add years — in many cases, decades — of healthy, joyful living to their lives. Below are some brief highlights concerning how to apply the tools of wellness to strengthen your recovery while fully celebrating the joys of clean and sober living. These points, and numerous other topics, are covered in greater detail in my book, as well as in the Wellness and Recovery Workbook Series I am currently developing in conjunction with the Gorski/CENAPS ® Corporation.

1. Nutritional Foundations: Adopting a nutritious diet will enable you to more fully embrace the joy of recovery through fostering a strong physical, mental-emotional and spiritual grounding in sobriety. Don’t skip meals — especially breakfast — and avoid nutritional stressors, including excessive amounts of sugar, caffeine and highly processed foods.
2. Fitness and Recovery: Engaging in regular physical exercise helps safeguard against relapse and otherwise strengthens our recovery. Among other things, exercise energizes us, raises our self esteem and helps us release accumulated stresses, while dramatically improving our overall well-being.
3. Central Purpose: We all need to focus on pursuing our unique purpose for being on this planet. When we feel good about what we’re doing, we are highly motivated to take care of ourselves and give recovery a top priority!

In closing, I wholeheartedly encourage you to utilize the teachings of your chosen recovery program, together with the many tools of wellness, to dramatically improve your quality of life as you continue along the path. Until next time, to your health! C

References

Gorski, Terence T. Passages Through Recovery: An Action Plan for Preventing Relapse. Center City, MN: Hazelden, 1989.
Gorski, Terence T., and Merlene Miller. Counseling for Relapse Prevention. Independence, MO: Herald House/Independence Press, 1982.
Newport, John. The Wellness-Recovery Connection: Charting Your Pathway to Optimal Health While Recovering from Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 2004.
Newport, John. Workbook 1. Wellness Foundations for Lasting Recovery (workbook and instructor’s manual). Independence, MO: Herald House/Independence Press, 2007.

This article is published in Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, December 2008, v.9, n.6, pp.40-41.

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