Mindful Recovery

For years the mutual self-help groups for those in recovery have been Alcoholics Anonymous (and various other Anonymous categories), Celebrate Recovery, Smart Recovery, and Recovery Dharma. The latter three built off of Alcoholics Anonymous to incorporate either a specific religious doctrine or the absence of spirituality. Therefore, people in recovery are forced to choose, the inclusion of spirituality or not, and the only other religious doctrine included is Christianity or Buddhism.

 

Mindful Recovery seeks to integrate Recovery Dharma, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Energy Psychology to offer a new model of mutual self-help meetings for people in recovery. Mindful Recovery will include meditation, mutual sharing, Mindful Milestones (replacing step work), energy healing modalities, and peer support for individuals. For spirituality, Mindful Recovery will use the word Universe or Spirit to incorporate a universal approach for all doctrines.

 

During meetings, a peer support person will lead the meeting with a licensed therapist, a candidate, or a student in training. The peer support meeting leader will have at least 18 months. The meeting will begin with a guided meditation. The purpose of meditation is the stillness of our minds and bodies, to clear energy for health and growth, to connect spiritually, and other healing aspects that occur when one meditates regularly (e.g., stress relief, lower anxiety, lower depression, etc.). Following meditation, the group will have mutual sharing of their stories and experiences that is healing-focused. We find that in meetings without meditation, individuals can get stuck in problem mode or ruminate on past use. In recovery meetings with meditation, it often presents an atmosphere that is healing-focused rather than problem-focused.  Some meetings, depending on the availability of volunteers will include various forms of energy healing. This may include Self-Reiki, Reiki, Sound Healing, Drumming, Aroma Therapy, Breathwork, Therapeutic Yoga, Guided Meditation, and more.

 

In addition to meetings, individuals will work with a peer support person who has been sober for at least six months instead of a “Sponsor”. They may even work with multiple support people for a variety of support options and approaches.

 

The creators of Mindful Recovery believe in the value and effectiveness of step work in early recovery. We have incorporated this into our model calling them Mindful Milestones. Much like a butterfly metamorphosis recovery involves stages and a process of change. Mindful Recovery takes the stages of metamorphosis and uses it as a metaphor for change in recovery. 

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Join us for the first meeting on August 8 at 6:30pm-7:30pm at Inner Work!