Total Person Recovery Program
Joseph Chiappetta, Jr.
A “Total Person Approach” to Chemical Dependency
Founder Judis Andrews has joined the TRS Team to work on reducing substance abuse and the 85% recidivism rates that reflect the results of substance abuse relapses.
Recovery and The New Millennium
By Judis Andrews
It has been more than 60 years since Bill W. and Dr. Bob developed the original Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program. Since then, society has changed, and so has the addict.
Recovery today is designed to occur on the fly, in between meetings. In this new transient world, chemical dependency experts seek to get the addict off of drugs, bolster their outward appearance, teach them the 12-steps, and point them towards a meeting. This traditional approach can work; unfortunately all too often it takes several painful and brutal setbacks before any meaningful progress is made.
Most rehabilitation centers offer this form of recovery, however it is temporary and superficial. Today’s person is a complex being, constantly adjusting to a complex world. In pursuit of a lasting, more fulfilling recovery for this “new millennium person”, we offer the Total Person Approach to chemical dependency.
The disease of addiction, regardless of whether there is a drug involved or some other fixation, affects the mind, body, and spirit of the addict. Physical detoxification is reasonably easy to accomplish, however as every addict knows, getting off of drugs is not the problem, staying off is.
In the Total Person Approach, we seek to have addicts find value in themselves, redefining their life goals and their ultimate purpose. This process involves cognitive restructuring, behavior modification, and purpose driven action.
Addicts are not bad people. Before their addictions took hold, they were active, productive members of society. Their addiction is not who they are; it is what they have become. Recovery has to be designed to reconnect the addict with their true self. The Total Person Approach offers those who suffer from addiction an opportunity to not just regain what they have lost, but to exceed that.
The process begins when we look at the history of a person’s drug use, where it began, and where it has brought them. It is important for addicts to do this process without denial or blame while accepting responsibility for the hell they have created. If they accept responsibility for the past, they can empower themselves to create the future.
In the Total Person Approach, we don’t discount the existence of God, but we don’t absolve a person of the responsibility for their own sobriety. Traditional 12-step programs emphasize a “Higher Power”. TPA focuses on a “Higher Purpose”, using God, family, and all else to motivate each person out of their personal hell towards a positive, constructive lifestyle. TPA philosophy is sobriety achieved by: 1.) A desire to willingly work towards sobriety 2.) A belief that each person has the talent, potential, and power within to attain a sober, joyful lifestyle. Once a person accepts control and responsibility for their future, they can move past the negative influences and destructive choices of the past.
With sobriety comes a greater awareness of the world. A person chooses new paths, and new behaviors to match the view of their self in the world. A person seeks to fulfill their potential and now makes purpose driven choices. TPA recommends taking up a hobby, exploring new career choices, and embracing one’s spirituality. With new experiences come new challenge. Even sober people have issues. Maintenance of sobriety demands structure and discipline. TPA recommend attending 12-step meetings, committing to volunteer work, and becoming an active part of the community. In these ways, the person takes their energy from negative pursuits toward positive action. They recognize the rewards this new lifestyle provides, and the desire to return to their previous existence dissipates toward the attainment of long-term sobriety.
Drug use and addiction has evolved, and by necessity, so has recovery. Make no mistake: addiction is a beast eating away at the fabric of our country. It affects over 40 million people in one form or another, and less than 20% of persons recovering from addictions achieve lasting sobriety. The Total Person Approach looks at recovery from the “inside-out”. The focus is on the individual gifts and strengths of each person, empowering them, and motivating them towards a lasting recovery. The principle idea is that each personal success reinforces a commitment to sobriety, and a structured life plan maintains it. Sobriety is not a goal. It is a life journey. Read complete article From Here To The Streets (Total Person Recovery)
