June 3, 2012 Newsletter

A recent New York Times article noted the following:

“…some addiction experts now envision a future — possibly no more than a decade away — in which treatment for alcoholism mirrors contemporary approaches to depression: Patients will choose from a range of drugs to find the one that best suits them, then couple it with therapy and other tools to achieve recovery.

“What we hope to do is to actually have a menu of treatments that clinicians could choose from,” said Raye Z. Litten, associate director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.”

The good news is that we’ve already been doing exactly that for nearly a decade now.

That’s right – you don’t have to wait for the treatment industry to catch up to the research and experience.

How is it that we can offer you this effective approach when no one else does? Partially, it goes back to 1990, when my research at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota showed how to see your alcohol problem’s relationship to maturity (see following article).

That led to adding the tools that actually work, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Assertiveness Training, Diet, Exercise, Nutrition, Hormone Replacement, Naltrexone, and so on, in a customized mosaic designed specifically for you.

Not something anyone can do “in group” or in AA.

Additionally, we follow along and work with you for months after “treating” you here, individually, for 5 days, while no one else offers any personal follow-up whatsoever.

The result? Our clients succeed over 70% of the time (compared to 5% in others). That’s what happens when you combine the existing ingredients that others refuse to even offer.

To learn about the mix that will work for you, just talk to us and let’s see where you are, and where you want to be.

So Who Does AA Actually Work For?

Over 20 years of our research in Developmental Psychology answered that question. It turns out that it’s possible to assess people’s emotional and psychological maturity levels and these correlate to AA applicability.

Back in the 1950s my crusty old Uncles referred to AA as the Peter Pan Society — a place for all the little boys who never wanted to grow up.

Guess what? They were right.

AA works best for those who quit maturing at about the age of 12. They love cliches, trinkets, slogans, and belonging, and their behaviors are dictated by their peer group.

AA, unfortunately, also “works” for the predators who prey on these conformist “sheep.” These are the “13th Steppers” — men and women alike — who exploit newcomers sexually, financially, emotionally, and physically.

More happily, there is also a third group, the Hyper-Conscientious, who work in AA to protect the sheep from the wolves. But they are a tiny minority for the immense task.

Recognize yourself? Probably not. Those for whom AA is a fit don’t spend long on our website and don’t sign up for our Newsletter. But you might find some relief in understanding why you aren’t part of the “5% solution.”

Want to know more about yourself, where you do fit, and what will work for you? That’s what we help you sort out.

For most of our clients that amounts to some very pleasant surprises that are only a phone call away.