12 Step Family

 Key 5, The 6 Stages of Change,  can make all the difference in your understanding of what your loved one is facing as they struggle to free themselves from their addictive behaviors. The Stages of Change Model can also help YOU understand what it takes to move from your co-addictive behavior, to the detached, loving behavior that will free you from misery AND be most likely to have a positive impact on your loved one. The 12 Keys to Sanity for Family Members are designed to provide family members of addicts  with a variety of strong recovery principles and models to help them face the challenges of  loving anyone struggling with addictive behaviors. This month, our focus is on Key 6: The 6 Stages of Change.

Ever try to break a habit? Not easy is it? And the 6  Stages of Change Model will help you understand why – and how –  to break through to success!

Perhaps you have counted on the 21 day idea to get you through – Namely, that if you practice a new behavior for 21 days, you will have momentum that will allow you to more easily move forward to breaking the habit for good. I like that idea and have used it to get me over the hump of difficult changes I am seeking.

But there is more to the picture. The 21 days start once you have begun taking action on your change. What about the days leading up to the very first day you stop an old habit or start a new one?

According to researcher James Prochaska, PhD, those pre-days are just as important, if not more so, than the first 21 days of the action steps. Prochaska’s research on how people change habitual behaviors has resulted in The 6 Stages of Change Model, which is taught in universities and to patients in substance abuse treatment centers all over the world.

If you want to change a behavior in your life, and according to Prochaska, each one of us is in the process of changing 3-4 things in our lives at any given time, you will want to become familiar with this model, as its stages and how you go through them could determine the difference between your success or failure this time around. Most changes take 3-4 spins through the stages to take hold, Prochaska says. But, by becoming familiar with the stages, a self-changer can improve their ability to handle each of the stages more effectively and perhaps reduce the number of retreads they will need to succeed.

Prochaska outlines the process in his book Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Forward (Harper Paperback, 2006).

If you would like to learn more about the Stages of Change model and reading the book is not on your immediate agenda, keep reading this month’s blog entries. We will look at the Stages of Change model, stage by stage, with tips on how to help yourself or a loved one move forward from stage to stage!

If you would like to begin with an immediate brief overview of the 6 Stages of Change model, click here and I will send you an article that briefly explains each stage for you.

In the meantime, have a Loving Day!

Best,

Coach Bev

www.beverlybuncher.com

786 859 4050

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IntheRooms.com social networking website for addicts, RT and Kenny, did a series of interviews with Lee and James of the Recovery 101 podcast (Los Angles), which loosely covers the 12 step recovery programs, while taking a more laid back approach that is “less like a meeting and more like going to coffee afterwards,” according to the website.

During episode 1 of the podcast series, RT and Kenny spoke about the reasons they started IntheRooms.com and the features and functionality of the new site for recovering addicts. The founders also discussed the global impact that their vision of In the Rooms has had, as it now serves to connect people from all “anonymous” groups (NA, AA, CA, GA, MA, etc), so they can interact and help each other during their downtime between fellowship meetings.

Mentioning the concept of transcending the boundaries of the fellowships, the founders noted: “If I’m an alcoholic going to a AA, I’m not meeting other people in these other fellowships…we wanted someone in say AA, who is kayaker in Washington state, to meet a kayaker in Georgia, whose in GA, and a kayaker in Texas, whose in NA, and get friendships and ‘say hey lets meet in Utah to do the snake river.’ And feel safe together because their all in recovery and have the same hobby. They’re from three different fellowships, but its all addiction, its all recovery.”

During the 2nd episode of the In the Rooms podcast, Kenny and RT spoke about recovery in general and the long process recovering addicts must endure and stick through to make recoveries, always humbly giving credit to God. They also talk about the cutting edge, technical advances the site offers to ensure recovering addicts truly seeking recovery “can find a safe place where they can come and share their feelings,” spam free and harassment free, while still having the capability to start their own groups and make friends. Finally, they talk about the 30,000 plus members that In the Rooms currently has, since it opened less than a year ago.

During the Richie Supa “In the Rooms” song episode, Richie speaks about his recovery experiences and how he got together with RT and Kenny to get involved with IntheRooms.com and write the song. Richie says, “I’ve known Kenny and RT for years through recovery, I’m coming up on 21 years,” adding, “one night they approached me with the idea for the website, and I thought it was a great idea, and they mentioned they’d love to have a song for In the Rooms and planted the seed.” Richie later adds, “It was just flowing to me…I wanted write a real accurate song, but not full of fluff, I wanted to make it really real.” Richie goes on to speak about his nomination for a Prism Award this year, which he has since been awarded as part of the 2009 ceremonies.

For more information, click the text links in the article or visit Recovery 101 at: recovery101.podomatic.com. For more information on In the Rooms, visit: intherooms.com.

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In the Rooms is a social networking site, and for those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, it describes a site similar to facebook where people can network and communicate online with each other. However, the difference is that In the Rooms is specifically designed to utilize the most cutting edge, web technology to create one the top addiction recovery network online today. The site is host to a slew of features that include various 12-step recovery programs, NA and AA fellowship, a Meetings database, and online-chat group meetings. In the Rooms started in October of 2008 and already has over 12,000 registered members. Additionally, In the Rooms was featured on several news stations including NBC News 6 in Miami.

The Street Team campaign is all about trying to connect the addiction recovery community further with In the Rooms by spreading the word about the new opportunities available online as result of the technical advancements that In the Rooms provides by connecting recovering addicts, at no cost, around the globe. Existing members are encouraged to get the word out in creative ways at fellowship events, conferences, camp-outs, meetings, 12 step programs, spiritual retreats, music festivals, while respecting the traditions of all recovery fellowships to the utmost.

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With recent reports placing Florida as the US state with the most seizures of illegal drugs and a booming rise in addicts of Meth, Oxycodone, and MDMA, it’s good to know that a fellow ship like FAMILIES & FRIENDS OF ADDICTS: Nar-Anon has a presence in the community.  The Nar-Anon fellowship is comprised of friends and family members who are worried that there loved one has an addiction or drug problem.  Nar-Anon’s recovery program is an adaptation from Narcotics Anonymous and uses its own Twelve Steps methods known as Nar-Anon’s Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts.

Throughout the state, family members of recovering drug addicts can go to the website:  http://www.usrecovery.info/Nar-Anon/Florida.htm to find upcoming Florida Nar-Anon meetings and events.

One of the major nar-anon events that will be held in the following months is the 3rd Annual Nar-Anon: Memorial Day Weekend Convention, which takes place May 23rd and 24th in Fort Lauderdale, at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Airport Resort.  Registration is open to the public and plenty of spaces to the related events are still available, such as an 18 and under meeting.

Another major event is the 2nd Annual 12 Step Music Fest, which will be taking place November 5-8 (2009) at Sugarloaf Key (mile marker 20) KOA Campground in the Florida Keys.  It is being produced by No Matter What Productions, a not for profit charity, and is being sponsored by the new online, social recovery, networking website: In the Rooms.com This year’s performers include, Richie Supa and Mike Zito.  Tickets are still available.  For more information check out the website at: http://www.12stepmusicfest.com/general/master.php?pn=about12step

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There’s been a lot of talk about a new social networking site called In The Rooms (www.InTheRooms.com). Similar to MySpace or FaceBook, InTheRooms.com lets members post photos, chat online, and meet other members from around the world. But InTheRooms.com caters to a special sort of member, individuals in recovery.

Whether you are thinking about getting clean or sober; whether you are one day, one year or one decade in recovery; InTheRooms.com offers a friendly and supportive online venue for members can meet and discuss life experiences, make new friends, exchange information/resources and much more.

Well over 1,000 new members join InTheRooms.com every month and with new features like a an ever-growing, worldwide fellowship meeting database, member created chat rooms and the soon-to-come iPhone application, InTheRooms.com is growing more and more each day.  

Make sure to visit www.InTheRooms.com to meet thousands of members who are taking it one day at a time; finding support online whenever they choose, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

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