brittanyghickey

[brittanyghickey]

Trump declares Opioid ‘National Emergency’: 3 healthcare impacts

CEO Doug Tieman discusses the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis in Managed Healthcare Executive.

Click Here to Read: Trump declares Opioid ‘National Emergency’: 3 healthcare impacts

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[brittanyghickey]

Angel Card: Divine Mystery 8/30/17

You along with the Sun, Earth, Moon and stars are

part of one creation, a divine mystery unfolding each

moment. Be present and feel the power of now.

Be in the moment and witness the wonder

of it all.

Angel Card: Divine Mystery 8/30/17 published first on https://www.caron.org Angel Card: Divine Mystery 8/30/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

​ Spiritual Friday: Freedom from Bondagehell

Last Spiritual Friday, we had 10 patients volunteer to lead. These Fridays are always special. It is amazing how patients “rise” and offer their best to the community in loving service when asked and when someone trusts and counts on them to do so.

The group selected “Freedom from Bondage” as their topic for the day. They began by introducing themselves and stating what freedom from bondage meant to them:

“Being who I really am”

“Trying something new.”

“Having the courage to love.”

“Moving on from my past.”

“Letting go of self defeating behaviors.”

“Letting go of unresolved hurts.”

"When your soul is exposed, you are truly free.”

This heartfelt sharing really set the tone.

Each patient leader chose their own way of expressing their unique gifts and spirituality. We had three artists in the group who prepared a “Freedom Mural”. They asked each of the patients as they came into the group to grab a marker and write something that meant freedom to them. This will stay in the patient lounge for the next month and the patients will add to it if they’d like; it’s their own Wall of Freedom.

One of the patient leaders suggested placing a box in the patient lounge for anyone to anonymously contribute an original poem or writing. Here’s one:

“Trash” Consuming consumes me… but can’t fill me up. Empty cup, empty places, regrettable faces; the disappointment soon encases everything that was and all that wasn’t. Cuz I couldn’t keep going and couldn’t just stop. Left a mountain of misery I created. Delineated and dilated… my pupils told the story of what I abhor about me and what’s changing by rearranging the placement of trash inside the basement I craft.

All of us were visibly moved by this piece.

One leader asked a random, yet thoughtful, question: “If you could name the most welcoming trait in a mom, how would you answer?” Answers included: Acceptance, modesty, compassion, generosity, faith, patience, always seeing the good, and unconditional love.

Another question was: "If you could know anyone in their childhood, who would you say?” Answers included: Jesus, myself, Einstein, Robert Johnson, Plato, Bruce Lee

Several of the patients shared readings:

“Suffering is not holding you. You are holding suffering. When you become good at the art of letting go, then you’ll come to realize how unnecessary it was for you to drag those burdens around with you. You’ll see that no one else other than you was responsible. The truth is that existence wants your life to become a festival because when you are unhappy, you also throw unhappiness all around.”- Osho

Another patient shared this:

"It isn’t trauma that makes us sick. It’s the inability to talk about the trauma.

Sharing our problems is one way to get rid of our internal garbage. It has been said that we are as sick as the secrets we keep. If we can’t talk about our secrets with someone, we can at least write them down. Since no one else will ever need to see what we have written, we can be completely honest about what we thank and how we feel. If we have turned our wills and lives over to the care of G-d, we have nothing to be afraid of.

By honestly sharing what we think and feel, we are admitting that we own these thoughts and feelings, and they are a part of our lives. Anything that we own we can give away. What we get in return is freedom.” - Our Best Days

One of the leaders led meditation by playing a crystal bowl for about 5 minutes and then there was silence. The freedom we found in the silence was beautiful.

In the small groups, patients were given an index card and asked to write down a secret that was keeping them sick - an event, a thought, an attitude, or a fear that they needed to free themselves from. The patients folded the cards up and placed them in a basket; the basket was passed and everyone pulled a card to read (not their own but it was OK if they got their own). This was very powerful and deeply moving. After we were finished, one group member wrote each person’s name on a piece of flying wish paper. This special paper was lit, burnt, and lifted up into the air. All that was left was a teeny ash - an offering to our Higher Power, a commitment to freedom. Everyone agreed that hearing someone say these secrets out loud made them very real.

I collected the cards and locked them in our prayer room at church to be prayed over for the next thirty days. This was very comforting for the patients.

“The march to freedom is irreversible.” - Nelson Mandela

Do not let fear tempt you to return to a condition you have already outgrown. You’ve come too far to turn back now. Keep moving step by step, day by day, and the miracle of freedom will be yours.

I was so very proud of our patient Spiritual Leaders; they inspired and blessed us all.

Namaste,

Reverend Laurie Durgan

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[brittanyghickey]

Angel Card: Acceptance 8/23/17

There is nothing in your life to fix,

only the disowned parts of you

that yearn for love and acceptance.

You are beautiful just as you are,

regardless of any faults you may perceive you have.

You are a radiant being of light.

Accept all that you truly are and just be you.

When you truly accept yourself,

your whole world will

magically and lovingly

transform.

Angel Card: Toni Salerno

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[brittanyghickey]

The Opioid Crisis is a National Emergency. What Now?

The numbers are staggering.  Every day, 142 people die from a drug overdose.  Every day, countless more are revived from near-fatal overdoses with the use of Narcan by emergency responders, family members, friends and even librarians. According to the New York Times, 59,000 Americans died from an overdose last year – more than the number of Americans who died over 20 years of fighting in the Vietnam War. NIDA’s latest survey, which evaluated opioid prescription use in 2015, found that 38% (92 million) of Americans had used opioids in the past year. Of those, 11.5 million misused the drug and 1.9 million had what was classified as an opioid use disorder. 41% of those who misused the drug got it for free from a friend or relative. A few weeks ago, the Chairperson of the Federal Reserve Bank, Janet Yellen, testified before Congress that the opioid crisis is a threat to the American economy. We are in the midst of an addiction crisis that affects every generation, every demographic and every region of American society. What, then, are we to do? The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis recently issued its interim report, which urged President Trump to declare a Public Health State of Emergency. This is entirely within the president’s power and discretion to take immediate action. The president at first hinted there was no need to declare an emergency, that there were enough resources already available to fight the epidemic. Late last week, however, the president indicated that he changed his mind and was taking the first steps to declare the opioid crisis a national emergency. This is an excellent start. Caron agrees with all the recommendations in the preliminary report from the commission. Declaring a state of emergency not only sounds the alarm about the seriousness of America’s crisis, but it also affords the president and his cabinet officials extra flexibility in responding to it. As the commission indicates, a state of emergency would empower Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price to issue Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) waivers to all 50 states, allowing Medicaid to fund inpatient substance abuse treatment programs at facilities with more than 16 beds — something it is currently barred from doing. The limitations imposed on Medicaid patients when searching for treatment is all too often an insurmountable obstacle on the road to recovery. By removing it, we will be able to get more people the quality, evidence-based treatment they need. Declaring a national emergency also enables HHS to negotiate bulk purchase agreements for naloxone, a drug that many states and local governments have armed their police and EMT units with, which has revolutionized front-line opioid treatment. But there are additional steps we need to take, which were not mentioned by the President’s Commission. Improve the quality of addiction treatment. Time, money, and even lives are being lost in the use of ineffective treatments. It is essential that funds be directed to quality, evidence-based treatments for appropriate lengths of stay, which will likely include medications for addiction treatment (MAT), based on individualized, patient-centered treatment plans. The length of time spent in treatment is critical to success. Too little time, and the cycle of addiction is just likely to repeat. It seems counter-intuitive, but we suggest that it will be cheaper in the long run to pay for longer treatment programs that work than rely on shorter programs that don’t. Cookie-cutter approaches to treatment don’t work, either. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. Like cancer and heart disease, addiction is a category of disease that manifests differently in those fighting it.  Addiction is complex and chronic, and every case is unique.  Many people have co-occurring medical and mental health issues that drive the addiction, and these must also be addressed if treatment is to be successful. Treatment plans must be individualized. Detox is just the start of recovery. Medically managed withdrawal takes time, but recovery requires even more commitment and guidance. Detox with just a prescription does not qualify as “treatment.” There is no magic pill that people can take that will solve their problems. Instead, it takes time and effort to understand what drives the addictive behavior in the first place and then begin to retrain the brain to healthier ways to respond to the triggers. It takes time to stabilize patients, determine what, if any, medication-assisted therapy may be necessary and establish an ongoing therapy plan that will foster recovery.  Treatment does not look the same for all. End the fraud. Programs that enable the exploitation of those living with addiction often send patients on a backwards path, away from lifelong recovery. In fact, the current reimbursement program can work against long-term recovery when fraudsters view relapse as another opportunity to bill for a new round of treatment. The government needs to hold these swindlers accountable, and the addiction treatment field must develop standards for treatment that enable those suffering from addiction and their families to make wise choices for treatment that works. Send our doctors back to school. Addiction to opioids often starts with a legitimate prescription from a doctor or a dentist. Doctors need to be retrained on how to manage pain safely, not just how to prescribe opioids safely. It is the height of irony that legitimate use of doctor-prescribed painkillers is one of the primary drivers behind the epidemic of opioid addiction. With more than 60 years of successfully treating addiction and behavioral health issues, Caron believes that the addiction crisis has never been more urgent than it is today. The stakes could not be higher.  Every day 142 families are burying sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers.  Every day, the list of those lost grows. There is no silver-bullet solution, but we can continue to save tens of thousands from death, and we can offer hope to millions of families across the country watching their loved ones struggle with this disease. To do this, we need to make the most successful solutions available to as many people as possible. That means building our approach around improving the availability of proven, outcomes-driven, evidence-based treatments and making it possible for anyone facing addiction to get treatment for it. The disaster declaration brings the weight of the presidency to fighting this epidemic, but the weight must be aimed at the right spots. Saving someone from an overdose, and getting them to treatment, is just the first step in a long road to recovery, not just for those suffering from addiction but also for us as a nation. The Opioid Crisis is a National Emergency. What Now? published first on https://www.caron.org

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[brittanyghickey]

​ Spiritual Friday: Overcoming Fear

Hi everyone!

During our last few Fridays, we have explored several topics that seemed of interest to our patient community. These topics sparked conversation and also caused many of us to question our beliefs, our faith, our understanding, and our acceptance of who we really are. I’m so grateful that we are able to provide a “space” and time where all of our patients are supported, loved, and honored, whatever their spiritual beliefs are (or aren’t).

One of the topics was F.E.A.R. (Future Events Aren’t Real). We spoke about fears and using our “spiritual tools” to walk through our fears. These tools include prayer, meditation, reaching out, forgiveness, present moment living, love, and reading inspirational words such as these:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of G-d. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of G-d that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Many patients could relate to these powerful words and many admitted that they were indeed afraid to “shine,” afraid of failure and success. They also were grateful for the idea that we all have within us the “glory of G-d”. That regardless of what we have done, where we have been, or what we have believed about ourselves, there is good, there is G-d, and there is love within us. And it’s been said:

“Perfect love casts out all fear” John 4:18

Perfect love is G-d’s love, and with that love within us we can dispel the darkness of our fears. We can walk through any fear into the light of new life.

“If you had any idea Who walks beside you everyday…you would never doubt or fear anything ever again.” ~ Wayne Dyer

“…when we lose contact with our Higher Power, we begin to take control of our own lives, refusing the care of the G-d of our understanding. If we do not make a daily decision to surrender our lives, to the care of our Higher Power, we may become overwhelmed with the fear of life.

As we draw closer to a living G-d we become more conscious of our higher power, and the more G-d conscious we are…the less we fear.

~Just For Today

It seems that every topic we explore on Spiritual Fridays somehow always takes us back to love. It’s always the answer. My prayer is that our patients leave us on Fridays hearing, feeling, and knowing more about the greatest power in the Universe and the greatest power in them – love.

We asked:

What are your biggest fears right now?

What do you do when you feel afraid?

What fears have you walked through while at CR?

How does fear hurt you and your recovery?

How are your fear today different from the fears you experienced using?

How can your HP help you?

Who is the G-d of your understanding?

I’ve linked the You Tube videos we watched on our topic:

(VIDEO)

(VIDEO)

(VIDEO)

I leave you with one of my most favorite prayers, especially when I’m experiencing fear or feeling a need for calm reassurance that all is well.

MY LORD G-D, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

~ Through the Year With Thomas Merton

Much love,

Laurie

​ Spiritual Friday: Overcoming Fear published first on https://www.caron.org ​ Spiritual Friday: Overcoming Fear published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

Angel Card: Inner Love 8/2/17

Oneness

Someone you dearly miss is forever present in your heart.

Remember, dearest one,

that even though there has been a physical parting,

spiritually those we love, never leave us.

Creation is eternal.

Nothing is ever truly missing for all is interconnected

and ultimately one.

“Guardian Angel Cards” by Toni Carmine Salerno

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[brittanyghickey]

National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being

The release today of “The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change” from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being is a watershed moment for the legal profession.  For the first time, representatives from all sides of the profession have joined to propose tangible strategies as to how it can begin addressing the heightened levels of stress, depression, and substance use among lawyers and law students.

Caron commends the year-long effort of the Task Force–a group of nine professional organizations and two experts in the field– to produce such a broad array of practical recommendations. After recent studies cited by the Task Force identified the depth of these problems throughout the profession, this encompassing report gives a set of tools to move forward and represents the next logical step in preventing and reducing these toxic issues.

The Task Force was formed in response to a 2016 study the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation that surveyed nearly 13,000 practicing lawyers on their mental, physical, and behavioral health. Up to 36 percent of lawyers in the survey were classified as active problem drinkers, and between 19 and 28 percent were struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression. These results are far higher than those seen in any other  professions–including doctors, whose addiction rates top off at 15 percent—as well as among the general public. For a profession deeply engaged in every aspect of our personal, social, political, business, and economic lives, these results are troubling, to say the least.

“To be a good lawyer, one has to be a healthy lawyer,” states the report.  Not only have recent studies revealed that much of the profession is unhealthy, but the recent report even alludes to the possibility that many more in the profession are not satisfied or thriving. These previous studies have awakened firms and clients to the extent of the problem, and a recent New York Times feature article  about a prominent Silicon Valley lawyer who died as a result of his drug addiction graphically personalized it.  The time is right for the entrenched culture of law firms and law schools to shift decades of ignoring and enabling to “re-envisioning” a new template for their lawyers and students.

In its report, the Task Force offers concrete recommendations focused on five central themes: 1.    Identifying stakeholders and the role each of us can play in reducing the level of toxicity in the legal profession There are two aspects of this. First is a recognition that there is a “level of toxicity” in the profession that is driving the mental and behavioral health challenges seen among lawyers. Prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes, and building a healthier and more sustainable work culture could go a long way to preventing problems in the first place. The second is that all of us in the legal profession–and those of us outside the legal field who engage in the treatment and prevention of disease—have a role in making this happen.

2.    Eliminating the stigma associated with seeking help Unfortunately, in our culture, addiction is often seen as a moral failing. Bright and driven attorneys often fear that admitting to an addiction problem is tantamount to career suicide. Unlike other chronic diseases such as cancer or diabetes, there is a stigma to the very act of even asking for help. Even though addiction is also a chronic disease which can be successfully treated, too many lawyers attempt to appear “high-functioning” and hide the disease as it progresses. There needs to be a smooth, safe path for those seeking help for addiction, depression, and other mental and behavioral health issues.

3.    Emphasizing that well-being is an indispensable part of a lawyer’s duty of competence This actually represents the most profound and challenging of all the recommendations, and it ultimately may be the most impactful. The practice of law is a calling, and we have a duty of competence to our clients, to our courts, and to our profession. This report couples the key ethical duty of competence with the overlooked axiom that a lawyer’s career must be “sustainable,” especially since the peak years for attorneys are typically from their 40s to their 60s.

4.    Educating lawyers, judges, and law students on lawyer well-being issues Most lawyers, judges and law firms know little about substance use disorders and other behavioral and mental health issues. These disorders are so well hidden by those who are sick that they are not easily identifiable by others. And even when they are identified, we are not a profession which has the expert knowledge to deal with them. Education is the first step to overcome any stigma, and providing substantive information about these diseases, how to prevent them, how to recognize them, and how to treat them is a predicate for a cultural shift towards normalization and wellness.

5.    Taking small, incremental steps to change how law is practiced and how lawyers are regulated to instill greater well-being in the profession The legal and law school cultures have remained intact for decades (if not centuries), often a source of professional pride. Change will naturally come slowly. But the current state of the practice, coupled with the unhealthy consequences of it, cannot endure without profound shifts. Values must be re-examined and change–with a view towards long-term prosperity and quality—as many professions have already concluded and begun to implement.

How Should Firms and Schools Respond to the Task Force’s Recommendations?

This report is the natural catalyst for action. Each stakeholder now has a list of suggestions–some short-term, some long-term. I would recommend that each stakeholder recruit an interested cohort of individuals to implement those strategies it embraces in a staggered and practical manner. Some of these activities may need the oversight and the input from experts in the addiction and mental health fields. Resources should be accessed:  From clinicians to interventionists to treatment centers. As with any chronic disease, the employers should assure a predictable and secure road for those needing help (or asking for help)–without fear of reprisal–coupled with relationships with experts, educators, and caregivers who can assist.  Law firms and law schools themselves–much like the lawyers and students suffering today in silence–must also ask for help.

National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being published first on https://www.caron.org National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

​ Spiritual Friday: Breaking the Shell

Although our group is called “Spiritual Friday” and not “Religious Friday,” we often point out to the patients that religion for many of us is how we awaken to ourselves as spiritual beings. With Good Friday and Easter in March and then Passover this month, it’s good to keep in mind that these religious holidays can give us so many beautiful messages, regardless of what spiritual path we are on.

Even if we’re agnostic or atheist, those of us in recovery have all experienced the letting go as our “old self” dies, as the life we had formerly known ends. But out of that darkness comes great light; a new understanding and we awaken to a new life.

Our time together covered love, courage, hope, change, and spiritual awakening. We opened with some beautiful readings by the patients. Here’s one:

“Every crack is also an opening. When in the midst of great change, it is helpful to remember how a chick is born. From the view of the chick, it is a terrifying struggle. Confined and curled in a dark shell, half-formed, the chick eats all its food and stretches to the contours of its shell. It begins to feel hungry and cramped. Eventually, the chick begins to starve and feels suffocated by the ever-shrinking space of its world. Finally, its own growth begins to crack the shell, and the world as the chick knows it is coming to an end. Its sky is falling. As the chick wriggles through the cracks, it begins to eat its shell. In that moment—growing but fragile, starving and cramped, its world breaking—the chick must feel like it is dying. Yet once everything it has relied on falls away, the chick is born. It doesn’t die, but falls into the world.” - Mark Nepo

I also read the story of the caterpillar and how its struggle out of the cocoon is necessary for it to fly. Often we have no idea what we are capable of or who we are until we experience the darkness of the cocoon and the inner struggle of change – the ideal conditions for flight!

Before meditation, one of our patients shared a YouTube video of a service she attended at our local Kabbalah Center; the message touched her deeply and she wanted to share it with the community.

Every patient received a copy of the “12 Signs of a Spiritual Awakening.“

A tendency to let things happen rather than make then happen. Smiling more. Feeling connected with others and nature. Overwhelming feelings of appreciation. Thinking and acting spontaneously, rather than from fears based on past experience. An ability to simply enjoy the moment. Loss of the need to constantly worry. A loss of interest in conflict. A loss of an interest of interpreting the actions of others. A loss of an interest in judging others. A loss of interest in judging self. Having the ability to love with out expecting anything in return.

Are you waking?

Our meditation was in the form of a beautiful song by India Arie called "Break the Shell”, which perfectly expresses our message for the day. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all did.

The patients received a mediation stone, a special message, and an angel card.

One of the patients received a stone that said "Listen”. The patient’s response was, “I really need to listen to others.” Another patient said, “I’ve never felt so hopeful. Who am I to know that G-d doesn’t have something amazing planned for me?”

Another patient got a stone that said, “Courage”. They responded, “I need courage so I don’t feel sorry for myself.”

“Wisdom” was written on another stone and the patient responded, “I have it, but I just don’t use it.”

I’ll close with some of the messages received by the patients that I wish for all of you:

“May you accept your errors and transmute them from the bitterness of self-blame to the sweetness of self-love.”

“May you have many wonderful friends who love you just the way you are, yet challenge you to be all that you can be.”

“May you follow the dictates of your heart, regardless of what other people may think of you.”

“May you trust your inner voice and listen.”

“May you welcome obstacles as opportunities to express yourself in ways you didn’t think possible.”

Namaste,

Reverend Laurie Durgan ​ Spiritual Friday: Breaking the Shell published first on https://www.caron.org ​ Spiritual Friday: Breaking the Shell published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

​Spiritual Friday: Changes 7/14/17

I’ve been beginning each Spiritual Friday reading with beautiful words to remind patients that they are so much more than they believe themselves to be. So much of our work is the uncovering of old beliefs, old pain, and old stories. The uncovering reveals a “Light” that oftentimes we never even knew we carried within ourselves. Who could feel or see or be that Light when it is so deeply buried under the shame, guilt, grief, loneliness and fear we have in our addictions?

I often read this quote to the patients:

“The goal of spiritual practice (spiritual awakening) is full recovery, and the only thing you need to "recover” from is a fractured sense of self.“ ~Marianne Williamson”

We feel so broken when we finally surrender and end up in the hands of those who can help us heal. And although we feel this way, this beautiful quote reminds us that there is a place of beauty within us – a place of “Light” that cannot be diminished, damaged, or lost, just temporarily covered. What we ‘do’ is not who we are. French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.“

I pray you feel blessed and remember who you really are.

The Truth About You

“Dear G-d, help me recognize the truth about myself no matter how beautiful it is.” ~ Anonymous

“Fearful minds have taught you that the truth about yourself is so horrid that you couldn’t handle what you’d find if you dared to look. Yet, in reality, your truth is so magnificent that if you did look upon it, you’d find validation and inspiration to be all that you have the potential to be.

Most of what you think about yourself is learned from outside opinions. You’ve adopted dark self-images that have been projected onto you by others who don’t know or love themselves. You began to believe that you were deficient to the point that whenever attention was drawn to your inner self, you cringed in fear of being exposed. But the best thing that could ever happen to your true self would be to expose it for it’s sparkling and wonderful in every way. It’s really who G-d created you to be.

If you fear looking at your true self, you’ll find many ways to distract yourself from it. Busyness, drama and addictions are ways of avoiding facing yourself.

To find the peace you seek, stop running and just be. Get to know who you really are. Then you’ll recognize yourself through the eyes of love, and everything will be different.”

~ Alan Cohen

Today’s prayer:

Dear G-d, sometimes believing that I am worthy of your love is difficult for me. I look at my reflection in the mirror, and I see someone who is not quite enough. But then in the quiet moments, when I ask why it is that I am the way I am, I hear your voice gently saying,

“Because you are precious in my eyes,

and honored and I love you.” Isaiah 43:4

And when I look in the mirror again, I see a new person, someone who is enough. You created me, and how can I ever doubt Your work, not only in my physical body but in every aspect of my life?

G-d, let me be more understanding of myself. Let me see myself as you see me.

Open my eyes so that I can see the beauty that not only surrounds me, but also shines in my face for others to see.

Open my mind to the potential for spiritual understanding that You have placed in me.

Open my heart to Your love, Your peace, Your compassion, so that I may be an expression of You in all that I do.

Dear G-d, let me see what You see in me, and give me the courage to be who I am: Your beloved child!

Thank you G-d. Amen.

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” ~ anonymous

​Spiritual Friday: Changes 7/14/17 published first on https://www.caron.org ​Spiritual Friday: Changes 7/14/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

Angel Card: Inner Love 8/2/17

Allow the infinite power

of love within you to

radiate unconditionally

in all directions,

yet stand tall in your

sense of self and

in your own truth.

The healing power of love

will help you

dissolve all illusion

and you will discover

new possibilities.

This is a powerful time

of awakening, transformation

and new life!

“Spirit Oracle Cards” by Toni Carmine Salerno

Angel Card: Inner Love 8/2/17 published first on https://www.caron.org Angel Card: Inner Love 8/2/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

Angel Card: Gratitude 7/26/17

Gratitude

Make gratitude your new attitude.

The stars will shine brighter upon you

as you see more light.

All in your world will become lighter

as you become lighter.

Bless you.

“Healing Angel Cards” by Toni Salerno

Angel Card: Gratitude 7/26/17 published first on https://www.caron.org Angel Card: Gratitude 7/26/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

Caron Treatment Centers Names New Officers, Welcomes Four New Board Members

Caron Treatment Centers, a leader and nationally recognized not-for-profit provider of addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment, welcomed new members and officers to its Board of Trustees today, following their election at last month’s annual meeting. The following individuals will serve as officers for the 2017-2018 term of service: Chair: Steven R. Wall Steve Wall, managing partner of the Philadelphia-based Morgan Lewis, provides strategic and litigation advice to emplooyers on issues involving labor management relations and employment law. He works with clients to manage and resolve matters involving union corporate campaigns, high-profile employment litigation, and workforce change, including labor and employment issues involving new businesses, acquisitions, and divestitures. Wall also counsels both Boards of Directors and C-level executives on employment agreements and compensation for senior executives.  For the past 12 years, he has been named one of the leading US lawyers for employment law by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Vice Chair: Curt Moffatt Curt Moffatt is currently Deputy General Counsel and Vice President – Gas Group Legal at Kinder Morgan, Inc., one of the nation’s largest energy transportation companies.  He holds a degree from Duke University and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Moffatt was the Chairman of the D.C .Area Advisory Board for the Caron Treatment Centers and has been on the Caron Board of Trustees since 2013.  He lives in Potomac, Maryland with his family. Immediate Past Chair: Casey Duffy Casey Duffy is the President and General Managing Partner of Delaware Valley Remediation, a demolition and environmental clean-up firm serving Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic Region. He continues to serve on the Board and on various committees. He is an avid golfer and has strong life-long ties to the Philadelphia Eagles organization. Duffy and his family live in Malvern, PA. The following individuals will serve as new board members for a three-year term of service from 2017-2019: Andrea (“Andi”) Funk Andi Funk is the Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge-Lee Industries LLC (CLI), headquartered in Reading, PA. Funk has been a member of the executive management team and Board of Directors since December 2010, when she joined the company as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer with responsibility for finance, treasury, accounting, human resources, technology and purchasing.  From 2007 to 2010, she served as Director Operations Planning and Reporting for Carpenter Technology, Inc.  Prior to that, she served as Senior Director of Manufacturing Finance, Director of Global Business Development and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis with Arrow International from 2000 to 2007. Funk also worked as an auditor with Ernst & Young in Philadelphia, PA.      Funk sits on the Board of Directors, Audit Committee, and Finance Committee of Touchpoint, a privately held, diversified global growth company with over 3,400 employees, serving an excess of 80 thousand customers in nearly 100 countries throughout the world. She also serves on the Advisory Committee for Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and the R&D Committee of the Greater Reading Economic Partnership, as well as Alvernia University’s President’s Advisory Council, where she is also the University’s 2015/2016 Executive in Residence. Funk is active in her community, serving as Treasurer and Executive Committee member of the Berks County United Way, Board Member for the Wilson Education Foundation, and Financial Advisor to Reading Birth and Women’s Center.  She is also a member of Women Corporate Directors, and has served as a member of Caron’s Finance Committee.   Funk earned an masters degree in business administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 2001.  She earned her CPA in 1993 and has her undergraduate degree in Accounting with a minor in Sociology from Villanova University, received in 1991.  Douglas D. Hawthorne Douglas D. Hawthorne, FACHE, became Founding Chief Executive Officer Emeritus of Texas Health Resources on Sept. 1, 2014, upon stepping down as Chief Executive Officer. Texas Health, based in Arlington, is one of the nation’s largest faith-based, nonprofit health systems. Hawthorne earned his Bachelor of Science degree and his Master’s degree in Health Care Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio. He served Presbyterian Healthcare Resources in many roles after joining the system in 1970, rising to President and CEO of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas (now Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas) and of Presbyterian Healthcare Resources. In 1997, he became President and CEO of the newly formed Texas Health Resources. Hawthorne currently serves as the immediate past chair of the Trinity University Board of Trustees. He serves on the American Hospital Association’s President’s Forum, is a board member of LHP Hospital Group, Inc., and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Oklahoma Corporate Board (BOK).  He is a member of the University of Texas Health Care Advisory Committee and is a member of the Board of Directors of The State Fair of Texas. He is a Lifetime Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Known as a philanthropist and volunteer, Hawthorne and his wife Martha helped establish and fund a health clinic in Tanzania. Working with a team of health professionals and family members, the Hawthornes helped prepare the Open Arms clinic for its opening in June 2011. Over three days the team treated 358 patients. Geraldine (“Gerrie”) McManus Geraldine McManus provides investment advisory services at Granger Management, LLC in New York. Prior to this, McManus helped build Goldman Sachs’ Private Wealth Management business, focusing on ultra-high net worth individuals and family groups. In addition to developing and managing relationships for a select number of significant family groups, McManus advised on the development of the business model, along with several key functions including strategic and tactical asset allocation, access to external investment managers, and trust and estate advisory capabilities. In 2000, McManus moved to London to introduce and implement an international business plan. She returned to New York in 2002. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, McManus was at Merrill Lynch for six years where she was a Managing Director in the Yankee Debt Capital Markets Group. Her responsibilities included advising sovereigns, supranational and international corporations on global debt issuance and liability management. Before working at Merrill Lynch, McManus was at Salomon Brothers for six years, two years as an Associate in Corporate Finance and four years as a Product Specialist in the Hedge Management/Derivatives Group. McManus received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a masters degree in business administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She is on the Board of Trustees of the Delbarton School in Morristown, New Jersey. She is also on Cornell University’s Presidential Advisory Council. In 2008, McManus was honored to receive Cornell’s CALS school’s Outstanding Alumni award. McManus has served on Caron’s New York Advisory Board and Marketing Committee. Richard S. Roisman Richard Roisman is an experienced real estate lawyer at Cozen O’Conner in Philadelphia.  Prior to that, he was a partner at Klehr Harrison in Philadelphia for nearly 25 years, and most recently served in the Philadelphia office of McCarter & English. He has a strong background in all types of finance work and transactions/workouts involving secured and unsecured loans. Roisman earned his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, magna cum laude, where he was on the school’s law review. He received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from George Washington University. Roisman has served as Ex-Officio member of the Caron Board of Trustees, as well as the Chair of the Philadelphia Advisory Board. Richard also serves on the Treatment Committee, Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee, as well as the National Alumni Leadership Council.  “We are very excited to welcome these new members to Caron Treatment Centers’ Board of Trustees,” said Doug Tieman, President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers. “Each of these individuals brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective.  We also welcome our new officers, and thank immediate past chair Casey Duffy for her outstanding service and leaderhip in helping to fulfill Caron’s mission.” For more information, visit www.caron.org or call 800-678-2332. Caron Treatment Centers Names New Officers, Welcomes Four New Board Members published first on https://www.caron.org

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[brittanyghickey]

​Spiritual Friday: Freedom in Spirituality 7/21/17

Hi friends,

I read some beautiful words last week that really touched me. The first quote from the Big Book, page 75, on completing Step 5:

“We can be alone at perfect peace. Our fears fall from us. We begin to feel the nearness of our Creator. We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have spiritual experiences.”

And from an AA pamphlet called “Many Paths To Spirituality” from Bill Wilson (1965):

“Newcomers are approaching A.A. at the rate of tens of thousands yearly. They represent almost every belief and attitude imaginable. We have atheists and agnostics. We have people of nearly every race, culture and religion. In A.A. we are supposed to be bound together in a kinship of common suffering. Consequently, the full individual liberty to practice any creed or principle or therapy whatever should be a first consideration for us all. Let us not therefore, pressure anyone with our individual or collective views. Let us instead accord each other the respect and love that is due to every human being as he tries to make his way toward the light”.

Both of these quotes made me think about our patients – how many of them are having spiritual experiences and not recognizing them as such. There are indeed so many paths to spirituality, including the love and light that Bill so beautifully reminds us of.

So to encourage the patients, we asked that how they answer these questions – that cannot be wrong. Our most important work on Spiritual Fridays is to create a safe, comfortable and affirming space for the patients to explore, question, and express their spiritual beliefs.

What does the word “spiritual” mean to you?

What does a “spiritual” experience feel like?

Can you be spiritual but not live spiritually?

What are you doing to nurture and grow your spirituality?

Can a painful or traumatic experience be a spiritual experience?

One of the patients explained a spiritual experience:

“I always walk around residence and think, “why am I in South Florida, why do I have to be here? The other day, for some reason I don’t know, I just noticed like for the first time all the beautiful plants, trees, flowers and thought why do I get to be in South Florida?”

And another shared…

"I remember one night sitting with my dog, realizing how much I loved him and thought, how can anything be so perfectly beautiful inside and out?”

"I saved someone from drowning once. I was so scared, then the ‘Hail Mary’ just came to my lips. I said the prayer while I saved a life.”

The word “spiritual” means to me:

“holiness, love, compassion, kindness, mindfulness, peace, awe, honesty, science, light.”

Just For Today: Spiritual Awakening

"How will I know when I have had a spiritual awakening? For many of us, a spiritual awakening comes gradually. Perhaps our first spiritual awareness is as simple as a new appreciation for life. Maybe one day we’ll suddenly discover the sounds of birds singing early in the morning. The simple beauty of a flower may remind us that there is a Power greater than ourselves at work around us.

Often, our spiritual awakening is something that grows stronger over time. We can strive for more spiritual awareness simply by living our lives. We can persist in efforts to improve our conscious contact through prayer and meditation on a daily basis. We can listen within for the guidance we need. We can question other addicts about their experiences with spirituality. We can take time to appreciate the world around us.”

I’ve linked three videos we enjoyed. The first a scientific approach to spirituality by Neil deGrasse Tyson who shared that “our atoms came from stars. That yes, we are part of the Universe. We are in the Universe, but most important the Universe is in us.”

Then we listened to India Arie, “I Am Light”.

And finally, Louie Schwartzberg’s TED talk on Gratitude.

Please give yourself a few minutes to be blessed by these. They are each powerful, beautiful and spiritually inspiring in so many ways.

“During my life I have met some of the kindest people who don’t consider themselves spiritual at all. Yet their approach to life comes from a deep caring and concern for all human beings. It comes from basic kindness. That is what spirituality is all about. It’s about our deep connections. It isn’t about what gender we think God is, or whether we even think God exists or what rituals we perform or the creeds we profess. It is experiencing and acting from our deep connections. It is often done quietly with no fanfare. People who are deeply spiritual don’t call attention to themselves, but quietly go about expressing what comes naturally to them, loving kindness. It is a friendliness to all life. This is the best care we can give ourselves, to give love. The more love we give, the more we are open to receiving, and the more we receive the more we have to give.”

~ Diane Mariechild

Ahhhhhh, so beautiful! I’m so grateful for the One who connects us, inspires us, and Who has brought us together – in this moment.

With love,

Laurie

​Spiritual Friday: Freedom in Spirituality 7/21/17 published first on https://www.caron.org ​Spiritual Friday: Freedom in Spirituality 7/21/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

Medication Assisted Treatment

At Caron, we are committed to removing obstacles that obstruct access to one’s sustainable and progressive recovery journey. To that end, Caron utilizes evidence-based principles to guide addiction treatment.

Given the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic we are currently facing as a society, Caron understands and endorses the utilization of Medication-Assisted Treatment as another important tool in treating the chronic, progressive, and potentially fatal disease.

Whether a treatment facility or licensed prescriber chooses Medication-Assisted Treatment in the form of Methadone, Buprenorphine (e.g., Suboxone), or injectable Naltrexone Extended Release (Vivitrol) to address opioid use disorders, it is important to stress that medication alone is not a panacea. Medication must be used as a supportive tool and managed by a qualified healthcare professional in collaboration with treatment specialists as part of a comprehensive therapeutic program.

At Caron, we utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to address the co-occurring disorders often found with substance use. This extensive approach also incorporates various treatment modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), as well as utilizing psychological testing, medical evaluations and 12-Step integration. Therefore, it is imperative that healthcare professionals not lose sight of the clinical protocols needed for patients to succeed. In other words, it’s essential to ensure that Medication-Assisted Treatment is only one facet of a comprehensive treatment and recovery plan.

Of the available FDA-approved Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) strategies, Caron utilizes Naltrexone Extended Release (XR) or Buprenorphine maintenance. Through a diligent and thoughtful process, Caron’s medical and clinical professionals chose Naltrexone XR as a primary choice because it is a non-mood altering opioid receptor antagonist with no euphoric effect, no withdrawal syndrome and no abuse or overdose potential. It is administered as a monthly injection, thus, increasing compliance.  Additionally, if a patient relapses on heroin or opioid prescription medications while taking Naltrexone XR, he or she would not be in imminent danger of respiratory arrest.

We have an ever-growing referral database for addiction medicine specialists who will continue administering Naltrexone XR after discharge from Caron. If Naltrexone XR is not the right choice for the patient, we begin Buprenorphine maintenance and refer to an addiction medicine specialist in the outpatient setting to continue Buprenorphine MAT.

It’s important to understand that if you administer Methadone, Buprenorphine or Naltrexone XR in the face of active heroin or other opioid use, you will precipitate withdrawal and the need for medical management. We need to give doctors and patients choices for MAT, because, no one solution is best for all.

From day one, Caron’s medical professionals begin the conversation with our patients about cravings and relapse risks, and continue to address these issues throughout our patients’ episode of care. We educate all patients about the disease concept of addiction and the importance of implementing evidence-based practices to sustain a meaningful and healthy recovery.

Medication Assisted Treatment published first on https://www.caron.org Medication Assisted Treatment published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

​Angel Card: ​Courage 7/19/17

The Unknown

Do not fear the unknown. This is a time

of deep exploration and transformation.

Unfamiliar territory leads to new horizons.

You have great courage.

And, you are never alone; we your angels

are always with you.

(“Healing Angel Cards” by Toni Salerno)

​Angel Card: ​Courage 7/19/17 published first on https://www.caron.org ​Angel Card: ​Courage 7/19/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com

[brittanyghickey]

​Spiritual Friday: Changes 7/14/17

I love the first quote for all of us, especially for our patients who need to be reminded they all are free to change, if they want to.

“Here is a magical secret we all need to know: People change. No one is stuck who chooses not to be. No one is without infinite potential for a radical turnaroundfrom all that isunconscious and fearful and weak to all that is conscious and loving and strong.” ~ Marianne Williamson

These were a few of our favorite quotes on the topic of “Free to Change.” It was a topic that touched every patient in some way.

“Old ways won’t open new doors.” ~ anonymous

“Everything will change when your desire to move on exceeds your desire to hold on.” ~ Alan Cohen

“God, grant me the serenity,

to accept the people I cannot change,

the courage to change the one I can,

and the wisdom to know it’s me!”

When we asked, “Why Change?” we heard:

“My family deserves better.”

“My life was terrible.”

“I want to stop hurting.”

“I’m gonna die.”

“Living life that way is exhausting.”

“Why don’t you change?”

“The unknown, feeling unworthy, fear, comfortable in the pain, laziness, believing I’m incapable.”

Some of the other questions in small groups were:

Have you changed inside?

What spiritual practices can help you change?

What is a constant in your life?

What is something that comforts you that doesn’t change?

The freedom from fear, hopelessness, self pity and whatever else keeps us from change is found in our relationship with our HP/G-d/Creator, with a power greater than us. We can change, heal, overcome, and create anything - sober.

Prayer is a new way that opens a new door. So are gratitude, willingness, open mindedness, honesty, and forgiveness. All beautiful vehicles for change, and all change in the outer world begins in our inner world.

I’ve linked an awesome song by Tracy Chapman called “Change” – recommended by a patient! The words are profoundly appropriate for the topic, for addicts and for all.

I’ve also linked another video, a patient favorite, from Rabbi Abraham Twerski “How Do Lobsters Grow.” Enjoy the life lesson from a lobster and a beloved teacher and storyteller.

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~ Maya Angelou

Oh the beauty and blessing in change…dear G-d help us see it.

With love,

Laurie

​Spiritual Friday: Changes 7/14/17 published first on https://www.caron.org ​Spiritual Friday: Changes 7/14/17 published first on http://carondotorg.tumblr.com