VOLUME VIII / AUG 2013
Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle.
NOTE FROM DR. B.
On August 1, 2013, Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed a bill legalizing the approved use of “medical” marijuana. This unfortunate news will likely worsen highway safety, increase substance abuse treatment demand, increase workplace costs as productivity decreases, and threaten community safety near the new dispensaries.
It is due to the implications of this bill that I feel so strongly about my project, The Parents Academy. The point of the Parents Academy is to put the power back into the hands of the parents, and provide them with the resources necessary to help them guide their children through young adulthood and learn how to help them grow into successful, healthy adults.
We must actively work to provide a safe environment for our children, and the Parents Academy is a way for us to establish a shielded setting for our children regardless of what laws are passed outside of our household.
VOLUME VIII / AUG 2013
Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle.
NOTE FROM DR. B.
On August 1, 2013, Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed a bill legalizing the approved use of “medical” marijuana. This unfortunate news will likely worsen highway safety, increase substance abuse treatment demand, increase workplace costs as productivity decreases, and threaten community safety near the new dispensaries.
It is due to the implications of this bill that I feel so strongly about my project, The Parents Academy. The point of the Parents Academy is to put the power back into the hands of the parents, and provide them with the resources necessary to help them guide their children through young adulthood and learn how to help them grow into successful, healthy adults.
We must actively work to provide a safe environment for our children, and the Parents Academy is a way for us to establish a shielded setting for our children regardless of what laws are passed outside of our household.
I have been actively speaking out against the HB1 Bill in Illinois, and have now moved on to Ohio, one of the next states with a marijuana bill pending legalization.
STEP OF THE MONTH
In step 4, you made an honest and unflinching examination of your own character flaws and mistakes. In step 8 you must make a similarly fearless and unstinting accounting of the people you have harmed as a result of your addiction. This step is not about making amends; that is yet to come. Step 8 is about personally facing and acknowledging the damage you have done to others in preparation for making amends to them. It can be easy to justify addiction as something only harms yourself. Step 8 requires you to be honest about the impact that your addiction has on the people around you. If you do not recognize the mistakes in your own past, you cannot move into the future. Step 8 is about specifics, about recognizing patterns of harmful behavior, acknowledging and accepting the harm you have done to others. You cannot make genuine amends if you do not know what, exactly, you are apologizing for. You must be completely willing to own up to and sincerely understand the harm that you have caused, and be willing to make direct and personal amends to the people you have hurt.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
In a report published by CESAR Fax, marijuana continues to be the most commonly detected drug among U.S. male arrestees; the percentage of arrestees testing positive for marijuana ranged from 37% to 58% across the five sites in 2012. In Chicago, 86% of male arrestees tested positive by urinalysis for illicit drugs.
COMMUNITY
On Saturday, September 21, 2013, Two Dreams Outer Banks will be participating in the Walk Against Addiction. Two Dreams will be setting up a booth alongside other treatment facilities and proponents of addiction treatment during this annual event. The event will take place at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills, NC. The objective of the walk is to raise awareness and to promote education around the disease of addiction. All proceeds will benefit the “Awareness That Addiction is a Disease” fund to educate people about addiction and assist those that need treatment for substance abuse.
To learn more about the Walk Against Addiction
THE 3P’S
Mental Peace
Mental Peace: In a world full of chaos and stress, it is hard to find a moment of rest for the inner spirit. Meditating, while difficult to withstand, can help put a rest to our fidgety tendencies in addition to bring about mental peace. Meditation can seem strange for beginners in the western part of the world, but there are many simple ways to get started.
1) Find a comfortable, quiet place with little distractions. Turn off your phone, get away from all forms of technology, and relax. If you choose to be inside while meditating, pick a room with soft lighting and a soothing color: baby blue or light green are the most tranquil colors.
2) Sit cross legged on the floor, on a firm surface. For those of you with difficulties sitting on the floor, sit in a firm chair or stand in an upright position with good posture.
3) Focus on your breathing. For beginners that are easily distracted, practice at first with white noise: sounds of the ocean waves flowing, wind chimes with a rhythmic pattern, or sounds of crisp leaves rustling in the wind.
4) Slowly straighten your back to an upright position and continue breathing in a consistent pattern. Let your mind drift away from stressful thinking as you straighten your back.
These are simply the beginning steps to achieving mental peace through meditation. Meditation should be repeated ritually—even if for simply 20 minutes a day.
Physical Well Being
Use the last of your spices on this easy but delicious side dish that complements barbecued meat perfectly! Grilled corn on the cob has been a summer and tailgating staple for years because it’s messy, wonderfully buttery, and fun to eat. Making corn on the cob can be tailored to involve the whole family, as the kids can strip the hairs and brush the butter, while adults can finish the corn on the grill. Follow along with this recipe from TV host/ chef Bobby Flay:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add the onion and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the paprika, cayenne, cumin and ancho powder and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook until the mixture becomes thickened and the water reduces. Let cool slightly.
Place the butter in a food processor, add the spice mixture and Worcestershire sauce and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, scrape the mixture into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Recovery First Tailgating
Tailgating is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “an informal meal served from the back of a parked vehicle, typically in the parking lot of a sports stadium.” However, there’s an element that the dictionary doesn’t mention: drinking. “Tailgating” has become almost synonymous with the consumption of alcohol outside the stadium, which often leads to belligerent behavior inside the arena. Fortunately, there’s an organization called Recovery First Tailgating that is breaking that mold for those that want to socialize before sporting events free of mind-altering substances. Recovery First Tailgating was started by Dwayne Beason, President and CEO of St. Christopher’s Addiction Wellness Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Following the general tailgating trend, Recovery First mostly goes to football games, although they are organizing a kickoff golf tournament for August 30th. They don’t go to just any football games though; Baton Rouge is also the home of Louisiana State University, which has one of the best football programs in the nation and plays some of the best teams, thanks to its presence in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), which has other historic teams like Auburn and Alabama. According to a blog by an attendee, Mike Neatherton, people at the inaugural Recovery First Tailgate at the LSU-Alabama game last season had a fantastic time – They feasted on Cajun classics like gumbo, fried catfish, and petit fours, but “as good as the food was, and as great as the game was, both paled in comparison to the joy of the fellowship experienced by all of us in attendance… I witnessed the joy of being sober.”
For more information about this great program
Contact Felicia Kleinpeter @ 225-937-1132 if you are interested in hosting a Recovery First Tailgaters event at your school. We will help you!!
For admissions and all staff call us at: (504) 510-2331
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