VOLUME XI / NOV 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.
In this season of the year most of us begin reflecting on who and what is really important to us in our lives. It is wise to reflect on the experiences we have had and our own development and awareness of who and what we are.
This month’s Dream Journal focuses on Spiritual Awareness. How do we come into our awareness? Do we use prayer and meditation? Do we have a conscious contact that gives us knowledge and power to cope with life and adversity? How do we express tolerance and acceptance of the experiences of others?
VOLUME XI / NOV 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.
In this season of the year most of us begin reflecting on who and what is really important to us in our lives. It is wise to reflect on the experiences we have had and our own development and awareness of who and what we are.
This month’s Dream Journal focuses on Spiritual Awareness. How do we come into our awareness? Do we use prayer and meditation? Do we have a conscious contact that gives us knowledge and power to cope with life and adversity? How do we express tolerance and acceptance of the experiences of others?
This month our staff has reflected on Step 11 and the topic of Spiritual Awareness. We have also added a new section to our Journal from our Executive Clinical Director entitled “Sid Says.”
I hope you will enjoy reading the featured selections and gain some insight that you can use in your own process of spiritual awareness and self-development.
In addition, I am so pleased to offer our Angel Scholarship once again. Each year for the Holidays we give back by offering qualified applicants the opportunity for treatment at no cost. If you know of someone who could benefit from this program, please contact our Executive Clinical Director, Sid Miltz, at [email protected]
STEP OF THE MONTH
Working with clients at Two Dreams Outer Banks I often hear them speaking of, “A fleeting moment of serenity and peace”. This moment is described as a gift of clarity and silence where the individual does not need to think or move. During this moment the client needs not to participate in feelings of guilt or shame or regret or remorse. This moment provides the client with the opportunity to just “be”. Clients often talk about this moment after a group therapy session where they strongly identified, after meditation, or after a 12 Step Fellowship meeting. The Big Book also recognizes this moment and terms this “The Fourth Dimension”. “The Fourth Dimension “is described as being at peace with yourself, those around you, and at peace with your higher power.
Step eleven, “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out”, is the direct vessel of living one’s life in the moment of clarity and serenity described in the previous paragraph. Meditation provides the necessary silence in today’s world of hectic schedules, meeting appointments, deadlines, and running errands. The silence through meditation provides the individual with the ability to discriminate between wants vs. needs, chaos vs. peace, and confusion vs. simplicity. In addition, through prayer we can ask for, “the power to carry that out” through the attributes which we already possess as unique beings. The practice of meditation connects us more clearly to our conscience, most likely the same conscience that told us a change was necessary when we were living unhealthy lifestyles.
In meetings I have heard old timers tell newcomers that the experience of serenity and joy is a “pink cloud” and will pass, I do not believe in this negativity. I know through personal experience if I work step eleven on a daily basis this “pink cloud” feeling persists. I no longer am overwhelmed by feelings of shame, guilt, and fear and understand that I am experiencing a new freedom on a daily basis which I have never experienced before. I know that my higher power’s will for me is to be happy but in an unselfish way, I will describe this more thoroughly next month when I write on step twelve.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Smoking really does make you look older, a twin study confirms
While there many habits that we naturally acquire, smoking can be one of the bad ones. In an article published by NBC News Health, “smoking reduces oxygen to the skin, which also decreases blood circulation, and that can result in weathered, wrinkled, older-looking skin, explains Dr. Bahman Guyuron, a plastic surgeon in Cleveland, Ohio, and the lead author of the study.” While some may have a challenging time to understand this, twin studies were conducted to compare the faces of two smoking twins. It was seen that those who smoked appeared to age faster than those who did not.
Holistic approach blends spirituality, nutrition, conventional treatments
When we seek to improve our lives, many seek spiritual ways to do so. In fact, spirituality can be a gateway to good health, when balanced with a proper support system and positive attitude. “Spirituality is a huge piece of how we address the stress in our lives,” said Dr. Thomas Golemon, chairman and professor for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. ”
COMMUNITY
This month on the Banks:
For November, we are all celebrating the holidays together. Staff and clients will celebrate with family and give thanks. All guests will be encouraged to mingle and gain insight into spending quality time with family members in a state of sobriety. The staff is encouraging guests to explore their spirituality and try to gain an enhanced understanding of their higher power; performing assignments and tasks centered on Step 11 within the AA process. We are focusing on a multitude of different meditations: guided, silent, audio, and breathing meditations.
Quote of the week:
“Peace does not mean to be in a place where this is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~Anonymous
STAFF HIGHLIGHT
This month’s highlighted staff is Morgan Morris. Morgan is a native of North Carolina and is the Case Management Supervisor and Operations Coordinator for Two Dreams Outer Banks. Morgan graduated from Western Carolina University with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Social Work with a focus in Addictions Policy.
While completing his undergraduate education Morgan joined Sigma Chi Fraternity, joined the Army Reserve Core and met his now current wife.
Upon graduation, Morgan joined the US Army. After serving his country, Morgan began his career at Two Dreams beginning in July of 2011. He is currently working on his Master’s Degree at Winston-Salem State University in Rehabilitation Counseling. His duties at Two Dreams include: training and supervising all case managers, coordinating all case management services, assessing program needs and writing as well as implementing new policies under the guidance of the Clinical Directors. He also teaches clients surfing in warm weather and conducts a weekly group on the zen of surfing that relates well to a recovery lifestyle.
Morgan is professional and also the epitome of a laid back guy. He handles difficulty with ease, values all people, and cares about clients in a very deep way. He is creative in problem solving and is a model of what a strong work ethic is in reality. Morgan has been a key team member in all the growth Two Dreams has been blessed with in the last couple of years and definitely shares in the credit of making Two Dreams Outer Banks the great program it is today. He is a person who is dedicated to the mission of helping those who are suffering.
Morgan values quality time with his wife and together they enjoy traveling and trying exotic foods. He enjoys spending time with his dog, Raja. His hobbies include: running in races, fishing, watching sports, reading and playing ping-pong with clients at Two Dreams.
Thank you Morgan for all you do!
THE 3P’S
The 3 P’s: Mental Peace, Physical Well-being, and Personal Productivity
First let us look at what the 3 P’s mean: Mental Peace is a state of mental and emotional calmness, which lacks excessive worries, fears or stress. In this mental and emotional state the mind becomes quiet and you experience a sense of happiness and freedom. Physical Well-being is not just the absence of disease or illness. It is a complex combination of a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and relationship health factors. Personal Productivity is experiencing a sense of accomplishment and meaning by engaging in producing a desired outcome and/or product.
Initially, in recovery these aspects feel fleeting and temporal; however, as you continue weaving and growing your spiritual awareness into all aspects of these states it becomes clearer that the “connecting” factor for success in achieving and maintaining these states is having an internal connectedness to “self” and to the higher power of your understanding.
Spiritual awareness is the intrinsic understanding and conceptualization of “self as a whole” that has a significant connection to something greater than self, that is outside of self. This spiritual awareness is the pinnacle around which the 3 P’s can operate in a purposeful fluid manner. Spiritual awareness is a conscious construct that developed over time and is a process of personal growth. As one actively engages in activities that are conducive to spiritual growth spiritual awareness becomes more internalized and increases the lasting results and greater experiences of the 3 P’s. Spiritual access is the thread that weaves internal stability to withstand and cope with life on life’s terms and produces life changing results of a state of “really experiencing life” within the state of mental peace, physical well-being, and personal productivity; which results in continual movement towards becoming the “person one was truly created to be”, and allows one’s gifts and talents to be utilized for their intended purpose, peace with self, others, the world/environment, and with ones higher power.
SID SAYS
Knowing Your Path
I’m stubborn. I figured this out a long time ago. A good example of this is when I was a little kid taking swimming lessons. Ms. Ollie, the coach, told me she had to “wear me out” making me do laps in the pool before I was tired enough to listen and just execute a backstroke the way she was instructing me so I could advance to the next level. Life lessons start early.
Many times in life when it would be easier to relax and float down stream, we struggle swimming against the current. Humans are funny creatures.
Think about how you do this from a spiritual perspective. We struggle swimming against the current because we control and remain in self-will. We often have to get “worn out” meaning face adversity in consequences before we will stop and hear the instructions. The whole time our Coach has been there calling out instructions while we keep running our riot.
Part of Step Eleven teaches us to pause, to slow down, listen to instructions and to use our tools of prayer and meditation to elevate our spiritual awareness. This step reminds us that the goal is improvement in our efforts to connect with our Spiritual Nature and all aspects of our true path. In order to obtain this we first have to seek it. Imagine that!
How much more serenity we would have if we just used these tools of Recovery. I am not suggesting that every day is easy. They are not. I do believe that putting forth conscious and deliberate efforts to improve our own connection to our own Spiritual Nature will help us through the difficult times and give us the power to know our mission and stay on our path.
Today I am grateful for all those people and events that had to “wear me out” in order for me to hear my instructions. I am grateful and lucky today to have found my calling and know my path.
I hope you do too. This is invaluable.
For admissions and all staff call us at: (504) 510-2331
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