Residence 12 in Kirkland Washington - Recovery for Women

Women in Recovery have special needs.

If you're a woman or have a special woman that you love in the Seattle, WA that has a problem with drugs or alcohol, please visit the link below to find out more about Residence Twelve in Kirkland Washington.

www.ResidenceXii.org

Sober for the Holidays

Sober Christmas Dinner at Fremont Fellowship Hall on 90th & Aurora Avenue North in Seattle, WA.

Fremont is an AA Hall experience that you will not want to miss!

Dr. Patrick Hart

For those looking for a professional Addiction and Mental Health Specialist in the Greater Seattle area, I recommend Dr. Patrick Hart, who has helped many to overcome some serious challenges regarding dysfunctional living behaviors, addiction, alcoholism, and mental health concerns.

Visit Dr. Hart on the web at www.TheHartCenter.com.

Please mention referal from this ad when contacting Dr. Hart, Thank You and God Bless!

Dual Diagnosis

It has been one of the most heatbreaking things to experience in my life to see someone I love dearly, not able to get the help she needs from the mental health and addiction recovery services.

My fiance for over a year now keeps falling through the cracks of the systems in place to deal with individuals who are both mentally ill and cronically addicted to drugs and alcohol.

If anyone has much experience in these dealings with Sound Mental Health and the other agencies that can help, please contact me.

Thank You.

Get F*cked UP!

Isn't interesting how we say "Let's get f*cked up!" and that's exactly what we're doing?

We are f*cking up our families, our jobs, our health, our finances, our emotional states, our relationships, our lives!

Funny how truthful the truth really is?

So, the next time you say, "I wanna get f*cked up?", think about 'what' you're 'really' saying!

St. Francis Prayer

This prayer is very popular throughout the ages, it is also a well suggested addition to anyone's recovery routine to do morning and evening, as well as the serenity prayer.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Complaining vs Explaining

There's a fine line between complaining and explaining. It seems that people who have not done much self examination in the 4th step work, usually hear complaining when you're actually explaining something to them.

If we have not done enough inside work to get out of our 'victim' roles, then we are still traumatized by everything and everyone in the past, not to mention the present, with all the little interactions we have relating to people.

It goes along the lines of 'hearing what we want to hear' or 'we process only what is inside of us'.

When I work with others around the program and I see that they're stuck in the victim-itis of their disease, and I explain a situation, they can only hear complaint, because if you're explaining something in depth, they have a hard time processing it as simple story telling or information relayed.

It's similar to when I "explain" the AA program to my chronically alcoholic brother, and all he hears is me "complain" about his drinking.

There's answers locked inside of us, if we search them out. Try doing the 'California 4th Step' which can be found online. It's a workbook that will help you unlock the answers within and then, not only will you "EXPLAIN" more often than "COMPLAIN", you will also hear the difference when someone is just "EXPLAINING" things to you and not attacking you with "COMPLAINTS"!

Al-Anon

If you're having trouble in your relationships, tired of the drama, feeling like you're alone and your needs aren't getting met, feel like a door mat, getting used, walked on, bending over backwards for others, overworked and underpaid, too generous, too giving, can't seem to get your wife or husband to stop drinking, or maybe it's the out of control kids or other family members or friends...?

Maybe you should try going to a few alanon meetings. It's an easy support group that's helped millions who are feeling like yourself if you match the above feelings. There's never any pressure there and you may get a little relief from the chaos in your life by attending a few meetings.

And hey, it's cheaper than a shrink! It's FREE!

Passive Aggressive

Have you ever been passive aggressive? Do you know what that means? Well, it's when you are in a manipulation mode, trying to wrestle something into going your way, and you are extremely nice to get you way, and then, if it's not going your way, you turn extremely mean and attacking.

So, do you behave like this? Many people do in varying degrees and some of it is just plain crazy and wrong. The basis of this behavior, like most if not all of our dysfunctional actions, is FEAR! When we are afraid that we are not getting our way, or that if we don't get our way we'll somehow not be okay, we will wiggle through situations and step on others toes with this passive aggressive behavior.

This is very damaging to relationships with others and if you have any of these behaviors, take a look and see if you need to make some changes and some amends in this area.

We often find that when we change our behavior, others will treat us better and we'll feel more comfortable about things. You see, if we're behaving this way becuase of fear, then we do some damage, and create harm to others, then we are uncomfortable and thus even more afraid and alone. The cycles must break with us. We HAVE to be the changes that we want to see in the world!

There Goes September

September 2008 comes to an end and it was good to be clean and sober this entire month.

We had some good weather in Seattle this month and a few good recovery activities in the area.

Hope your September 2008 was a good one too.

Remember to give love, as that's the basis of our program. As soon as we 'expect' love or anything else in return, we set ourselves up for failure in many obscure and easy to see areas. It's a blessing that we're sober and we need never forget where we came from. We are NOT victims anymore, actually... We never were victims, just volunteers.

Peace and Happiness!

Picture of the Day!!!

Anyone missing that HIGH? Want to REALLY get high... then get into recovery!
Ask for help if you need it!

Sex Sick

I'm so tired of listening to these guys around the AA hall talk about these women that they're interested in like they are just sex objects and pieces of meat. What has happened to this program? This program was founded on Christian principals and moral conviction and the meetings these days are becoming a place to just dump your toxins out through your mouth and spread the disease and problems around.

Clean up your acts, you losers! (I know that's not too spiritual, but I'm sick of it!!!!)

Do a sexual inventory with a sponsor who KNOWS about having a relationship with a woman and has some experience with this stuff. You guys sound like you may as well be at a bar room or a dope house with that kind of talk and attitude, not a church basement!

Homeless in Seattle

Many people are homeless in Seattle and other cities around the US.  It's starting to get towards the end of summer and into the colder seasons.  If every church group out there in out country takes on just one homeless person over 40-years-old to sponsor, and really get involved with their life, such as work with them, give them food, shelter, clothing, but most of all, your time, we may cut down the homeless percentage by half if not more.  Ofcourse there needs to be some criteria on helping them, so make a very disciplined plan, and have them work with someone in the fellowship all the time.  These people are sufferers of lonliness and depression and need the human interaction as much as the material help, if not more.

Too many agencies in our country try to help masses and masses of people, when they wind up giving only very little time to each individual and thus, no one really gets help.

Form a plan for your church to sponsor a homeless person over 40 now, before the hardship of winter comes along.  Who knows, maybe once the prospect is on their feel better, they'll help you take care of the next homeless sponsee that you bring aboard!

Gin Billy

"Gin Billy"
by Christopher A. Miller
©1999

Sent away by his momma since the day he was born
Raised by a bootleg, strainin' that corn
Woke up in a bottle and it's there that he mourns
Gin Billy

Rolled across the country on the wrong side of the tracks
Pretending he was something in his circus acts
Everybody loved him but it's love that he lacks
Gin Billy

He made a name for himself, having no name at at
His claim to fame was how he made his fall
Gin Billy

(instrumental)

He made a name for himself, having no name at at
His claim to fame was how he made his fall
Gin Billy

His pain and neglect continued unchecked
Respectable Rejectables thought him suspect
Doomed by his liquor's promise to protect
Gin Billy

Missing Homegroup

Well, I confess, I missed my AA home group tonight, by choice, because I'm worn out tired and need some down time. I've been going and going and listening to everyone else's drama and giving my time and I'm just flat worn out. So, I can easily justify NOT going to homegroup. A big part of recovery for me is MAKING HEALTHY decisions, and keeping balanced. As long as I know where I stand in my cycles and healing, then that's the whole point of the process.

Irish Pilates Cartoon

Drinking really gets you into shape!

The Cycle of Addiction

This is why it is suggested that we turn our will over to God, do a moral inventory, clean up our wreckage, and then help others. When we do this, it gets us out of ourselves and our thinking, thus breaking that cycle in the mind.

Which step are you on in the recovery process?

Meth Makes You Beautiful

Just think about how good that meth rush feels, and how beautiful you feel, and then keep chasing it because you know you want to feel 'this' good all the time, and look how fashionable you'll be after feeling 'this' good in just a few years!

The TRUTH is: DON'T BELIEVE THE LIE!

Does Drinking Impair Your Judgment?

Does drinking really impair your judgment?

Great 1st Step Cartoon

Turning it Over

In the morning, after I sit for awhile and reflect on things, on how I feel, on what I'm going to do for the day, what I need, what I want, who I love, all these thoughts start to race around in my head and it leads me to going to the "source of Power". That one is "God, may you find Him now!" But first, I have to sit down awhile and take this 'time out' period of reflection so that I can realizethat even in my calmest time, after sitting a few minutes, that I still need God, want God, and connot do without God, which leads me into a prayer of 'Turning it Over'.

Self centeredness, that's the root of our problems

From Websters.com
self·ish
1: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
2: arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others (a selfish act)

The Big Book of AA tells us that this is the ROOT of our problems. That means, that this IS our problem. Not the drinking, nor drugging, nor our current marriage, job, relationships, income status, what kind of clothes we have to wear, if our driver's license is suspended, no... none of that crap. We're selfish to the extreme and think about and care about ourselves most all of the time. That's the problem.

So, what's the solution? Do something for someone else, or another way of doing this is, taking care of ourselves, without stepping on the toes of others. Quit asking everybody to do everything for us, and quit whining, and quit playing the victim. That's our solution. This does not mean being a pillar of total independence, as we place our dependence in our Creator God. But it doesn't take long to see, if we take a look at ourselves and our behaviors, that we've 'burned' people up in the past and even while we weren't drinking/using. We need to get off of our butts, take care of ourselves and reach out to help others too.

Waking UP!

Each day to wake and be free of addiction and alcoholism is such a blessing. Thanks to all before me in recovery and all of those to come for the help you've given me on this path. I truly love all of you. Thanks so much to God for this amazing grace.

California 4th Step

If you need any help with the 4th step (re: the 12 steps), then you may find it useful to download a copy of the California 4th Step. It is a workbook guideline that walks you through the writings of a personal inventory. You can Google the search terms "California 4th Step" and find it on the web. Simply download it, print it out and get to writing. This workbook was created by members of AA who wanted to share an easy to understand format for doing the 4th step inventory. I have found that it really helped my understand "me"! Yet it was really easy when I just went to it and started writing. I thought that it'd be harder, but this workbook makes it simple. K.I.S.S.

Saving Money

Hey. Many of us in recovery need to start our lives over again. Many are broke and have lost their jobs and homes and simply put most of their efforts into rebuilding their lives again. We come into recovery with a big financial mess most of the time. One way to overcome the financial difficulty is to learn new skills regarding money and spending. Shop therapy (when you go on a shopping spree) usually kicks in when we no longer drink or use drugs. One predominant nature of our 'disease', is really obsessive and compulsive disorders. So, if we have this 'ability' to really focus on obsessing on things, then there's a way to use it to our advantage. Obsess on disciplining yourself to save money! Shop at thrift stores and look for the best deals. Better yet, whenever you buy anything (except food), consider what you could sell it for if you had to. By doing this, you can 'invest' your money more wisely, even in small increments of spending. Chances are, some of the things you buy today, you will not need in the future, as 'everything' changes, so, buy everything with the intent of selling it for more and ask yourself, "Am I getting enough of a price break on this item so that I could resell it at a reasonable price if I no longer need it?" If you answer is yes, then lay the money down and make the purchase.

Discounts for those in Recovery!

I offer discounts on all services to those in recovery!

Call if you need any computer help.

Chris M.

What is Crystal Meth Made From?

What are some of the ingredients in crystal meth?
Lye - Ether - Iodine - Draino - Ephedrine - Brake Fluid - Lighter Fluid - Cold Remedy Medicines - Lithium Metals - Hydrachloride (Bleach!) - Hydriotic Acid - Red Phosphorus - Anyhdrous Ammonia.

Would you snort, smoke, or inject let's say, Brake Fluid? How about Draino?

Please stop the meth epidemic!

Seattle Intergroup

You can find the online meeting schedule for Seattle AA at www.SeattleAA.org. This is the main website for AA's Seattle Intergroup.

Ballard, WA

One of the best places for meetings in the North Seattle area is at St. Paul's Church located on 65th and 12th NW. They have many styles of meetings there throughout the day!

Another Day

Good morning Seattle.  We are having a great weather day.  The sun is out and for us here in the Pacific Northwest, that's a blessing for sure!  I've found a MySpace style site for persons in recovery called SoberCircle, where you can network with others that are recovering from alcoholism and addiction.  My profile there is chrisandshawna.  I want to thank God for this day and I ask that others may be helped as I go about my day.  Living sober is a wonderful thing and I'm so glad that I do not have to live the way I did before I found recovery.  God bless all who read this.  Take care...

Fremont Fellowship Hall

Fremont Fellowship Hall is located at 90th and Aurora Avenue North and is nicknamed "The ER (Emergency Room) of AA".  They have meetings there daily at 12noon, 5pm, 8pm, 10pm, and often at Midnite on the weekends.  There is a coffee shop next door and those new in recovery can 'hang out' with other recovering alcoholics in between the meeting times.  If you live in the Seattle area, or are visiting us here in the Pacific Northwest, and you find you have a problem with alcohol, visit Fremont Fellowship Hall of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous).

To all those who seek...

Recovery is a process, not a destination!
Alcoholism and addiction are very critical and even fatal diseases that can be treated.  Our population is showing an overwelming amount of sufferers from this sickness.  Those who are afflicted are very ill and if they have any family that they haven't 'burned the bridges' with completely, then the family should do all they can to intervein.  This is not an easy task, but there are agencies, support groups, and professional individuals who can help this process.  No alcoholic nor addict need ever die from this disease is they have loved ones who can help.  If the person had cancer, let's say, you wouldn't turn your back on them, now would you?  It's the same with alcoholism and addiction.  These people are sick.

If you are a sufferer from alcoholism or addiction, please contact your local crisis hotline and ask for help!