As a veteran of the 12 Step groups, I continue to be amazed by the wisdom contained within the 12 Steps. I am struck by the new awarenesses that emerge in my Wednesday night group as we share reflections and experiences week after week. Such discussions never get old. Each Step is like a seed| The Phoenix Spirit
In seeking to address the topic of hope today, I feel especially challenged as there seems to be so much frustration, hopelessness and powerlessness swirling around these days. These feelings are related to the continuing effects of Covid and now the flu; the rising costs of everyday items such as food and gasoline along with| The Phoenix Spirit
Co-Dependents Anonymous member shares her story of recovery from codependency.| The Phoenix Spirit
“Hope is passion for what is possible”. Søren Kierkegaard I am looking into the New Year with a hopeful gaze. As a glass-half-full person, I grab for ribbons of hope rather than entangle myself in webs of despair. Moving into a new year and a new decade I ask myself, what gives me hope? Greta Thunburg,| The Phoenix Spirit
Not my typical morning ruminations, but this morning I woke up wondering about people in cars in ditches. Here’s the context: I'm on a trans-continental road trip with my 22-year-old son, destination Los Angeles. We opted for the southern route versus the Rockies to avoid Bad Winter Weather, and somewhere around Faribault, MN we encountered| The Phoenix Spirit
School may still be out for students, but Patrice Salmeri, Director of Augsburg’s StepUP Program in Minneapolis is hard at work ensuring all is ready is for the start of another successful school year. Recently she took time out to answer questions about college recovery programs and Augsburg’s StepUp Program. Collegiate recovery programs (CRP’s) provide| The Phoenix Spirit
I arrived at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center in Detroit, Michigan on a warm, sunny weekend in the late spring of 1991. My sponsor hinted strongly that I should attend the weekend gathering. Now that I was no longer suggestion-proof, I was discovering what he meant by going to any lengths. His timing| The Phoenix Spirit
How three leading women in the recovery community handled their first holiday season sober. Holidays aren’t always picture perfect, with families sitting around the dinner table, laughing and joyful. This is especially true of families in recovery, as the effects of addiction weave throughout the family unit: Dysfunction, codependency, stress, and burnout are common themes| The Phoenix Spirit