The qualities you admire in others,
you also possess.
There is a treasure within you.
These words I give to you now
to help you reconnect
with the well of
wisdom, creativity, and beauty
inside you.
It is time to shine your light!
"Namaste Blessing Cards” by Toni Carmine Salerno
To honor the birthdate of Saint Francis, Patron Saint of Animals, our Spiritual Friday topic was on nature as a Higher Power and the blessing of animals as teachers and a constant source of unconditional love. Regardless of our inability to love in our addictions, our pets ALWAYS love/loved us.
Patients – especially those who have had little exposure to the idea of spirituality/G-d growing up – often use their pets as their Higher Power in the beginning of recovery. This is a safe and familiar love that works for them; it’s beautiful. We offered our gratitude and love in the form of words of appreciation and prayer. We passed around a "Prayer List" which ended up being two full pages of pets' names. One of the patients read each and every name aloud and as a group, we silently held onto the gifts of love, comfort, loyalty, joy, and peace that we receive from these precious loved ones who are either still with us or who have parted.
We then shared a few really beautiful readings:
"The more we allow for the changing circumstances of life, the more stable and easy we become. There is no greater teacher than Nature: one moment, a storm, the next, stillness. If we allow ourselves to listen and receive when in Her Presence, we will eventually give birth to balance, patience, endurance and surrender. By embracing Her teachings, we mature into wisdom." - Ann Mortifee
"The world is holy. We are holy. All life is holy. Daily prayers are delivered on the lips of breaking waves, the whispering of grasses, the shimmering of leaves." - Terry Tempest Williams
"There are times when we have outgrown a situation, when there is no further nurture to be gained. This is the moment we must be willing to let go. For like the snake whose skin has grown to tight and worn, we need to shed what belongs to the past to move into the new possibility. We may feel vulnerable for a time, but greater ease of movement will assuredly come." - Ann Mortifee
We then shared a few videos:
There was a lot of heartfelt sharing on this day. Nature is such safe and beautiful concept of G-d for so many of us. We all realized this through the sharing, the prayers, and the photos we placed on the walls of some of our pets.
The photo below is of Manny, our employee Lyndsey McMillan's beloved dog; his picture was hung on the wall for our Spiritual Friday. He is wearing a blessing scarf, from the Blessing of the Animals at my church, that says "Loved" – and he is!
Blessings,
Reverend Laurie Durgan
I remember when the Surgeon General released a report on smoking in 1964 and witnessed the profound impact on our society since then. Today, I believe Surgeon General Vivek Murthy makes a similarly impactful declaration by issuing Facing Addiction: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. The unprecedented report on substance abuse in America calls for a major cultural shift in the way Americans perceive addiction and describes the disease as one of the defining health crises of our time. As with other chronic illnesses, the Surgeon General calls for the same level of compassion and care when treating individuals and families suffering from substance use disorders. He wants Americans to understand addiction is a chronic neurological disease and not a moral failing. The report urges that access to effective prevention and treatment services remain a priority, requiring a comprehensive continued effort to raise awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding the disease of addiction. The report also acknowledges the importance of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and the Affordable Care Act of 2010 in ensuring families have access to quality treatment.
We want to acknowledge the Surgeon General for his efforts to accelerate a national movement that addresses the epidemic in a thoughtful and meaningful way. It is estimated the annual economic impact of substance misuse in the United States is $249 billion for alcohol misuse and $193 billion for illicit drug use. We support his message that we must continue to engage in robust and evidence-based programs and interventions for preventing and treating substance use disorders.
Dr. Murthy also makes a critical assertion in the report – emphasizing the best treatment outcomes result from a combination of medication, behavioral therapies, and social support (i.e., 12 Step programs). This is an essential point because of current misconceptions that these approaches are mutually exclusive. Hopefully, we can empower the public to clearly understand what we at Caron recognize, which is that all three modalities should be considered and can be successfully integrated, as appropriate, to create an individual’s optimal treatment and recovery plan. We also strongly agree addiction should not be treated in a vacuum; every facet of an individual’s health and wellness must be addressed. This includes co-occurring mental health conditions and an integration into the general healthcare system. Finally, we have observed that the needs of families have frequently been sidelined in the addiction treatment dialogue. Key takeaways from this new report show emphasis now being placed on the critical component of family involvement in treatment and families having access to care.
We are at a pivotal moment in the history of America with an extraordinary opportunity to shift the paradigm in our approach to addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery. As Dr. Murthy so eloquently states, this change will require a major undertaking in the way we think about, talk about, look at, and act toward people with substance use disorders. I believe we’re ready. We must come together as a society to each do our part to help make these solutions a reality.
We are so proud of the Runwell team for participating in the 2016 NYC Marathon and for raising $80,000 for addiction treatment. Lyndsey McMillan, Alumni Relations Coordinator and Patient Advocate at Caron Renaissance, shares why she ran.
We are so proud of the Runwell team for participating in the 2016 NYC Marathon and for raising $80,000 for addiction treatment. Brian Gong, Primary Therapist at Caron Renaissance, shares his marathon experience.
We are so proud of the Runwell team for participating in the 2016 NYC Marathon and for raising $80,000 for addiction treatment. Ariella Jonas, Director of Quality Management at Caron Renaissance and Ocean Drive, talks about why this accomplishment is so important to her.
Every experience enriches
us and those around us
in some way.
Regardless of what we
achieve or don't achieve,
do or don't do,
all is a blessing in one
form or another.
Nothing is a mistake,
for all serves a divine purpose.
All is blessed.
"Namaste Blessing Cards” by Toni Carmine Salerno
