One of the most rewarding, yet time demanding profession, is professional ministry. Clergy serve many roles in a community including: liturgist, family mediator, counselor, community activist and many more roles. At times, the stress related to the profession can lead an ordained person to feel alone and burnt out. Alcohol can be a common “solution”…
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Treating professionals with drug and alcohol addiction can be both challenging and rewarding. At Providence Treatment House in Delaware County, we specialize in providing treatment and sober living for professionals. We are a unique program in the Philadelphia area, available for professionals in need of a comfortable, quality program with an emphasis on accountability and…
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Beginners Mind, or (Shoshin, in Japanese) is a popular term in the Zen School of Buddhism. A beginners mind is considered an “open mind” or an “empty mind.” When your mind becomes demanding, or longing for something or lacking it, then your mind is restless and small. The beginners mind is the mind of compassion and…
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Today, I spoke with a patient who expressed his ambivalence about going to meetings. He said it feels like “the island of misfit toys.” He is reminded of his disease and how much of a “loser” he believes he is at times. I suggested to him that he talk about this in the meeting and…
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Many people in early recovery have difficulty stating “I’m an alcoholic…I’m a drug addict.” They will feel strongly that identifying as an alcoholic or an addict makes them feel more shame and see it as a negative identity. Well, they are partly correct! While accepting that you may have the disease of addiction and your…
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Carrying the past in our minds is a dangerous venture in recovery. Once there were two monks walking towards their monastery during a monsoon rainstorm. On the way, they met a woman who was nicely dressed for a party and needed to cross a road, which had become a small river. The one monk offered…
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Morning and evening mindfulness meditationThe disease of addiction requires a disciplined set of behaviors and attitudes to remain in remission. If you have completed a primary treatment course of treatment, then you know a few things already. Now it is the time to put those things you’ve learned into practice. Some of the advantages of…
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Providence Treatment House is a 10-bed executive, Victorian styled home for men seeking both comfort and support during the early phase of their recovery. The house offers a sober living environment with well thought out elements that assist its residents with an individual recovery plan, as well as peer support. We accept men who are…
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