Drug Rehab Center

By Daniel Jordan
General Manager
Sunshine Coast Health Center

One of the benefits of residential treatment is the many opportunities that clinical staff have to get acquainted with clients. Having a laugh over lunch, chatting during breaks, and working through issues in structured group and individual therapy allows our clinical staff to learn a lot about the clients they serve. Getting to know our clients so intimately also affords a greater appreciation of the complexities and challenges inherent in addiction and it’s treatment.

A few months back, the clinical team at Sunshine Coast Health Center took an informal poll and found that approximately 3 out of 5 clients were, prior to treatment, acting out sexually. Interestingly, clients rarely, if ever, made any mention of sex addiction on their admission form. Instead, clients come forward after concluding during treatment that their acting out sexually seemed to have a lot in common with their addiction to substances. While we know that individuals with one addiction often have multiple, or concurrent, addictions we underestimated it’s prevalence. As a result, steps were taken to enhance the skills of the clinical staff to treat sex addiction, culminating in a 2-day on-site workshop September 17 & 18,  2009. * Hosted by sex addiction expert Robert Weiss, this event marks an important first step in expanding our program to include process addictions such as gambling, sex, eating disorders, and online gaming.

However, while training staff on process addictions is a step in the right direction, we know that implementation is another matter entirely. Therefore, as a program more accustomed to treating drug addiction and alcoholism, Sunshine Coast Health Center is proceeding with caution,  carefully weighing the costs, benefits, and challenges of treating process addictions. An important first step is, I believe, looking at how we, as a treatment center, define addiction.

(*) Note: for more information on the 2-day sex addiction workshop see our promotional flyer.

DEFINING ADDICTION

Addiction is a complex condition that can be defined by it’s etiology, by it’s symptoms, and by its scope.

Defining Addiction by Etiology

In my last article, We Were Powerless Over Our Addiction: Why Step One is So Controversial, I alluded to competing theories on the causes of addiction. Often times, people will define addiction by its etiology, for example, “addiction is a brain disease” or “addiction is a psychological maladjustment or negative coping skill”, etc. However, as important as the origins of addiction may be, this blog article is not about etiology.

Defining Addiction by Symptom Severity

Addiction can also be understood by the severity of its associated symptoms. For example, previous blog articles have introduced the 3 Cs: a self-test that people can use to help figure out whether or not someone has crossed the blurry line between misuse and addiction. To review, we distinguish addiction from a bad habit based on the 3 Cs. This simple test can be applied to any substance or activity:

C#1 – Compulsion – obsessive thinking about, and planning around, a substance or activity so that an individual has regular, convenient access. Compulsion is what happens during the abstinence stage of the cycle.

C#2 – Control – an inability to control the amount of time engaged in an unhealthy activity, or the amount consumed of a harmful substance, once initiated. Control is what happens during the active stage of the cycle.

C#3 – Consequences – repeated engagement in an unhealthy activity or harmful substance despite negative consequences. Often times the Consequences stage is motivation enough to return back to the abstinence, or compulsion, stage.

If a person is observed exhibiting behaviour described in C#1 and C#2 but not C#3, chances are then they are probably still just at the abuse stage. Most abusers will stop or cut back once they experience one or two negative consequences such as a DUI charge, failing grades, or problems at home. Therefore, C#3, consequences, is what distinguishes addiction. Another way of explaining consequences is that addiction is, by it’s very nature, a state of chronic relapse.

However, while it’s important to distinguish addiction from abuse, this blog article is really about how we define the scope of addiction, or the different types of substances and activities normally associated with addiction.

(*) Note: For more information see The 3 Cs of Addiction Test: Are You Addicted?

Defining Addiction by Scope

It was not that long ago that the term “alcoholism” was the predominant term used in addiction treatment circles. According to Hazelden Foundation, one of the first residential treatment programs in North America, it wasn’t until 1958 that their clinical staff recommended using a new term, “chemical dependency,” to replace ”alcoholism” to better reflect the growing trend of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin misuse in the United States. *

Fifty years later, it’s not just illicit drugs but prescription drugs and it’s not just substances but activities, or “processes” such as gambling, sex, online gaming, and eating disorders. However, while the term “addiction” is now in common use (more so than “chemical dependency”), the vast majority of residential addiction treatment centers in North America still focus almost exclusively on drugs and alcohol. Admittedly, our own website and printed literature reflects that we, too, are first and foremost a chemical dependency treatment program. Why, then, has the addiction treatment industry been reluctant to include process addictions?

(*) Source: Hazelden History

THE CHALLENGE OF TREATING PROCESS ADDICTIONS

As mentioned earlier, Sunshine Coast Health Center is in the initial stages of reorganizing our treatment program to include process addictions. During this transition, however, we recognize the challenges involved.

Challenge #1: Lack of Evidence-Based Treatment for Certain Process Addictions

Until recently, the vast majority of addiction research and program development has focused on chemical dependency. In his landmark book first published in 1983, Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction, author Patrick Carnes became one of the first to link unhealthy sexual behaviour to addiction. Twenty-five years later, pornography, particularly online porn, has become a multi-billion dollar industry.

Furthermore, although gambling addiction has been recognized for a long time, very little research has surfaced for the treatment of gambling addiction. This is somewhat puzzling considering the growing dependence of provincial governments on gambling revenues.

Challenge #2: Lack of Consensus on Whether Certain Processes Are Addictions

Another consideration for addiction treatment providers is the lack of consensus about whether anything that is vital to the survival of the human race, such as sex and food, could be considered addiction. For example, sexology proponents argue that much of what is considered sexual addiction is normal sexual behaviour, essential for healthy sexual development and the survival of our species. Other experts believe that sexual addiction is actually a mental illness commonly referred to as obsessive compulsive disorder and refer to it, not as an addiction, but as sexual compulsivity.

Challenge #3: Lack of Medical Care to Treat Eating Disorders

While individuals struggling with eating disorders have had access to specialized treatment, these programs are scarce and are typically government outpatient programs or private residential programs in the US. A reason for the paucity of programs is the long-term medical intensity required to treat moderate to severe eating disorders, particularly anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Eating disorders can be life threatening and require medical monitoring and procedures not typically offered in residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs.

Challenge #4: Impact on the Peer Group

Another concern of programs that specialize in chemical dependency treatment is the impact that individuals with other addictions will have on the peer group. While it is quite common for individuals with drug or alcohol addiction to have concurrent gambling, sex addiction, or, to a lesser extent, eating disorders, there is a prevailing notion that people who are exclusively processed-addicted may not be compatible with the dominant, chemically-dependent peer group.

Some treatment centers address this concern by creating separate tracks for process addictions. In other words, someone with a sex addiction will be placed in a group separate from those with chemical dependency and will have their own group therapist. However, the problem then becomes costs associated with extra staff, creating a sense of separation in the peer group, and adverse group dynamics associated with insufficient group size.

Then there is the challenge to the peer group of having an individual whose sexual behaviour crosses over into sexual offending such as pedophilia, compulsive masturbation, incest, and rape. Incidentally, sexual offenders will be a major topic in our September workshop.

Challenge #5: Lack of Clearly Negative Consequences for Some Process Addictions

Unlike chemical dependency, gambling, or eating disorders, individuals with sex addiction or online gaming addiction show symptoms that may seem less harmful. Therefore, the perceived need for treatment may not be as obvious. * 

(*) Note: For addition information on the negative consequences of online gaming see Ambivalence is Fertile Ground for the Growing Popularity of Online Gaming.

Challenge #6: Apparent Lack of Demand

For all of the publicity that certain process addictions have been getting recently, most residential treatment centers do not receive a lot of calls for gambling, sex addiction, or online gaming. This apparent lack of demand may be attributable to the more benign effects of certain process addictions (see Challenge #5 above), the lack of available funding for individuals with gambling addiction, the lack of perceived similarity between process addictions and chemical dependency, or the greater stigma attached to sex addiction.

Challenge #7: Training Clinical Staff

Addiction, particularly process addiction, is rarely taught in graduate or medical school. Professional development workshops rarely offer courses in process addictions. Training, therefore often requires that staff travel to the United States or that a presenter be brought up for training on site. Sunshine Coast Health Center chose the latter because all of our clinical staff needs training, not just one or two counsellors. Any way you slice it, it’s expensive and is tricky to schedule in a 24/7 residential program like ours.

Sunshine Coast Health Center is also interested in training the staff of gambling addiction, however, we have been unable to find an expert in this field. WIth regard to eating disorders, management is unsure if the  demand for men’s eating disorder treatment is sufficient to justify the costs associated with specialized staff training (not to mention the possibility that additional medical staffing or equipment may be required).

Challenge #8: Establishing Clear Admission Criteria

Before we begin to admit clients who have a process addiction without concurrent chemical dependency, clear admission criteria must be established. For example, where do we draw the line on the severity of a process addiction? The challenge of sex addiction that has crossed over into sexual offending is a good example. Fortunately, this aspect of sex addiction and its treatment will be addressed in the upcoming Robert Weiss workshop.

Challenge #9: Tailoring the Program to Address the Unique Aspects of Other Addictions

Part of treating other addictions is to first differentiate their unique aspects then to integrate new treatment techniques or knowledge into a program that embraces these differences but includes the effective components of previous modalities.

Fortunately, for Sunshine Coast Health Center, our smaller size and favourable counsellor-to-client ratio allow us to provide a higher degree of individualized treatment than what’s possible in larger facilities.

WHY SUNSHINE COAST HEALTH CENTER REMAINS COMMITTED TO TREATING PROCESS ADDICTIONS

With all of the challenges present in integrating other addictions into chemical dependency treatment, one could be excused for maintaining the status quo. However, Sunshine Coast Health Center is committed to expanding our treatment of addiction to include process addictions. If one considers the needs of the addicted client, there are a number of good reasons for making the change.

Reason #1: Risk of Drug or Alcohol Relapse

Clients who abstain from drugs or alcohol but continue to participate in process addictions run the risk of eventually relapsing back to their drug of choice.

Reason #2: Living Out of Integrity

Clients who abstain from their drug of choice may be considered by some programs to be a treatment success. However, at Sunshine Coast, abstinence is only part of what is considered true recovery. The clinical program at Sunshine Coast emphasizes personal integrity, being true to one’s sense of self. Shifting to another addiction precludes developing inner strength and authentic connectedness to others, particularly family.

As Geoff Thompson, Sunshine Coast Program Director, often tells clients, “it’s not in the bottle.” Including individuals with process addictions in the peer group will help chemically depend clients understand that, even in the absence of drugs or alcohol, individuals can still have addictions. Process-addicted clients, therefore, are living proof that drugs and alcohol do not have some sort of magical, addictive property.

Reason #3: Reducing Client Shame Associated with Their Addiction

By identifying with individuals that have different addictions but find themselves in similar circumstances, clients may come to see that addiction manifests itself in many ways in our society.

A few months back a therapist explained her philosophy of addiction. To summarize her approach, she explained that “all human beings are in recovery from something.” Our talk has stuck with me because I see how all human beings have moments of insanity as defined by Albert Einstein: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

As Christina Grof writes in her book, The Thirst for Wholeness, “By recognizing that as human beings, we share the common dilemma of attachment, but to different degrees, we open the way for understanding and compassion toward ourselves and others. We can even discover a sense of relief and liberation as we recognize the reality of our mutual dilemma.” The AA spiritual principle of surrender is closely linked to addiction and attachment. Just as recovery from addiction is made easier by surrender, so freedom from attachments also requires surrender.

CONCLUSION

As mentioned in this article, Sunshine Coast is hosting a 2-day workshop hosted by sex addiction expert, Robert Weiss of the Sexual Recovery Institute based in Los Angeles. Out of this training, we hope to make some important distinctions between sex addiction and chemical dependency, as well as the difference between a sex addict and a sexual offender. It promises to be an engaging two days.

As part of our new program at Sunshine Coast Health Center, the idea that addiction is strictly a substance-related phenomenon is coming under scrutiny. Clients with multiple addictions require treatment that recognizes the complexity of their predicament. However, just as mental health issues can complicate treatment, treating multiple addictions at the same time is the best approach to take, despite the additional challenges to staff and program. For the time being, clinical staff believes that treating both chemical dependency and process addictions with clear, thoughtful admission criteria, will mean better treatment and, thus, better outcomes for the clients we serve.

Yesterday, Oprah Winfrey dedicated a segment on her TV show to severely obese children. A 14-year-old girl interviewed in the middle of a food binge confessed that “once she starts she cannot stop.” She went on to say that when she starts to feel down about herself, she eats. I know more than a few kids that find the same sort of relief through online gaming. Hopefully, other private and government addiction programs will also consider expanding their notion of addiction to include process addictions. Now, more than ever, it’s clear that addiction is more than just a ‘skid-row’ phenomenon.

By Daniel Jordan
General Manager
Sunshine Coast Health Center

In Part 1 of this article I highlighted the importance of designing a clinical brochure that is current, user-friendly, and comprehensive. Originally, I had planned to jump right in and explain our “integrated approach” to addiction treatment. However, as I was preparing for Part 2 I realized that exploring the complexity of residential addiction treatment is a necessary first step before attempting to explain our unique method of treatment.

Complexity #1: The Living Vs. Non-Living Universe

This may seem obvious but living entities are much more complex than inorganic objects. Neuroscientists point out that there are more synapses in the brain than stars in the galaxy and that the brain is the most complex device in the known universe. * The interesting part, however, is how we approach problems associated with living vs. non-living objects. In his book, Guide for the Perplexed, economist E.F. Schumacher argues that there are two types of problems in the world: (1) convergent and (2) divergent. 

Convergent problems are ones in which attempted solutions gradually focus on one solution or answer. Of primary importance is that convergent problems are those where that all tend to point to the non-living universe. Take, for example, the problem of manned flight. In the early days of aviation, there were many different contraptions that inventors hoped would become the first successful flying machine. Perhaps you have seen the old movie footage of planes with 4 sets of wings, or wings that would flap up and down, etc. Finally, after a lot of trial and error, Orville and Wilbur Wright made the world’s first flight in a powered, heavier-than-air machine on December 17, 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 100 years later, aeronautical engineers continue to improve on the Wright Brother’s original design, however, all manufacturers such as Boeing, Bombardier, or Airbus, build planes that follow remarkably similar design principles. The same is true for automobiles, cell phones, and portable computers.

Divergent problems are ones which we must find multiple solutions to a single problem and are typically found when we are dealing with living organisms, particularly human beings. For example, if you are trying to solve the problem of HIV/AIDS, handing out condoms or clean needles may be a start but it’s not going to completely solve the problem. Another agency may start a 24 hour help line and this may help as well. But these are just 2 of many possible solutions. The ongoing search for a cure to cancer, which is basically a living organism within a larger living organism (us), is another good example.  

(*) Source: Nuts, bolts of who we are, Princeton Weekly Bulletin, May 1, 2000.

Complexity #2: Chronic Conditions Vs. Acute Conditions

While many people may consider addiction a chronic condition *, the truth is that addiction has a lot more in common with diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis than it does with acute medical conditions such as a broken leg or appendicitis. This misconception is clearly evident whenever scientists claim to have found the gene responsible for alcoholism or pharmaceutical companies promote a new drug as the cure for addiction.

Even residential alcohol and drug treatment centers that should know better typically operate like hospital emergency wards, throwing everything they have at the client during primary treatment and leaving precious few resources for follow-up or relapse.

(*) Note: for more information on the chronic nature of addiction refer to William White’s articles on bhrm.org .

Complexity #3: Addiction Impacts All Life Domains

Unlike many medical conditions, addiction cannot be treated by localising the problem to a particular part of the body and then treating it. Addiction is a Biopsychosocial condition that impacts all life domains – biological, psychological, social and spiritual. For example, all may be well with a client while he is in the safe confines of residential treatment, however, what happens when he gets home where the same job, family, and old haunts await his return? Furthermore, most addictions impact negatively on the body (liver damaged by alcohol, tooth enamel destroyed by crystal meth or crack cocaine, etc.). Psychotherapy can be particularly challenging if a client is also suffering from cognitive impairment, or mental illness.

Not only does addiction require a diverse team of professionals to be involved in treatment, it means that often treatment often has to be applied concurrently, and that the discharge plan must include community resources that also embrace the Biopsychosocial nature of addiction.

Complexity #4: Addiction Defies Simple Definitions

The origins of addiction have been a source of lively debate for hundreds of years. Is it a learned behaviour or is it a disease? Is addiction a choice or is it a genetic predisposition? Is addiction caused by developmental factors or do some people have addictive personalities? Are addicts created by eating a diet deficient in certain nutrients? Or is addiction a response to feeling disconnected from the world?

As Ken Wilber in his book Integral Psychology states, “The great problem with psychology as it has historically unfolded is that, for the most part, different schools of psychology have often taken one of those aspects of the extraordinarily rich and multifaceted phenomenon of consciousness and announced that it is the only aspect worth studying (or even that it is the only aspect that actually exists).” Dr. David Burns, author of Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, calls it the “schools over tools” approach. This tendency towards over-simplification, commonly referred to as reductionism, is alive and well in the treatment of addiction. This is most unfortunate since addiction is a complex condition that impacts all aspects of health and lifestyle.  

Now combine debate among competing schools in psychology with the medical community and you begin to see why the matter of deciding on effective treatment for addiction is far from settled.

Complexity #5: Addiction Requires More Than Mere Abstinence

Even the goal of addiction treatment is a topic of lively debate. Some will reason that if only the addict will stop using his/her drug or process of choice (gambling, online porn, etc.) then the problems associated with addiction will go away. Unfortunately, just as health is more than the absence of disease, recovery requires a fundamental shift that impacts all life domains mentioned in Complexity #3.

At Sunshine Coast Health Center, we believe that abstinence is a by-product, not a goal of alcohol and drug rehabilitation. When an individual discovers his true calling and begins the process of living a life of purpose, we believe that ’external’ solutions and unhealthy attachments will be discarded in favour of being true to one’s self.

Complexity #6: Not Everyone With an Addiction is Motivated to Quit

Another point to ponder is that people with addictions actually need a reason to stop. Having something to lose (health, marriage, career) may work for a brief period of time but, long term, a fundamental shift or transformation is often required for abstinence to become permanent. Unlike most disorders or medical conditions, addiction produces a positive benefit for the individual such as dissociation (numbing out) or escaping from, what Narcotics Anonymous calls, the ”meaningless, monotonous, and boring” life of an addict.

Complexity #7: Primary Residential Treatment Vs. Outpatient Treatment

The last point to make on complexity is that residential addiction treatment, is more than just counselling with room and board thrown in for good measure. Social skills associated with the give and take of living 24/7 with a peer group is an issue for residential treatment while the same can’t be said for outpatient.

Furthermore, group therapy, commonplace in residential treatment, is rarely provided in most outpatient settings. Group therapy is, by nature, a dynamic process that can have remarkable therapeutic effect in the hands of a skilled psychotherapist.

Complexity #8: Addiction is More Than Just Drugs and Alcohol

Cross-addiction (having more than one addiction) is a common occurence for individuals who struggle with drugs or alcohol. Sunshine Coast recognizes this tendency and is redesigning its program to expand the definition of addiction to include process addictions such as gambling, gaming, sex, even eating disorders.

Conclusion

Addiction is a complex condition that requires an equally complex approach to treatment. Sunshine Coast Health Center recognizes these challenges and has been continually finding new ways to enhance program effectiveness. in Part 3 of The Challenge of Writing a Clinical Brochure, I will examine how other individuals and groups are integrating their approach to address complex problems.

Geoff Thompson – MA, CCC

Geoff Thompson, Program Director for Sunshine Coast Health Centre, discusses what reputable sources have to say about addiction.

By Daniel Jordan
General Manager
Sunshine Coast Health Center

If there has been one thing that has been a constant at Sunshine Coast Health Center, it’s change. Changes at our residential addiction treatment center tend to occur under four broad categories: (1) program, (2) staffing, (3) services, and (4) facility. Since one of my responsibilities is marketing, it dawned on me that the corporate brochure that we created in the spring of 2007 was due for an overhaul. So, back in March, a new pamphlet was produced that showed our newly-expanded drug rehab center (new building, new indoor exercise pool, expanded fitness center, landscaping, etc.) and enhanced services (mental health services, on-site fitness, off-site recreation). However, after inserting all the new photos that highlighted our facility and campus, there really wasn’t much space left to detail how the clinical program has changed.

So, since the spring, we have been working on creating a brochure that provides additional information that is primarily clinical in nature. Having committed to this project, however, I soon realized that creating a clinical brochure that is comprehensive, user-friendly, and current is a big job!

The Challenge of Being User-Friendly, Current, and Comprehensive

In many ways, this reminds me of the work leading up to our publishing of the 1st edition of the British Columbia Alcohol & Drug Services Directory last November. It was the first time in 8 years that anyone had published anything similar to a directory of this nature (the last Kaiser Directory was published in 2001). I had found a number of BC addiction directories but all of them had one problem or the other. For example, either the information was outdated (again, the Kaiser Directory, many addiction directories found online), or was not presented in a user-friendly fashion (the Red Book in BC has quite a few listings but suffers from excessive categories and bulk), or was not comprehensive (no addiction listings felt that private practice therapists that worked with addicts or 12-Step meetings were worth listing). So, the challenge then became to integrate all of the available information into a publication that was better than the sum of its parts. Based on feedback we have had from many health professionals across BC, it seems as though we have succeeded in our objective. But while I thought the directory was a challenge, it seems as though creating a clinical brochure is a much more difficult task. After five months of internet research and countless visits to libraries, and used bookstores, I figure it’s time to start putting it all together, and what better place to start than our blog?

Challenge #1: Being User-Friendly

When it comes to having a user-friendly clinical brochure a logical presentation of content is necessary. However, a clinical program can’t be arranged in a simple, linear fashion like a novel or historical account. Instead, a framework needs to be designed so that all of the pieces are arranged in such a way that makes sense.

Finding material to aid in the development of a framework has been interesting, to say the least. Philosopher Ken Wilber has been instrumental in creating integral models that embrace the human condition from a subjective (“I” and “We”), objective (organism and environment), and structural (mind, body, soul, spirit) perspective. Ervin Laszlo, a pioneer in systems thinking; Roger Martin, author of The Opposable Mind; and economist E.F. Schumacher have all written on designing models that help explain complex systems. However, incorporating a system so that the system itself does not become the focus of the brochure is going to test the limits of being user-friendly.

Another aspect of being user-friendly is avoiding jargon that is so prevalent in health sciences and philosophy. Relapse Prevention expert Terence T. Gorski once pointed out to me that it’s often a question of languaging: communication can break down when we fail to understand that different words are used to represent the same thing. For example, one clinician may use the term resistance while another uses the term denial to represent the inability or unwillingness of a client to make healthy changes. So, a user-friendly clinical brochure must be presented in a way that doesn’t just assume familiarity with terminology commonly associated with alcohol and drug treatment.

Challenge #2: Being Current

Sunshine Coast Health Center is an evolving entity and that is by design. However, when creating a clinical brochure, information about staffing, programs, and services must be presented in a way that can embrace these changes without becoming outdated. For example, we may decide to change out an adjunct therapy (massage, relaxation, ozone, etc.) based on published research, client feedback, or staff turnover. However, such changes to the clinical program at the programming level does not automatically mean that the program, for example, no longer addresses the physical aspects of addiction. 

Highlighting qualifications of staff must also be presented in general terms (such as all counsellors requiring a minimum of a master’s degree) rather than focusing on particular techniques (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, etc.) that individual counsellors possess.

Challenge #3: Being Comprehensive

Addiction is a complex condition that defies a simple solution. While it’s somewhat straightforward to simply provide a list of programs and services, explaining why clinical elements have been included and how all of the clinical elements work together (our philosophy) is another story. A drug treatment program is far more than just it’s ‘bits and pieces’. Furthermore, a good clinical brochure should be able to demonstrate that its programming is supported by evidence-based research if it expects to be supported by the health professional community it needs to remain viable. And then there’s the addiction treatment-specific issues that always come up such as ‘how do you deal with disruptive clients?’, or ‘what happens when a client has a relapse?’. Answers to these policy questions often reveals a lot about a program’s philosophy.

Conclusion

Explaining how our program has integrated all of its clinical elements in a user-friendly, current, and comprehensive fashion is proving to be more challenging than originally anticipated. In Part II of this series, I will expand on why our program, based on our unique integrated approach to addiction treatment, is particularly challenging to summarize in a clinical brochure.

Geoff Thompson – MA, CCC

Geoff Thompson, Program Director at Sunshine Coast Health Centre, discusses lessons that can be learned from the 12-step model of addiction recovery, and how these tie in with Wayne Dyer‘s theory of internal orientation.

Cathy Patterson-Sterling, MA, RCC

Cathy Patterson-Sterling, Director of Family Services for Sunshine Coast Health Centre discusses why any mood altering substance should be avoided, especially in early addiction recovery, to avoid relying on these as a crutch.

Geoff Thompson, MA, CCC

Geoff Thompson, Program Director for Sunshine Coast Health Centre, discusses Wayne Dyer’s theories on internal and external orientation along with ways to develop an internal orientation for a happier, more meaningful life.

Cathy Patterson-Sterling, MA, RCC

Cathy Patterson-Sterling, Director of Family Services at Sunshine Coast Health Centre, discusses signs to look for in early addiction recovery that show whether someone is on track with their recovery or not.

Geoff Thompson – MA, CCC

Geoff Thompson, Program Director for Sunshine Coast Health Centre, discusses Wayne Dyer’s new movie “From Ambition to Meaning” and how to live a happy, meaning-centered life.

Cathy Patterson-Sterling, MA, RCC

Cathy Patterson-Sterling, Director of Family Services at Sunshine Coast Health Center, talks about addiction treatment as a foundational tool in recovery and offers steps to take in the case of a slip or relapse.