recovery coach academy (rca) colorado needs you….. love on the run
- Rod Rushing
- Jul 22, 2020
- 3 min read
Abstract Resources beyond self and family to resolve significant alcohol and other drug problems have historically been provided in two venues: professionally directed addiction treatment and peer-based recovery mutual aid. Recently, recovery support organizations have emerged that share characteristics of both venues, what we identify as hybrid mutual aid (HMA). The purpose of this article is to offer a conceptual framework for HMA followed by analysis of the philosophical positions and practices of two contemporary HMA groups. The integration of these practices has the potential to impact group emergence and maintenance, while raising significant ethical questions related to governance and fiscal management…
the film “groundhog day” is a fairly well-known metaphor for addiction because the lead character is stuck in a world with the same events and the same outcome every single day. commonplace dogma in the recovery world is that it’s insanity to do the same thing over and over expecting different results i.e. if your life is in disarray from your partying, and continue drinking and using in the same manner, all the while believing a different outcome will happen is a form of insanity. it’s not until bill murray starts to make changes that the outcomes start to change too and when he changes everything, his whole world and the outcomes transform.
in working in the treatment community for about a decade, an irony has revealed itself to me. treatment providers and the governmental organizations that oversee those services seem to be living in that very same “groundhog day”. the federal monies commandeered to address coloradans with behavioral health issues continue to be dispersed in mostly the same same way as earlier years even when the outcomes do not show improvement. certainly that is how mass incarceration became such an easy solution. putting someone in prison becomes an illusion which gives the appearance that the problem has gone away when the problem has really only been hidden from plain view.
so the insanity is revealed when the treatment provider community keeps doing the same things every day expecting a different outcome. there is dialogue that peer involvement (proven success) is important from every level of our state officials. but there is little evidence of anything more than talk. our mental health and substance programs may have bits and sprinkles of peer support, however the system remains unchanged and continues to do things in the same fashion expecting different results.
rca colorado remains committed to a more foundational change to our system of prevention, treatment, and recovery. we fully believe that people who have found personal success have equally important input into our system as do the folks who are trying to run businesses and manage p & l’s. and we are excited about this challenge.
in moving forward with the recovery coach training process and the collaboration with colorado mental wellness network, it becomes clear that there are volunteer needs on many levels. it is going to be interesting, and challenging, and exciting to begin and take part this process. we hope to meet some fantastic folks along the way. we need you.
rca colorado needs:
a space/building to house meetings, coaching, job support, trainings, board meetings.
board members with business or development savvy.
board members with mental health, recovery, family involvement, legal system, insight and experience.
diverse community participation at all levels.
empathetic recovery coach mentors .
internet tech and internet design gurus.
passion for recovery and recovery support.
healthy desire to change the system.
creative brain(s) to document the next chapter of our story.
fundraising champions.
this is certainly a very first step in mapping out the future of rca colorado. if you are interested in starting a conversation with us or participating, please contact me at rod@rodrushing.com. our community deserves a change and we hope to be a positive part of that evolution.
in lieu of posting a clip of “groundhog day” i am opting for the video for “love on the run” by chicane- it’s good 90’s electronica, and the video is really cute.
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