While most of us haven’t gotten summers off since our school days, it is still a great time to try to get away when we can, taking advantage of the sunny weather and longer days. We at Recovery View are nearly bursting with that summer-break excitement as we prepare to travel to the beautiful La Quinta Resort & Club near Palm Springs, California, to partner with C-4 Recovery Solutions for the first annual West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders.
Our East coast colleagues have hosted the annual Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders for more than 20 years, collaborating with hundreds of addictions professionals from around the region and the world for a cutting-edge, educational weekend. Bringing the symposium to the left coast expands the amazing work that has been done in Massachusetts, allowing professionals west of the Mississippi to play host and share the work they are doing.
This two-and-a-half-day event takes place June 3-5 and “combines workshops and seminars on timely industry topics with an unmatched showcase of the industry’s products and services.” We couldn’t be more pleased to support this important event.
Not far from the symposium venue is the venerable Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage. For more than 30 years, Mrs. Ford’s passion to provide support and treatment for those suffering with addictions has made her Center a place of refuge and renewal for thousands. Betty Ford Center President and CEO, John Schwarzlose, shares Mrs. Ford’s inspiring story and legacy in this issue’s top feature.
Guest writer, counselor and son of our regular columnist Dr.Tian Dayton, Alex Dayton sheds some light on college drinking and steps we can take to mitigate its harmful effects. Both Stephen Sideroff and Naya Arbiter follow up their articles from our last newsletter with powerful and useful information about increasing resilience in addiction, and the importance of sanctuary and healthy intimacy in treating sexual trauma, respectively.
Addictions expert Matthew Torrington, M.D., weighs in on the medical marijuana debate, based on his extensive experience working with those addicted to the substance. Always a provocative topic, it is sure to spark conversation moving forward. We also take a look at the role of forgiveness in recovery; how to lay a foundation for using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills in treatment; explore the well-established link between trauma and substance abuse; and tackle midlife issues.
Two separate articles look at integrating 12-step work with mindfulness practice and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), respectively. Andrew Kessler tells us about Friends we have in Washington, who are furthering the truth about addictions and what needs to be done to treat them. And to help us come back to that summer-time frame of mind, Randi Ragan teaches us how to take advantage of aromatherapy in treatment.
We hope you find our new issue informative and thought-provoking. We’d love to see you this weekend at the West Coast Symposium to help us a kick off a wonderful summer!
Very Best,
Josie and Jim
