For the past half-dozen years, I have been attending The College on Problems of Drug Dependence, better known as CPDD. The conference has been in existence since 1929 and this year is celebrating 75 years! It is the longest running conference on drug addiction problems in the US and is attended by the brightest minds in the… [Continue Reading]
Hitting Rock Bottom: Addiction Stories
Not long ago I was contacted by some folks who have been working hard on a show called Hitting Rock Bottom. It tells the real stories of people who have struggled with addiction, hit rock bottom, and found a way out. Unlike reality television that often turns tragic stories about addiction into entertainment, this show has… [Continue Reading]
Whose Will: Book on Addiction, Courage, and Hope
I had the recent pleasure of speaking with Willie Harris, the author of Whose Will: Ordinary Person, Extraordinary Life a riveting account of his personal struggle with addiction and path back to a spiritual and connected life. Like most, the roots of Willie’s problems with alcohol and drugs began early in life, in a family awash in… [Continue Reading]
Siddhartha’s Path Out of Addiction
I’m not sure how I missed reading Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha (Hilda Rosner translation) in high school, but I did. It’s one of those enchanting books I wish I would have read earlier! If you are unfamiliar with the story, I encourage you to read it and soak in its many wonderful messages about life. I have… [Continue Reading]
The Race to Nowhere
Last week I watched the independent film Race to Nowhere that has won numerous awards for its strong messages about our broken educational system. Through interviews with students, parents, teachers, and others, the movie illustrates the dark side of being a kid in school. The Race to Nowhere for students is paved with an over-scheduling… [Continue Reading]