PRAISE, PRAYER, & PHARMACEUTICALS The Promise & Pitfalls of Religion and Recovery Terrence D Walton, MSW, CSAC Chief Operating Officer National Association of Drug Court Professionals

QUESTIONS TO PONDER 1.How do religion and spirituality shape people’s attitudes about addiction and recovery? 2.What accounts for the success or failure of faith-based treatment options? 3.Do secular recovery groups address a need for meaning, as spiritual or religious groups do? Does it matter?

PATHS TO RECOVERY

SECULAR Learning skills, developing insights, engaging in activities, and achieving milestones that facilitate recovery; and have no religious or spiritual basis

SPIRITUAL Recovery activities that foster a connection to something larger than themselves and through which recovering people experience or discover meaning in life

SACRED Recovery activities that acknowledge or incorporate a recovering person’s belief in God, personal faith, moral code and/or involvement with a particular denomination or religious group

4 KEY QUESTIONS  Are there people who recover without believing in God or a Higher Power?  Are there people who will likely never recover without the help of God?  Can a professional who doesn’t believe in God help a client who does?  Can a professional who believes in God help a client who doesn’t?

CULTURAL COMPETENCE Questions often arise about the validity of evidence-based practices (EBP) with populations whose values, norms, interpretations, experiences, and assertions may differ from those of the developers of the EBP.

4 KEY POINTS 1.For some, religious beliefs or disbeliefs are incidental to their lives and recovery. 2.For some, religious beliefs or disbeliefs are central to their lives and recovery. 3.A participant’s religious beliefs or lack of beliefs about religion and God matter. 4.A practitioners religious beliefs or lack of beliefs about religion and God matter. `

BELIEFS THAT MATTER Beliefs regarding indulgence, moderation, excess and abstinence Beliefs regarding sin & repentance, law & grace Beliefs regarding the nature and characteristics of God—loving and forgiving versus harsh and vengeful What they were taught to believe in childhood versus what they strive to believe today

THE PROMISE A mechanism for finding purpose and meaning A mechanism for finding purpose and meaning A source of personal strength to resist temptation A source of personal strength to resist temptation The battle between good and evil as a mental model for understanding the addiction struggle The battle between good and evil as a mental model for understanding the addiction struggle “Spirit” versus “flesh” as a model for understanding the paradox of addiction “Spirit” versus “flesh” as a model for understanding the paradox of addiction

THE PROMISE A source of personal faith and hope A source of personal faith and hope A source of community support A source of community support A path for healing and freedom A path for healing and freedom An outlet for receiving forgiveness and making amends An outlet for receiving forgiveness and making amends

POTENTIAL PITFALLS FOR RELIGIOUS PARTICIPANTS Discounting help or information from secular sources Discounting help or information from secular sources Excessive guilt & disillusionment caused by repeatedly falling back into addiction-induced “sins” confessed, repented of, and forgiven Excessive guilt & disillusionment caused by repeatedly falling back into addiction-induced “sins” confessed, repented of, and forgiven

POTENTIAL PITFALLS FOR RELIGIOUS PARTICIPANTS Feeling judged, condemned, or frowned upon by religious people or the “God of my understanding”

POTENTIAL PITFALLS FOR RELIGIOUS PARTICIPANTS Over-reliance on faith, belief, or God to deliver me from addiction Assuming that “healing” means that my job is done Expecting a miracle, instead of a “ day-by- day” process.

POTENTIAL PITFALLS FOR PROFESSIONALS Religious helper with non-religious client Non-religious helper with religious client Evidence-based therapies that conflict with religious values

POTENTIAL PITFALLS FOR PROFESSIONALS 1. Is it “turning the other cheek” or passivity and codependency? 2. Is it humility or low self esteem? 3. Viewing religious beliefs or experiences as delusional or hallucinatory 4. Differing views on the essence or origins of addiction and recovery 5. Inability to work with “non-believers” using exclusively secular approaches 6. Ignoring or avoiding religious themes

THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN? 1.Partnerships with religious organizations? 2.Contracting with religious-affiliated treatment providers? 3.Referring defendants to 12 step groups? 4.Discussing religious themes during groups? 5.Discussing a defendant’s faith, belief, or religious values during individual sessions? 6.Sharing my faith?

HOW TO HELP WITHOUT HARM 1. Use evidence-based practices that respect the religious, spiritual or secular beliefs of the client 2. Be willing and able to discuss a client’s religious faith and fears when relevant 3. Intervene consistent with client’s value system 4. Work from the client’s perspective 5. Invite (not argue) alternate perspectives 6. Don’t proselytize

PRAISE, PRAYER, & PHARMACEUTICALS The Promise & Pitfalls of Religion and Recovery Terrence D Walton, MSW, CSAC Chief Operating Officer National Association of Drug Court Professionals