You Don’t Need a Library Card – You’ve Got Two Drops of Ink Titles and content usually have a back story or background that doesn't always make it into a post. While many people relate those to fictional characters, there's a story behind this post. Scott Biddulph has been a friend for over 25 years, and about four years ago, we'd sit and lament the plight of authors, writers, and how we were dealing with rejection. I'd recently finished a 400,000-word recovery curriculum and after 12 weeks of meetings with the director, staff, clients, and the judge of a drug court, the director told me: “While it’s wonderful, has compelling information, and is correct, we think the vocabulary is too extensive for some of our clients.” This, …show more content…
We would communicate with all who submitted in a timely manner. 3. We would create an encouraging climate 4. We would develop a community of writers. 5. We would publish how-tos, memoirs, grammar shorts, poetry, and essays. 6. We would look for the bones in the writing. 7. We would not make people jump through unnecessary hoops. 8. We would offer sound editing advice and see what the writer did with it. 9. We would publish various genres. 10. We would respond to comments. Now that we had our absolutes, we launched several campaigns to attract new writers. Initially, we just knew people would flock to the site and submit. We might have been somewhat naïve, because we had to prove ourselves, too. We worked hard and did, but as we say in the south, “That’s all water under the bridge”. Today, Two Drops of Ink is recognized as one of the top 100 writing sites for writers, top 50 writing sites, and top 100 literary sites. These mean a great deal to us because they define We’ve won three awards for the site, and our latest, one of the 100 best literary sites means a great deal to us, because that defines us, and satisfies those goals from the coffee
resulted in a quote that summed up all of the responses, feelings , and suggestions
program take defendants through an intensive treatment program lasting for a year or more, with the end result being sober members of the community with stable employment or positive progress through a vocational or educational program (DeKalb County Drug Court, 2006). During the levels of C.L.E.A.N. volunteer defendants have a drug court team. Each team consists of a designated judge, representatives of the State’s Attorney’s Office, the public defender or legal counsel of the defendant, court services, law enforcement, treatment providers, a community representative and a drug court staff member (DeKalb County Drug Court, 2006 p.34). The drug court team meets prior to drug court sessions and acts a case-management team for participants in the C.L.E.A.N. program before each drug court session. Information is shared about the participants based on each team member’s perspective and interaction with them. A professional consensus is gathered from the available knowledge and used in determining the progress through the phases of individual members (DeKalb County Drug Court,
At the beginning of my training, I was hesitant to work with people struggling with addiction. However, at this point, I am excited to begin working with this population. The raw honesty presented in the group setting along with the anger at the possibility of losing a safe place created a dynamic I wanted to further explore. Research supports that individuals attending group therapy in a 12 step program format succeed if they have the proper support and motivation (Cite). The group dynamic demonstrated that recovery takes time and self-discovery, similar to other situations dealt with in therapy. Subsequently, by using my sense of self and humor with clients struggling with addiction, I can help them in their journey. Furthermore, the client needs to identify accountability at their own pace in the process and not when others dictate. This knowledge and the personalization of addiction will aid me in the future support of my
The client met with his counselor on 05/06/2017 for his one on one session to discuss his treatment plan goals. the client has been on track with his goals and is working on his second step. the client discuss one of the things that his currently working on and that is acceptance. the client explained that he is having a hard time acceptance certain situations and things that happen in his life, and most of the time it result in him resulting to using drugs. the client as well talked about being disappointed in himself for relapsing after two years of being sober. the client reported that he didn't use the tools that were given to him from his last his was in the program, getting a sponsor and learning coping skills. the client reported that
I visited the treatment court presided over by the Honorable Judge John Brown, who has been with treatment court for the past 3 years. Treatment court is a bi lateral contract between the defendant and the State of Montana where the court provides an avenue for willing participants to integrate themselves back into society, it is an alternative to traditional sentencing where substance abuse is a motivating factor for the offender’s criminal behavior. The five fundamentals of treatment court are as follows, sobriety, responsibility, honesty, integrity, and service. During the 18-month program participants are required to abstain from using any mind-altering substances, they must also report any substance uses to the
The meeting consisted of twenty-five people including myself. The leader began by welcoming all returning addicts and non-addicts to the NA meeting. The meeting started with a moment of silence followed by everyone reciting the serenity prayer. After the prayer, the leader asked for volunteers to read the short messages about what the meeting is about and why they were there. Each person that volunteered to read one of the short messages began by saying, “Hi my name is (blank) and I’m an addict.” This was something that the group members did so that they could face the truth and admit that they had an addiction. The meeting continued by a volunteer reading the Twelve Step Traditions. This was a list that the members followed to achieve recovery from their addiction to narcotics. The leader then spoke aloud to the group about which of the twelve steps they were focusing on for the night. The leader then left it open for any group member to share a personal story about where they were on their road to recovery. Everyone who shared their story was open with the group and shared very personal experiences that they had. Everyone listened to each personal story that was shared. No one judged anyone from where they came from or what they had done in the past. Everyone was there to receive help and support those who were on their way to recovery as well. The meeting ended with
As I began thinking about what topic covers a multitude of citizens and is a significant issue and problem that affects the justice system here in the United States, almost automatically I was drawn to my deep passion for recovery based solutions to drug and alcohol addictions. I have found my experiences in recovery, to repeatedly be surrounded with the pain of those whom have suffered and are still suffering from effects of their addiction(s). Many addictions have grown out of the same medications that when used properly, provided the relief sought to provide pain maintenance and therefore relief of such pain. I firmly believe that without some form of spiritual
I talked to the man, who asked to go by “Richard”, after the meeting concluded. We sat outside the conference room and drank coffee while he told me about his lifelong battle with alcohol and drugs. I think what struck out the most to me was just how sad and regretful his tone of voice was as he told his story to me. He recalled how he first shot up with heroin at the age of fourteen, and how his life was a vicious cycle of drugs and depression afterwards. “Richard” told me that he was in and out of juvenile halls throughout his teenage years and how, when he was supposed to be in school, would skip classes to drink on the curb or inject himself with heroin in some dirty gas station bathroom. “I was in and out of prisons too, once I got old enough.” I remember him telling me. After two three year stints in prison on drug and alcohol related charges, the correctional
I interviewed Takisa Smith, Director of the Center for Human Development’s (CHD) Watershed Recovery Center for women in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Her facility accommodates twenty-five women at the beginning stages of recovery and can also accommodate those who have been civilly committed, are pregnant, or post-partum and their infants (http://chd.org/adult-services/addiction-recovery-services/watershed-recovery-center-women/). I was lucky enough to know Takisa through my significant other (Leshawnda Underwood’s mother). Because of our preexisting relationship the interview was very laid back. Though I have known her for some time, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered she was a director of a substance abuse program. Once I knew
The Larimer County 8th Judicial District Adult Drug Court program is a governmental agency that provides helps to individuals within the judicial system with drug abuse related offenses gain the tools for success to become a positive member of the community. The clients in this program have voluntarily chosen to be in this program and follow the terms and conditions of their probation as signed by a drug court contract that follows there terms and conditions set by the court. This may seem like a forced step or little step to some, but in reality, this is the first biggest step for drug abuse individuals because it means they are admitting they have a problem with drug abuse. Now it’s the Adult Drug Court team’s opportunity to provide the
Getting help for drug addiction is often such an intimidating idea that many addicts continue to use rather than expose themselves to the embarrassment or pain that they have associated with reaching out to someone for help. This is in large part due to the fact that television, books and movies have portrayed drug rehab centers in such a negative light that the reality is actually quite incomprehensibly different than these depictions. Millions of people have gotten help for addiction and gone on to lead productive and fulfilling lives free from the bonds of substance abuse. However, there are plenty still who delayed treatment for one reason or another and suffered severe consequences by doing so. Because addiction is a progressive and
“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” This was said by American author Truman Capote (PBS). Capote knows this for he has achieved extreme success and also his share of utter failure. In his fifty nine years of life, Truman Capote was very successful as an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright despite having to move around a lot as a child due to his parents’ divorce, his homosexuality, and dealing with harsh criticisms from the world toward the end of his life. Originally born as Truman Streckfus Persons, Truman Capote changed his last name to his stepfather’s (EncycopaediaBritannica).
These writers are either being paid by someone or just have nothing to write about so they write some crap that they believe will get their blog some much needed views.
Within this meeting my role was simple. I was simply there to learn, observe, and develop a sense of support for the individuals working to reach their personal goal. It was easy to be identified as a learner and possible provider as I had my notebook out to take notes. I hope my identity encouraged the members that there are helping professional who have a desire to learn and not judge. The content of the session was one that resembles AA meetings. The meeting was held by a fellow member as the facilitator. After the welcome, the group recited the serenity prayer. Next, the facilitator asked members to read: who is an addict, what is the NA program, why are we here, how it works, and the twelve traditions of NA. This particular meeting was
Client was invited to introduce herself to the other members of the group, and she did so with genuine enthusiasm. She had just been released the day prior from BCP, after completing her mandatory 5-day sentence and adamantly declared that she will not be doing anything that would jeopardize her freedom again. Also, she explained how her mother, father, and daughter are supportive of her recovery, including that her mom would make her leave if she “slipped.” She was fast and thorough with the assignment in which she elaborated on her three top relapse signs which included working too much, thinking about the past, and avoiding talking about her problems in recovery for which she had solutions for: “slow myself down”, “call somebody to talk to” (in recovery), and talk to people at AA meetings respectively. Client was warned about over excursion and seemingly was open to the feedback