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Healing Hearts of Families Conference

The Council on Recovery and the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder are pleased to present the upcoming Healing Hearts of Families conference, Building a Life Worth Living.  This is an excellent opportunity for families, clinicians and those in recovery to learn more about Borderline Personality Disorder and Dialectical Behavior Therapy from Dr. Charlie Swenson, one of the great masters of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.   Click here for more information and to register.

Jessica Setnick in Two Special Events

Making Food Your Friend Again: Looking Back to Move Forward
An Evening with Jessica Setnick
Thursday, January 19, 2017 | 6:30 – 8:30 pm | Free
Jessica Setnick, MS, RD, CEDRD, envisions a world where no one is ashamed to talk about emotional eating. After recovering from her own eating disorder and nearly two decades helping others as an eating disorder dietitian, Jessica now shares her insights with health professionals, educators, parents and students.

On January 19th join The Council on Recovery as Jessica leads us on the journey to understand, manage and improve our
own unwanted eating behaviors. Whether your relationship with food is confusing, frustrating or downright dysfunctional, Jessica provides an inspiring new perspective to support the process of acceptance leading to change.

A Half-Day Workshop for Clinicians
with Jessica Setnick MS, RD, CEDRD and Ann Spataro, LCSW
Friday, January 20, 2017 | 8:00 am – 12:00 pm | $25
3 CEUs Available to Participants

Jessica Setnick – Adapting Addiction Treatment Strategies to Manage Eating Issues
Dysfunctional eating behaviors sometimes resemble addictions so closely that our clients may describe themselves as “addicted” to food. In this presentation, Jessica Setnick will give examples of the similarities and differences between eating disorders and addictions and how we as professionals can help our clients channel their addiction recovery skills to manage and heal their eating issues.

Ann Spataro – Mindful Eating; Food for Thought
Mindful eating is not a diet. It is about changing our relationship with food, getting back in touch with our hunger and satiety signals and recognizing what emotions often hijack our commitment to improved health. Mindful eating explores the impact of how an individual eats rather than what an individual eats. In this presentation, Ann Spataro will provide experiential exercises designed to inspire a Mindful Eating practice.

Click here to register!

#givingtuesday

One in four American families is touched by addiction, and its impact is far worse than you might imagine.  And substance abuse is a major cause of most other chronic health issues, of violent crimes, of child abuse and neglect, domestic violence and traffic fatalities.  When you think about it, every donor dollar given in support of another healthcare or social cause loses value without a parallel contribution to effective substance abuse treatment.

givingtcor

You have a great opportunity through your donation to help people turn their lives around, to help families prosper, and to help neighborhoods become safe and suitable for our children. Thanks to the support of donors like you, The Council on Recovery is able to provide every family who seeks our help with the highest quality of care, regardless of their ability to pay.  We’d like to keep that commitment, in 2017 and beyond.

It’s simple!  Donate to The Council on Giving Tuesday – and we can guarantee you’ll make a World of Difference.

Click Here To Donate Today

Together, we can support successful recovery and reverse the substance abuse trend.

The Council on Recovery Hails Surgeon General’s Report as a Critical Turning Point for Drug & Alcohol Addiction in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (November 21, 2016) – The Council on Recovery hailed the release of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s report on drug and alcohol addiction as a critical turning point in one of Houston’s biggest health crises. The landmark report, “Facing Addiction,” is the Surgeon General’s nationwide call to action for an addiction epidemic that affect tens of thousands of Houstonians every year.

Mel Taylor, President & CEO of The Council on Recovery, welcomed the Surgeon General’s report. “Since the 1964 Surgeon General’s report on tobacco, these reports have had a major impact on public awareness and action,” Taylor said. “This is the first-ever such report on alcohol and drug abuse and it will help Houstonians finally grasp the devastating impact that addiction is having on our community. Addiction is a deadly and pervasive disease.”

According to Murthy’s report, substance-abuse disorders affected 20.8 million people in the U.S. in 2015 — as many as those with diabetes and 150 percent of the total with cancer. Yet, Murthy told USA Today, only one in 10 people receives treatment. “We never tolerate a situation where only one in 10 people with cancer or diabetes gets treatment, and yet we do that with substance use disorders,” he said.

Mel Taylor agrees. “Addiction help is available, yet too often we see people in severe crisis,” Taylor said. “We want families to reach out to us early when they see the need for treatment.”

A section of the report presents findings from neurobiology research of addiction, describing the pleasure and pain functions of parts of the brain that combine to make overcoming a drug habit so difficult.

The Council on Recovery has spearheaded similar local research on the effects of alcohol and drugs on the brain, especially in adolescents. That work informs much of The Council’s prevention and treatment work targeting adolescents and young adults. “We’ve done a significant study of our own on this, and concur with the Surgeon General,” Mel Taylor said, “especially his assertion that a person who begins drinking before the age of 15 is four times more likely to become addicted than someone who starts after 21.”

The Surgeon General’s report suggests that policy makers must put resources into prevention, treatment programs, and professional counseling. “I’ve just understood that addiction really touches everyone’s life,” Murthy said. “It’s a disease that doesn’t discriminate, and it’s one that’s taking an extraordinary toll on our communities across the country.”

The Council on Recovery applauds the understanding of addiction and empathy voiced by the nation’s top medical doctor. “Surgeon General Murthy’s seminal report will make a huge impact on public awareness of the problem and the availability of solutions right here in Houston,” Taylor said. “The Council on Recovery stands ready to assist the Surgeon General in the bold actions recommended in his report for prevention, education, treatment, and recovery.”

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About The Council on Recovery: Founded in 1946, The Council on Recovery is Houston’s oldest and largest non-profit organization providing the full spectrum of prevention, education, intervention, treatment, and recovery services for individuals of all ages. The Council on Recovery is committed to helping Houston overcome the addiction epidemic through a focus on family healing and long-term support that is equally accessible to all in need. Directly touching over 50,000 lives each year through prevention programs for children and youth, in-school and clinical counseling for teens, outpatient substance abuse treatment for adults, and more, our mission is to provide the highest quality of care at affordable rates for individuals and their families. Affiliated with the United Way of Greater Houston, The Council receives funding from private contributions and grants, special events, and program fees. For more information, visit www.councilonrecovery.org.

 

Kids Camp – December 29-31

The three-day prevention and support program helps kids learn that they are not alone and that other kids and families have similar experiences. Through art, games, role-play and fun activities, kids learn to identify and express feelings, develop self-care skills and deepen communication with their parents. Parents or caregivers join their children for a portion of the program which includes parent education and support. Above all, children learn that addiction is not their fault.

Please call 281.200.9299 or email us at children@councilonrecovery.org for more information.

Start Here: Why “Starting at the Council” is a Good Idea

We often hear from clients after their first visit to The Council on Recovery. They tell us they’re so grateful and wish they had contacted us sooner!  There are many reasons why their sentiments ring true:

  • The Council is a non-profit organization and, like our medical colleagues, we don’t sacrifice quality of staff or cut costs to achieve results.
  • We don’t seek kickbacks or payments from our partners in exchange for referrals.
  • Our donors ensure that we offer the best help available for any family situation, matching up resources to provide timely solutions.
  • Our staff is well-informed and up-to-date on treatment services and programs in our community. Our knowledge of the costs, locations, hours, and staff expertise of other providers means that, if we don’t offer what a family needs, we’ll find a resource partner that does.

The quality of many drug rehabilitation centers is often judged by amenities and not the treatment itself. Research repeatedly confirms that effective treatment is defined first and foremost by the quality and expertise of the staff. Exclusive spas, horses, or special exercise programs are fine accoutrements, but are no replacement for a high-quality treatment staff.  In fact, amenities may actually distract addicts from the real work at hand of achieving sobriety and lasting recovery.

The Council on Recovery goes beyond all other treatment approaches by serving the entire family, not just the addict.  Studies show that relapse it is greatly reduced when the entire family is part of the recovery process. By providing training and understanding to children and spouses, setting limits and expectations after treatment, and creating a process of healing for the whole family, the outcome can be long-term recovery, not just sobriety.

So, when alcoholism, substance abuse or other addiction occurs in your family or afflicts a friend or business colleague, start with the Council on Recovery! Call us first at 855-942-4100. We help thousands of Houstonians and their families find fresh hope for lasting recovery.