Publisher's Note  
No Airbrushing Needed in Recovery
 

With recovery month here, I was thinking about how honest and willing we have to become to GET IT. I liken it to standing on a high-dive. The big questions I needed to ask at the time were… "Am I ready to take the plunge into the depth of my being to discover my true self? Am I willing to face the truth about the disease I have—without airbrushing away the imperfections I’m sure to find? Am I okay with looking in the mirror and accepting who I am? If I forge ahead, will this process really be the powerful and life-changing event I hear it can be?" It was and it is. Living a recovered life is more than I could have ever have imagined or hoped for. I’m grateful I dove in and happy to report there was plenty of water in the pool.

Back in 1990 I was filled with shame about my alcoholism—today I’m proud to be among the many who are standing up for recovery advocacy—this month and every month—a day at a time.

How will you celebrate recovery month? For ideas visit www.recoverymonth.gov and click on community events to see what is happening in our state for the month of September. Locally, WINR (Women in New Recovery) will have their annual Walk and Rally for recovery on September 25th from 2 to 6:00 p.m. at 860 N. Center Street in Mesa. For details call 480-464-5764.

Our Recovery Month Edition

We hope you enjoy our feature by Allen Nohre from Terros Behavioral Health, Waking Up to the New World of Recovery. In 2009, TERROS celebrated 40 years of service and that year alone helped over 30,000 people. Terros is a community-based behavioral health organization that helps people recover from substance abuse, mental illness and other behavioral health problems. They provide a wide range of services throughout Maricopa County including mobile crisis intervention, prevention of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS, outpatient treatment and specialized services to assist persons who have a serious mental illness.

Ever wonder what it’s like growing up in a family of recovery? Don’t miss Recovery Kids, growing up in the shadow of the twelve steps.

Also this issue includes our first monthly column on Eating Disorders contributed by Remuda Ranch. Thank you to Dr. Amy Wasserbauer for her insightful article, Childhood Obesity and Eating Disorder Treatment.

 

Thank you for reading TogetherAZ and enjoy this issue!

 


Barbara Nicholson-Brown is publisher of Together AZ and founder of the Recovery Expo in Phoenix. She is an artist and graphic designer and owes her life to sobriety. Reach her at aztogether@yahoo.com