From A Vancouver Addiction Therapist

Recovering from an addiction can be a long, sometimes painful road to travel. For that reason, when you’re working through a 12 Step Program, you are encouraged to seek out God’s help, or the help of a Higher Power. As a Spiritual Director who is focused on helping people understand how much God wants them to succeed in their addiction recovery, I always encourage the people I work with to take advantage of the many spiritual tools that are available to them. I know you will find that these tools will provide you with the strength you need as you navigate this difficult, but ultimately rewarding time in your life.

Morning Prayer Time

Many people who struggle with addiction find that mornings are the most difficult for them. If that sounds like you, I would encourage you to take some extra time every morning to pray. If you’re not sure how to pray, I like to use the acronym ACTS, which stands for: Adoration: Thanking God for who He is in your life, Contrition: Admitting that you’re not perfect, and asking God to forgive you for the things you’ve done wrong, Thanksgiving: Thanking God for your many blessings, as well as for His forgiveness in your life, Supplication: Asking God to help you with the many challenges you’ll face in your life. While this might seem simple, it’s actually quite powerful, and it can help to focus you and energize you as you prepare to face the day.

Continuing With An Attitude Of Prayer

I believe that it’s important that we understand that God isn’t only there to meet us in the mornings during our first prayer time of the day. He goes with you, and He strengthens you with every challenge you encounter. Don’t hesitate to call upon Him to help you. Pray throughout the day, and pray in the evening before you go to sleep. The more you talk with Him, the more you’ll get to know His heart for you, and the more you’ll benefit from your growing relationship with Him.

Scripture Readings

Each day, take a few minutes to read your Bible, or another spiritual book. Even if you can only read a little bit, you will learn something new that you can meditate on throughout the day. It might be helpful for you to purchase a devotional book that has a different reading for each day of the week, or ask your Spiritual Director for some suggested reading materials. Your 12 Step Program has a lot of great tools you can use. These readings will help to ground you in your faith, and they will give you the inspiration you need to continue in your healing journey.

Connect With People Regularly

I truly believe that people can also be known as “God with skin on.” God uses people to accomplish His work on earth, so invest your time in your 12 Step Program meetings, and attending regular services and classes at your church or Synagogue. The more you connect with people who are also struggling, but who can offer you the words of encouragement you need, the better you’re going to feel. Build relationships with people who can be a source of friendship for you, and continue fostering those important connections on a regular basis.

In addition to these important tools, a Spiritual Director is also a great resource for you in any 12 Step Program. If you’re struggling with an addiction, and you want to talk with someone who understands how you feel, and who can also help you make the necessary changes in your life, I would love to help you.

If you’d like to make an appointment with me, please feel free to give me a call at 604-733-7428. You can also email me at gina@ginavanderham.com.

These spiritual tools are a great resource for you. I would love the opportunity to show you how God can change your life for the better, as you press on toward the goal of addiction recovery.