AA’s 12 Step Language for the 21st Century

CHICAGO - March 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Kiva Recovery recently hosted “12 Step Language for The 21st Century.” Led by Joe C., the workshop explored the different belief systems in AA and the recovery community in general. Joe C. is the author of Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life.

“We live in a pluralist world. Addiction is a phenomenon that doesn’t discriminate. Alcoholism, for instance, doesn’t care how much money you make, who or what if anything you pray to, what your race, age, gender or sexual orientation is,” says Joe C.  “More than ever, we need to be able to tell the story of recovery in a way that accommodates the tapestry that is today’s newcomer and today’s members.”

Joe C’s views are based on trends in individuals’ beliefs and how traditional forms of recovery groups may need to change to meet these future needs.

·      Pew Findings show that while still a minority, Americans that don’t believe in God are the fastest growing “religious” category.

·      From 2007 to 2012 those who identify as outright atheists rose from 1.6% to 2.6 % (a 50% increase)

·      In 2013, Americans were asked by PEW Research if the growing number of nonbelievers in the USA was a good thing, bad thing or if it didn’t matter: 39% said it didn’t matter, 11% saw it as positive, 48% thought this trend is a bad thing.

·      The first AA meeting for nonbelievers was held in 1975.  Today, AAs can find over 200 Agnostic/ Atheist/Freethinker groups registered with GSO.

As David Bohl, Executive Director of Kiva Recovery, explains, “Addiction characterizes a mindset that easily finds barriers and obstacles to engaging in treatment and recovery interventions. Rather than working against the values and beliefs of the client in order to fit them into a one-size-fits-all treatment program, it’s vital to draw on a person’s recovery culture as an essential part of their healing and recovery program. This means that a variety of tools must be used to help people understand this disease and treatment.”

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The trusted resource in addiction treatment, Kiva Recovery’s multicultural model focuses on the individual and the strengths within each of us. Kiva’s treatment approach aims to replace addiction with solution-focused, growth-oriented strategies focusing on Lifelong Recovery through Holistic Health, Positive Character Building through Continuous Character Growth, and Life Satisfaction through Contentment. "Kiva Recovery speaks ALL recovery languages."

The Kiva Recovery treatment center is located 35 miles from downtown Chicago in the beautiful northern suburbs of Lake County, IL.  To learn more, please visit www.KivaRecovery.com.