Back in the Sixties and Seventies we met hundreds of students and adults that were dependent on alcohol, drugs, sex, anger, etc. We led a house church across from campus and had Bible studies in addition to Counseling and Coaching students in my job as Associate Dean of Students. We loved the students and had compassion on them. We needed to learn how to help them find freedom.
We acted, failed, tried again, and saw a few successes but it was hard, mystifying work. However, we came away with some insights.
1. Change is possible. People can come out from being submerged in bad behavior.
2. Not every bad habit of chronic behavior is an addiction.
3. The key to change is bringing wounded, addicted people into the caring communities of acceptance and challenge. Here is the formula:
For those outside the recovered family:
Come as You Are; You will be loved!
When you are in the fellowship:
Stay and you will be loved and challenged to grow, be healed and discard the addictions.
These two things are the marks of a therapeutic community
See my book Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty for more on building TX Communities.
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