Jun 14, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Addiction, Alcohol rehab, Alcoholism, Blog, drug addiction, God

Fixing Myself, Part 1

You’ve discovered your loved one or friend is an alcoholic or addict—now what? For many people in that situation, their first reaction is, “What can I do to fix my alcoholic/addict?” I know that was my reaction, and I tried a lot of things that didn’t work: checking his trunk to see if he had bottles or cans stashed, drawing up agreements for him to sign, buying a breathalyzer, and the list goes on…. It took a while for me to figure out that I couldn’t “fix” my son. Instead, I needed to focus on fixing myself, because my son […]

Jun 7, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Alumni Personal Stories, Alumni Stories, Blog, long-term sobriety Austin

The Power of Hope

I must be the Greatest When he beat Liston in 1964 and said “I must be the Greatest”, I was 11 and average. From that moment on, I wanted to be great.” –Thomas Henderson, former Dallas Cowboy I had the opportunity last week to attend the West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders. What an amazing event held in beautiful (albeit HOT) Palm Springs, California! On Saturday night BRC hosted an intimate gathering of old and new friends to network and discuss treatment solutions, have a nice meal and enjoy fellowship (and air conditioning!!) I was seated next to an employee, […]

May 31, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Addiction, Alumni Personal Stories, Alumni Stories, Blog, long-term sobriety Austin, Recovery, Women's Issues, womens program

Waking Up

BRC Recovery My name is Caroline H., and I am a Recovery Coach with the Women’s Segue Program of BRC Recovery. During my active alcoholism one of the most painful parts of each day for me was waking up. I still very clearly remember the mornings when I would awake fairly sober to suffocating fear that felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I would immediately reach for whatever substance I had to calm my nerves and allow me to breathe. When the Big Book talks about the Four Horsemen—Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair— it perfectly describes the state […]

Apr 26, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Addiction, Alumni Personal Stories, Alumni Stories, Blog, Health and Wellness

The Night That Changed My Life

My Life Looked Like Four Years Ago I vividly remember what my life looked like four years ago. My family and I were in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico for New Year’s Eve of 2012. The hotel we were staying in had a fancy dinner buffet and free drinks to go around. People of the hotel were laughing, celebrating, and creating meaningful memories with each other. Not that I didn’t create a meaningful memory for my family and myself, but it was not a memory to be proud of. I was in full blown addiction by this time in my life. […]

Apr 19, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Alcohol rehab, Alumni Personal Stories, Blog, Family, God, Health and Wellness, mens program, Personal Stories, Prayer, Recovery

The Power of Step 12

STEP 12 “We tried to carry this message to other alcoholics.” It still amazes me how this line from Step 12 carries so much power! We learn on pg. 89 of the Big Book, “that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.” With long term sobriety being the goal for myself, I follow these instructions only to find that the real freedom is when I get to carry the message of hope to another alcoholic or drug addict. The key to my freedom today is being able to carry the message of recovery into hospitals […]

Mar 29, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Addiction, Addiction Relapse, Blog, God

Ceased Fighting Anything or Anyone

“And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone – even alcohol” pg.84. This is one of my favorite lines from the Big Book.  I suppose I love it so much because it is one of those things that I struggle with on a daily basis.  While I have experienced the freedom born of my spiritual awakening that allowed me to stop fighting alcohol, I still battle daily to practice this principle in all my affairs.  As I continue to work on this lesson, I watch it play out daily in my relationships with self, with God, with my fellows, and […]

Mar 15, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Addiction, Alumni Personal Stories, Alumni Stories, Blog, drug addiction, Drug Free, Drug News, drug rehab Austin, Drugs, Family, God, Health and Wellness, Women's Issues, womens program

Life is a Privilege

Three years ago Three years ago, as I sat alone paralyzed by fear on yet another seedy motel bathroom floor, I was wondering why I had to experience a level of inexplicable internal pain for what seemed like so many years. The only explanation my besotted mind could believe was this suffering would one day be useful to someone else. I had heard for years that the solution to my self-centered condition was to “help someone else” or, “do something selfless for once in your life”. These notions seemed less than improbable to fill that seemingly insatiable hole within, that’s […]

Mar 8, 2016 / By BRC Recovery / In 12 Steps 2, Blog, Family, General Category 4, News

Ethics in Action

Opportunity To Take A Family Trip Recently, some of my family and I had the opportunity to take a family trip to Charleston, South Carolina. My husband, an alumni of The Citadel, and my two youngest sons and I attended his 25th Class Reunion. Steeped in rich tradition and history, Charleston, as well as The Citadel, are amazing parts of our country’s development. As we walked around the barracks just prior to the Homecoming football game, I noticed a sign that read “Ethics in Action”. I inquired and was told that this is one the schools slogans that guide the […]