Read more about the A2R approach. What makes it unique and how it can help your recovery!
In this piece you will learn what validation is and how it can be problematic when your source of validation is external rather than internal. I will then talk about the connection between validation and recovery as part of self leadership. Let’s go! Definition I want...
In this article you are going to learn about the way addiction develops in a person. How it always starts in the form of ‘reverse’ or ‘mirrored’ addiction. And why some people stay in the reverse position, whilst others develop into addicts. And why we all have the...
Recently I watched a programme on the BBC which had been made from the experiences of one of our most famous footballers, Ian Wright. Although domestic abuse is not my area of expertise there is no doubt in my mind that the trauma of domestic abuse produces lots of...
The ‘observer’ position I want to say something more about one of the key points in this approach. In order to understand, develop and practice my method you must first develop your understanding of what I call the ‘observer position’. Things like a raised awareness...
From survival to flourishingWhether you have been down and out, or what used to be called a 'high functioning' addict, you will have been used to employing some form of manipulation, denial or downright deceipt. Probably a mixture of all the above. These things become...
The Ground Floor - Normal life At this point I will assume that you have a solid and stable foundation. If you do not, don't worry. Try to concentrate on the relationships inside any room that is unstable or weak and allow yourself to know what it is about that...
Okay. So you have looked at the challenges involved in your recovery. You have now considered the most important questions such as cost, location and design. We now need to think about starting the work of recovery. That means building a good foundation. Once we are...
If you are thinking of attempting to get away from your addiction my advice is not to rush into it. Give yourself the best chance you can by preparing for it. I believe that it’s useful to use a metaphor such as ‘building a home’ as a way of understanding some of the...
Now we are going to get into more detail about the idea of ‘cost’. Another one of the ‘big three’ things to consider when building your recovery along with ‘design’ and ‘location’. Most of us get the general idea that things cost and that we have to pay, but what...
Of the three most impotrtant factors when thinking about building your recovery - Design, cost and location. We could say that design is the one I see most often misunderstood, or left out altogether. Remember, if you do not design your recovery, someone else will!...
Common sense is not always the best guide Today I want to talk to you about the growth process and how it can sometimes go against our common sense. There's a very good reason why we tend to start any change process from the outside-in. it doesn't take a genius to...
So you want to recover from addiction? You want to lose that dependency? What is your number one commitment? Say no to drugs? Come home at a reasonable time? be more honest? I say that your number one commitment in recovery is to learn from everything! This post...
Most things exist in a form which can be thought of as a duality. Would you know what 'up' is if there was no 'down'? Dark if there was no 'light'. Left and right, wrong and right. I think you get the idea. My name is Dave Cooper and I am a recovery coach and...
What new things we have learned about this old idea I wanted to share some thoughts with you today around the idea of the ‘King Baby’. This idea has evolved a lot in recent years. I believe it is now a really valuable approach and method to have in your tool box...
4 - Self management My work in this field took a huge leap forwards when I took on board the complex nature of being a human being! I often remind my clients that when we say 'I' we are using a complex statement! So the core principle here is something like 'you are...
So one of the main principles of growth is...... growth? I know, it seems a silly thing to include. But the importance of this demands that it gets its own section. Let me first extract the principle here so that we have a context for the rest of this section. The...
So this post is on isolation but the principle could be called 'relating'. This is the second in this series on the core principles of growth into recovery from addiction. I want to continue to remind you that these are ideas that will produce personal growth and...
I have been very busy recently filming my online course (Building Recovery) and finishing my book (of the same name). So I was wanting to get back to writing my Blog and thought to myself "what are the core principles that inform all my work with clients who want to...
Calling something good that is harmful to you This is the third article in the series - Addiction as an inappropriate relationship. In this final post we will be looking at one of the worst aspects of the inappropriate relationship. Namely that it looks good but is...