Saturday, April 9, 2011

We sometimes encounter clients who say "I don't want to be here."

"Well then," I'll ask, "why are you here?"

"I'm here because my parole officer put me here. I don't have any choice."

"Why don't you just leave then?" I'll ask.

"My PO will put me in jail," will be the response.

"Then you do have a choice?" I'll ask.

At this point the conversation generally breaks down because the person dealing with the parole or probation officer doesn't want to take responsibility for his choices. On a deep level he recognizes that he has choices. He just doesn't like those he’s presented with. Many of us go through life feeling like we're out of control. But most of us we are presented with a series of choices. If we go to jail we made a choice to commit a crime. We're not victims of the system if we decide to go to a recovery program instead of staying in jail.

If we recognize that we are where we’re at this moment because of our choices then we’ll likely make better ones.

2 comments:

  1. Sometimes there were dishonest things that were happening at that CEO,CFO CEO assistan level that drove people living there in to relapse and even death, You can not sit in a aa meeting and preach honisty and be commiting whitee collor crimes to the tenets that life there. I worked there for two years as a business manager and seen it all. I got sober for clean living but when I worked there the owners were being dishonist and takink residents propprtys and federial rights from then,, Can you guess who I am?

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  2. Ah yes, I know who you are. You're the crackhead with the huge ego who stole several hundred dollars from us and took it to the dope house. When you get out of jail we're still willing to help you get clean. We have room for you in the Hard Six program.

    As to any perceived wrongs on the part of TLC staff there are police agencies and Federal authorities who'd like to hear from you.

    We understand that you're struggling with your disease. But we're still willing to help you get clean. We care about you.

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