In November 2025, a peer-reviewed article was published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs examining a phenomenon that many in our community have been living for years: the intentional integration of psychedelic experiences with 12-Step recovery. Titled “Psychedelic Augmentation of
On March 21, 1966, Ebby Thatcher died alone in a small apartment in Ballston Spa, New York. He was 69 years old. His death didn’t make headlines. There were no grand memorials, no speeches at AA conventions honoring him. In
The history of addiction treatment is filled with intriguing stories, but few are as captivating as the beginnings of the Charles Towns Belladonna Cure. Known later as the “Towns-Lambert treatment,” this so-called cure became a pivotal method for treating alcoholism
The upcoming release of the Plain Language Big Book, a new edition of the foundational text of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), has sparked conversation and controversy within the recovery community. Designed to make the original Big Book more accessible to modern
The 12-step philosophy, born from Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, has undoubtedly saved countless lives. Its framework is a spiritual path of surrender, inventory, amends, and service—a process often rooted in accountability and personal responsibility. However, as effective as the 12-step
The weight of war clings to me like a shadow, one that I’ve learned to carry in silence. When I first came back from active combat, it felt like I’d been dropped on a planet where everyone spoke the same
As the nation turns its collective gaze to the ballot boxes today, feelings of division, hope, anxiety, and determination swirl in the air. It’s in these moments of heightened tension that we can find solace in the wisdom of the
In 1953, nearly two decades after co-founding Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson penned a letter that would eventually become one of the most influential pieces in understanding the complexities of long-term sobriety. In it, he explored what he called “emotional sobriety,”
Growing up Catholic, I learned early on about sin, guilt, and penance. I remember sitting in church, watching candlelight flicker across the statues of saints, feeling awed by their holiness but convinced I could never be like them. I prayed,
Growing up, Halloween was…different. My parents were draped in their own chaos, often more interested in the next drink than in their children’s happiness. I’d cobble together costumes from whatever I could find, dreaming of the “real” costumes I saw
At my first recovery meeting, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being both relieved and trapped. The room was dim, the chairs arranged in a circle, and the walls were bare save for a few posters with slogans: One day
The evolution of recovery and healing philosophies reveals a striking contrast between early 20th-century spiritual approaches and more contemporary psychological frameworks. The Oxford Group, a Christian-based movement that heavily influenced the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), emphasized the concept of