The older we get, the more difficult it becomes to find and maintain healthy friendships. In childhood, life revolves around our friends. As we become adults, establish families of our own, and rearrange our priorities, friendships often take the back
From a young age, most of us have been encouraged to read by parents and teachers to expand our knowledge of the world and improve our language skills. Whether you developed a love of reading as a child, lost touch
In a popular TED Talk, titled “Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong”, Johann Hari makes the argument that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but human connection. He goes on to describe compelling research and legislative
Recovering from addiction isn’t just a matter of remaining abstinent from drugs and alcohol. In fact, just focusing on abstinence is doing it the hard way and it will probably fail sooner rather than later. A strong recovery requires treating
Practicing Mindfulness is simply learning to be in the present moment and being aware of what’s going on around you. It’s an ancient Buddhist practice supported by modern science. Every year, more and more research affirms the benefits of a
Psychotherapy, also known as “talk therapy,” is when a person works one-on-one with a therapist to cover deep-rooted issues that may not have been addressed before. Many people in addiction recovery have struggled with trauma, abuse, neglect, pain and more,
It’s completely normal to experience bouts of anxiety from time to time – job interviews, meeting new people and being thrown into social situations can easily make a person jittery. There are times, however, when anxiety begins to fester out
The progress we make in therapy depends largely on the dynamic we have with our therapist – and as a patient, we are empowered to lead the way regarding how the professional relationship will work. If you’ve never been in
Recovery is an individual journey, but not one a person must trek alone. The support of family members and loved ones can make all the difference in a recovering individual’s motivation to remain sober. If you have a loved one
Dear Renewal Lodge Visitors,
My name is John Bruna, co-founder of the Mindfulness in Recovery® Institute, and more importantly, a grateful member of the recovery community. I am incredibly fortunate to have found my recovery in 1984. Of course, I did not achieve continuous recovery through willpower or my own efforts, but through the guidance and caring support of countless others that selflessly taught me how to live through the 12 Steps.
My journey of recovery brought this once homeless, shame-based, traumatized, insecure young man to a life far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I discovered self-worth, the joy of helping others, the gifts of parenting and grandparenting, and most importantly the ability to live a meaningful and purposeful life with integrity.
One of the greatest gifts of recovery is that I have the opportunity to give back and help others discover their self-worth, dignity, and the skills to fully live lives that they find truly meaningful. This is the inspiration for developing the skills of Mindfulness in Recovery® (MIR) to meet the needs of new generations struggling with alcohol and other substance use disorders. MIR is a set of evidence-based skills designed to help people fully integrate their tools of recovery in ways that are personalized, practical, and in alignment with their deepest values.
While we train counselors and therapists throughout the United States and abroad, I personally have chosen to work directly with the amazing team and clients at Renewal Lodge to develop the model MIR 12-step program for the nation. I choose Renewal Lodge because of the vision of its mission and the dedication of its team. Renewal Lodge is an extremely rare environment in which the staff embodies the very mindfulness and 12-step practices and skills they offer their clients. The results have been beyond my expectations. It is an honor to be here and I treasure my personal time with every client I meet.
With Gratitude,
