Thank you to everyone who came down for our open day. I woke up and noticed that there were terrible storms that morning and sure enough, by the time I got to PROMIS, we were already getting messages from people who needed to cancel. 

As I wandered around the site before lunch, I noticed that the various workshops seemed to be full. Some how we seemed to be able to have drumming in one part of the garden ( sorry Kevin, I know how hard it was to get my sister in law to leave! ) Equine Assisted therapy in another, EMDR in yet another and then the spirituality workshop at the front. How they found a way to be spiritual with all the noise the rest of us were making, I have no idea!

It was at lunch that the scale of the numbers became apparent. Our marquee could only hold a limited number but it was absolutely full!

Well done to everyone! Well done to the staff who helped put on such a fun day and well done to the alumi for braving the weather and creating such a wonderful atmosphere! I’m already looking forward to next years event…..

Robin

It’s summer time and London can be a bit quiet at the weekends for people in recovery so we are organising BBQs for the weekends right through the summer now for our ex patients. We will open our doors at 11am and turf people out about 4pm. We would simply ask that people bring a sausage or some soda pop to drink, to contribute to the day. As people seem to keep touch in different ways would you please let any other ex patients know this is on? Do call us in Kendrick for the address…

It is not the first time that we are collaborating with a University. In the UK, our ties with the University of Kent are long established. In addition, the London South Bank University is our partner in the delivery of the MSc in Addiction Psychology and Counselling. Yet, it is always with great pleasure that we welcome researchers from universities abroad. We invited Dr Joseph Madacsy from the University of Pecs in Hungary to stay with us for three weeks. We were particularly interested in the work of Dr Madacsy because he is investigating the impact of culture on 12 Step Programmes. During his stay, Dr Madascy joined forces with our research team. The resulting study will give us key insights for the future development of our Clinics abroad.

I have just been reading Clarissa Dickson Wright’s excellent book, “Spilling The Beans” and I must say it is a superb book! Clarissa has a chapter dealing with her getting into recovery and does a fantastic job of explaining the whole process in her clear and straight forward language.

I have heard Clarissa talking publicly a few times about being in recovery and I am really grateful to her, and other celebrities, for being prepared to stand up and talk about recovery. I am grateful because I want my children to grow up in a society which understands this illness a lot better than it did when I was growing up. Through people like Clarissa standing up and showing the quality of their recoveries and the amazing things they have done with them, I hope others will see the potential in the alcoholics who are still unwell and realise that recovery is possible for them too.

If you are still short of a Christmas present the I can assure you this book will make an excellent gift!

Both Dad and I attended a training course with Dr Richard Bandler last week and I am going on to do another 10 days training with him next week. Whilst the methods we use are very effective there are always new tools and new skills we can bring into our treatment. In particular, I think that the skill Dr Bandler is teaching will do a lot to help people not just recover but actually find a new enthusiasm for all that they do. Recovery is not about simply stopping the compulsive behaviours, it is also about being so happy and successful in all areas of our lives that going back to compulsive behaviours is no longer of any interest.

Robin

Dear Linda and Meg,
I felt that I needed to write to you both personally, and also to PROMIS in general.
The reason for this letter is to thank you from my heart for the support and guidance that I was given from you both throughout the family workshops that I attended.
I realise that the process was one of tapping into my own emotional `stuff` and learning to take care of me but that was so much gentler and easier to do because of the safe and secure environment that you both gave to me within the group.
Alongside this went the full support and caring approach from the whole of the team at PROMIS you really are a wonderful bunch of human beings.
Referring back to the family workshops I can put my hand on my heart and definitely confirm that the process of an addict in recovery [my son] is not an easy journey for either the addict or the family members, but I now know that the process that happened for me within the family workshops was a hugely positive turning point for both myself and my son, and the realisation that it isn’t only within the addict that the changes have to- take-place, but that sometimes family members also need to take responsibility for changes in their behaviour.
I truly believe that my son going into recovery was his first step followed by my first step attending the family workshops and together this process has allowed us both to move on one day at a time.
Any family members in the future who may be apprehensive about attending the family workshops, please do not hesitate to pass this letter on to them.
Hope to see you again in the near future and love to you all,

Welcome to PROMIS Clinics News.
Here we shall try and keep you up to date with all the developments and news from the PROMIS Clinics.
I hope too that some of our previous patients and previous staff might also like to contribute.
Do please give us feedback if you feel that we are covering the right issues for you or you would like to hear about other matters..

Robin