"How to Support Recovery and Not Support Addiction" was presented on Tuesday May 15, 2012 by Dr. Charles F. Gehrke, MD, FACP, FASAM. When all else has failed - what does work when confronted with a loved one’s addiction? What does not work? What can others do to help? What does not help? What role does an individual play in supporting another person’s recovery process? These and other questions are addressed in order to assist participants to find effective methods to successfully support another person’s recovery, avoid enabling another person’s addiction, and maintain their own health and well-being.  This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction" was presented on April 24, 2012; by Rabbi Yisrael Pinson; Director, Jewish Recovery International and Editor-In-Chief, JewishRecovery.org.   Does spirituality contribute to one's recovery? Does recovery contribute to one's spirituality? The combination of the values of recovery and the values of spirituality create a powerful environment that brings a healthy and meaningful life. The listeners will gain an understanding of Jewish spirituality, the spirituality of recovery, the difference between religion and spirituality, and how to use both for their recovery. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

–"The Intersection of Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse" was presented on April 17, 2012; by Barbara Niess May, MPH, MSW; Executive Director, SafeHouse Center; and David J.H. Garvin, LMSW; Director, Alternatives to Domestic Aggression, Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County. Domestic violence offender and survivor alcohol and other drug use/abuse is central to this discussion. The presentation provides a primmer regarding batterer tactics, strategies, and core beliefs which hold the batterer accountable for his abusive behaviors while maintaining and promoting survivor safety. The program will help participants to recognize the critical importance of understanding domestic violence and alcohol/other drug use/abuse in order to safely and effectively intervene and/or interrupt the batterer's abusive behaviors and support the survivor. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"In the Doctor's Office: Recovery Friend or Foe?" was presented on Tuesday March 20, 2012; by Dr. Mark A. Weiner, MD; Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine; and Matthew Statman, LLMSW, CADC; Dawn Farm therapist and Education Series Coordinator. It's been said that the doctor's office is a dangerous place for people in recovery from addiction. It's also been said that recovering people are terrible patients. This program discusses whether these statements are fair and why doctors and other healthcare providers are essential allies for long term recovery. The program describes in detail how people in recovery from alcohol/other drug addiction can take responsibility for their physical health and recruit health care providers as allies. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.”

"Grief and Loss in Addiction and Recovery" was presented on February 28, 2012; by Janice Firn, LMSW, Clinical Social Worker, University of Michigan Hospital; Matthew Statman, LLMSW, CADC, Dawn Farm therapist and Education Series Coordinator; and Barb Smith, author of “Brent’s World.” This program describes Worden's and Kubler-Ross' theories of grief and grief recovery, losses that the chemically dependent individual and his/her family experience throughout the addiction and recovery processes, and how recovery program tools can help individuals cope with grief and loss. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"The Physiology of Addiction" was presented on February 21, 2012, by Dr. Carl Christensen, MD, PhD, FACOG, CRMO, ABAM. This program explores the differences in neurochemistry between the addicted brain and the normal brain, the progression of physiological changes that occur in people with alcohol/other drug addiction, the mechanisms of physiologic tolerance and withdrawal, and the effects of treatment on the addicted brain. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"Spirituality and Recovery From Addiction" was presented on Tuesday January 24, 2012; by Brother Edward Conlin, BSEd, CADC; Addiction Counselor, Detroit Capuchin Service System. This program describes how spirituality relates to recovery from chemical dependency, explores personal spiritual needs and life choices, and discusses the Twelve Steps as a spiritual program which can benefit anyone (recovering or not.) This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"Trauma and Chemical Use and Addiction" was presented on Tuesday January 31, 2012; by Dr. Tana Bridge, Ph.D., LMSW; MSW Program Director, School of Social Work, Eastern Michigan University. Current research highlights the relationship between chemical use, addiction and trauma. This presentation by an award-winning trauma expert reviews events involved with trauma exposure, trauma specific symptomology, the impact trauma has on the brain and on coping and subsequent substance use, and how to aid individuals struggling with trauma and addiction. This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual workshop series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about chemical dependency, recovery, family and related issues.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"The Doctor's Opinion on Alcoholism" was be presented on November 15, 2011, by Dr. Herbert L. Malinoff, MD, FACP, FASAM; Addictionologist, President and founder of Pain Recovery Solutions, PC. This program describes a physician's view of alcoholism, as presented in the literature of Alcoholics Anonymous and updated with the modern neurobiology of addictive illness. It includes a discussion of Dr. Silkworth's explanation of alcoholism as a twofold disease affecting mind and body, how Dr. Silkworth's opinion relates to the modern neurobiology of addictive illness, identification of therapy for alcoholism as promoted by Alcoholics Anonymous, and the relationship of this therapy to Dr. Silkworth's opinion. This program is part of the FREE, annual Dawn Farm Education Series.  The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please contact Matt Statman, LLMSW, CADC, Education Series Coordinator, at 734-485-8725 or info@dawnfarm.org, or see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

"Transformation of the Culture of Recovery in America" was presented on Tuesday October 18, 2011; by William L. White, MA; Senior Research Consultant, Chestnut Health System. For almost three centuries, people recovering from severe alcohol and other drug problems have found ways to help each other initiate and sustain their recovery journeys. Today, recovering people, their families, and visionary professionals have responded to the stigma, criminalization, and lack of appropriate medical care associated with severe alcohol and other drug problems by creating an unprecedented growth in new structures of recovery support.  This presentation will explore recent recovery community building activities and the influence they will exert on the future of addiction treatment and recovery in America.  William White is one of the world’s best-know and most influential advocates, authors and public speakers on the subject of recovery from addiction. He has authored or coauthored more than 350 articles and monographs and fifteen books, including "Let's Go Make Some History: Chronicles of the New Addiction Recovery Advocacy Movement," "Pathways From The Culture of Addiction to the Culture of Recovery," and "Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America" which received the McGovern Family Foundation Award for the best book on addiction recovery. This program is part of the FREE, annual Dawn Farm Education Series. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information, please contact Matt Statman, LLMSW, CADC, Education Series Coordinator, at 734-485-8725 or info@dawnfarm.org, or see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.