September is National Recovery Month. Each year, recovery communities come together to celebrate and bring public attention to recovery. This helps increase public awareness and decrease stigma. A decade ago, the first rally in Texas occurred. The Big Texas Rally for Recovery was held on the steps of the Texas state capitol in Austin. Since then, the rally has moved to celebrate annually in different cities across the state. This year, Texas will be honored to be joined by the National Rally for Recovery and will be hosted in Houston, Texas on September 18, 2021.

Plans are in place to celebrate with music, comedy, food, and fellowship. Federal, state, and local public figures will join people in recovery, their families, friends, and other supporters in the community to celebrate and bring more attention to the fact that people can and do recover.

Everyone is welcome. Sign up. Attend. Make some history.

The rally is free, but they do ask you to register at www.nationalbigtexasrally.com

The Big Texas Rally for Recovery website shows the following schedule:

September 17, 2021

Hilton Americas-Houston

1600 Lamar Street

Houston, TX 77010

P: (713) 739-8000

5:00 PM         Red Carpet Check-In

7:00 PM          Award Ceremony

9:00 PM          Pre-Rally Dance

 

September 18, 2021

Avenida Plaza - Outside of the George R Brown Convention Center

1001 Avenida De Las Americas

Houston, TX 77010

 

 8:00 AM         Yoga on the Lawn

 9:00 AM         Registration and Networking

11:00 AM        Rally Begins

11:00 AM        National Anthem

                        Prayer

                        Welcome Message from Mayor Turner

11:30 AM        Message from Bill White

                        A Proclamation for Recovery Month

                        State of Texas Director of Recovery Services, Reggie Smith

                        Advocacy in the Recovery Movement, Jason Howell

12:00 Noon     Band Jam Session

12:30 PM        Faces & Voices of Recovery Director, Patty McCalf

                        ONDCP Representative

                        SAMHSA Assistant Secretary, Dr. Delphin-Rittmon

1:00 PM          Play: The Journey is Real

1:30 PM          Band Jam Session

2:00 PM          Keynote Speaker: Dr. Haner Hernandez

2:40 PM          Presentation to Steven Williams, Director of City of Houston HHS

                        Recovery Champions Awards & Photos

3:20 PM          Performance from SoReal Dance Crew’

3:30 PM          Roger Clemmons & Son – Family Recovery

                        Benny Lee – Going Beyond Cultural Expectations

                        Message from Shatterproof Magazine

4:10 PM          DJ Gray Face

                        Youth Speaker

                        Closing Remarks from Dillon & Dorothy West

4:40 PM          DJ Gray Face

6:00 PM          Candlelight Vigil

7:30 PM          Recovery’s Got Talent Show

 

The Big Texas Rally for Recovery Website

Our Growing Family

Marshall, the newest dachshund edition to our family, came to live with us in January when he was just 8-weeks old. He has added so much life to our home. In the beginning we were weary about how he and Max (our 11-year old doxie) would get along. Max actually ignored him for the first month. I am happy to report that they are now living together like brothers. Meals are the only problematic time and we have resolved that by separating them while they eat. 

He knows his name, he is potty training, he loves to go outside, and learned to use the doggie door yesterday. Max came into our family at 1-year old so Marshall is our first baby-dog experience. He runs us ragged, but I am so grateful. 

Prior to Max, I had no animals - unless you count the occasional fish. I did not understand people who referred to their pets as "family" or allowed the animals to sleep with them. I might have even poo-pooped them a bit. Or a bunch. What a lesson in not knowing what you would do if you are not in a situation. 

Doxie lover for life!

Addiction Studies - Graduate School

I was interviewed by Jr Blanco for the TAAP Talk Podcast and thought I would share some of the information. The topic of the podcast was Addiction Studies degrees. 

Success!

We talked about students who are successful in graduate school and the characteristics they possess.   

Students who seem to be most successful present professionally and continue professional development and readiness while in school. One has to enjoy or be willing to work through the lack of enjoyment of writing. There is a lot of writing in most graduate programs. Students also have to be serious about their work. I have noticed a difference in graduate and undergraduate classes I have taught that graduate students do not miss class and do not turn assignments in late.

Stumbling Blocks!

We also talked about what might be a stumbling block for students in graduate school.

The converse of the things that I mentioned about students being successful, of course. Also, sometimes older students who have not been in school in a number of years mention the advanced technologies we use in higher education are unfamiliar. Most get the hang of it after a semester or two.

Students struggle when their personal issues have not been dealt with – when they are still really raw and unhealed, a lot more than those in undergrad. Likely because the focus of graduate school is specifically on counseling and helping professional topics. During undergraduate studies, students are typically taking a more diverse course load. Also, class sizes are much smaller in graduate programs.

Advice!

Jr asked me what advice I have for students.

There are several things I recommend to students in our undergraduate program: 

MENTOR and NETWORKING - Look for a mentor in the profession. Attend events to build your network. Meetings and conferences, like those offered around the state by TAAP, for instance, offer so many amazing pieces of education but a primary benefit for students is the networking that occurs among participants.

VOLUNTEER and JOIN – Do some volunteer work or join a student organization. Do not do this just because it will look great on a graduate school application, but for the experience and community it can provide.

PRE-PLANNING FOR PROFESSIONALISM – This can sound unnecessary to students at times, but I find it extremely important. Begin thinking of your professional reputation and image before you even start your career. Think of what you are posting on social media and how those posts might influence potential employment.

Consider how you spend your leisure time. Think of how unhealthy activities might impact your ability to obtain and maintain gainful employment. Employment opportunities are big, but the profession is small in the way that we are a community, and our professional reputations are important.

PERSONAL WORK – Every human being has personal issues to work out. If you are going to work with computers, you may be able to avoid those surfacing or causing difficulty in your life. Those who work in Addiction Counseling do not have that luxury. The clients we treat in our practices will trigger personal issues in us if we are not working on those. We do not want to harm people and personal issues that are not dealt with could cause us to do harm.

Many people are called to Addiction Counseling or similar career fields because of their personal experiences (they are in recovery, a family member struggles with addiction, a friend died from substance use, and other personal issues), which is great. Personal experience can help get us to the right place sometimes.

We do not have to be healed - we just have to be working on healing and aware of our issues. And willing to work on new ones that come up.

Exciting News! 

UNT has a new degree that launches in Fall 2021. One can obtain a certificate, minor, and now a bachelor’s degree in Addiction Studies. The Addiction Studies program at the University of North Texas is in the Department of Rehabilitation & Health Services, which is located in the College of Health & Public Service. 

Many people think of Valentine’s Day when they think of holidays in February. Are you aware of the other days recognized this month?

The 1st is National Freedom Day and the day to indulge in a piece of dark chocolate.

Many people keep track of that infamous groundhog on the 2^nd of February, but did you know it is also the day to revel in tater tots and ukuleles?

February 3 applauds Women Physicians, Golden Retrievers, and Carrot cake while the 4^th brings awareness to cancer.

The Super Bowl finds loads of people glued to the television and we remember Abraham Lincoln’s birth this month.

President’s Day is the notable February federal holiday and who can forget Fat Tuesday on the 15^th followed by Ash Wednesday?

There are February days in which we are encouraged to eat some Chili and another day for Chowder.

Why not wrap up the month with a salute to a tasty Chocolate Soufflé Day?

 

 

 

(There and many more notable dates can be found on NationalToday.com)