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Wulf and I had a focus group session with NWRC members that was concerned with finding out: (1) what factors at Penrhyn House most benefit members' recovery journeys and (2) in what way—how did these factors impact on the person? We were also concerned in whether the importance of these factors changed over...

The scenery was simply stunning.... The conversation I had with my walking colleagues, all in recovery from addiction but Wulf, was stimulating, enjoyable, fun (lots of laughs) and inspiring. Once again, I realised that I learn more about life from people who have come through the adversity of addiction than from 'normies'.

'Join us for a groundbreaking TEDx talk that challenges the stigma surrounding addiction and offers a fresh perspective rooted in hope. Gary Rutherford explores the transformative power of reframing addiction as a journey of resilience, growth, and recovery....'

Tasty canapés were provided prior to my first talk, which was focused on addiction recovery and My Journey From Brain Chemicals to Human Connection, to an audience of around 30 people. We then had a gorgeous dinner cooked by chef and restaurant manager Jason Hughes...

We covered a good deal of ground including: how the four of us have come to be in the room together; our  individual connections with recovery; a far-reaching discussion on the nature of recovery and how it works, in particular with reference to Eternal Media and NWRC; and how recovery communities survive in the wider system...

Eternal Media is a media production social enterprise and charity, located in Wrexham, that makes high impact documentary films. Their professional, award-winning producers empower and mentor volunteer film crews, which comprise people who are rebuilding their lives and are recovering from addiction and/or an involvement in...

Whilst in North Wales, I will be spending time in two special recovery communities, North Wales Recovery Communities (Bangor) and Eternal Media (Wrexham). I'm really excited! I've learnt so much about these communities by listening to Wulf's interviews with the two community Founders, James Deakin and Marcus Fair...

Huseyin describes the Japanese art of Kintsugi that involves putting broken pieces of pottery back together again with gold dust. He shows a broken plate he keeps (fixed with brass rather than gold!) and describes how Kintsugi teaches you that your broken parts are valued—you embrace your cracks!

'The healing of trauma requires the establishment of an environment of safety, without judgement or prejudice… Cultural safety is the identification a person makes with factors that are derived from the culture, belief systems or worldviews that allow them to feel safe while being with those to whom they have gone to help... ‘… [it] requires a supportive environment with people who care.

These community stories of much to teach us about getting better at being human together. The late South African theologian Bishop Desmond Tutu popularised the term Ubuntu, which means “a person is a person through other people”, or “I am because we are.”

These Aboriginal healing practices are repetitive, rhythmic, relevant, relational, respectful, and rewarding; they are experiences known to be effective in altering neural systems involved in the stress response in both animals models and humans. The remarkable resonance of these practices with the neurobiology of trauma is not unexpected. These practices emerged because they...

We have decided to put together some events, i.e., running up Snowdon in under 2 hours (this has been postponed for a few weeks due to dangerous weather conditions). At the end of July, I will be doing 7 marathons in 7 days, and in September (Recovery Month), we are...

'Wendy has so much to offer to, and insight on, the process of recovery. She is honest and thoughtful in reflections on her own recovery journey. Rich and insightful in her understanding of the 12-Step Fellowship and particularly the role that spirituality plays in recovery. Finally, Wendy has an abundance of wisdom...' Wulf

Gary’s drinking spiralled out of control, so by the age of 30 he had a failed marriage, had lost jobs, and accumulated criminal convictions. He had broken his back and lost parts of his hand in various alcohol-related accidents. He had experienced a number of hospitalisations and clinical detoxes and been in various residential rehabilitation...

‘… Recovering people need empathy and TLC (Tender Loving Care). Rapport with the patient is key to helping them recover. In my opinion, good rapport should be a given working in this field—it is what I experienced in rehab and what helped me get better, and it is what I aim for with my clients. I chat with them about...