{"id":10168,"date":"2021-05-23T15:36:42","date_gmt":"2021-05-23T15:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/?p=10168"},"modified":"2022-06-01T15:27:59","modified_gmt":"2022-06-01T15:27:59","slug":"leading-with-love-an-interview-with-reverend-jan-brown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/article\/leading-with-love-an-interview-with-reverend-jan-brown","title":{"rendered":"Leading with Love: An Interview with Reverend Jan Brown"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"10168\" class=\"elementor elementor-10168\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-725186b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"725186b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c60c2d4\" data-id=\"c60c2d4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24570b6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24570b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 26-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently we got to sit down with Rev. Jan M. Brown, the Founder and Executive Director of\u00a0 SpiritWorks Foundation, a Recovery Community Organization (RCO) based in Williamsburg, VA. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jan spoke with two of our staff, Kayla Brady and Elliot Foote, about community, substance use, and the importance of practice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-efddf59 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"efddf59\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4c34046\" data-id=\"4c34046\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc1c8d3 elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"bc1c8d3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 26-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-divider{--divider-border-style:none;--divider-border-width:1px;--divider-color:#0c0d0e;--divider-icon-size:20px;--divider-element-spacing:10px;--divider-pattern-height:24px;--divider-pattern-size:20px;--divider-pattern-url:none;--divider-pattern-repeat:repeat-x}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider{display:flex}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{font-size:15px;line-height:1;max-width:95%}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__element{margin:0 var(--divider-element-spacing);flex-shrink:0}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-icon{font-size:var(--divider-icon-size)}.elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider-separator{display:flex;margin:0;direction:ltr}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator{align-items:center}.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text .elementor-divider-separator:before{display:block;content:\"\";border-bottom:0;flex-grow:1;border-top:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:first-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider-separator:before{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-left .elementor-divider__element{margin-left:0}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider .elementor-divider-separator>.elementor-divider__svg:last-of-type{flex-grow:0;flex-shrink:100}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider-separator:after{content:none}.elementor-widget-divider--element-align-right .elementor-divider__element{margin-right:0}.elementor-widget-divider:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_text):not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon) .elementor-divider-separator{border-top:var(--divider-border-width) var(--divider-border-style) var(--divider-color)}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern{--divider-border-style:none}.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern.elementor-widget-divider--view-line .elementor-divider-separator,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:after,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not(.elementor-widget-divider--view-line) .elementor-divider-separator:before,.elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern:not([class*=elementor-widget-divider--view]) .elementor-divider-separator{width:100%;min-height:var(--divider-pattern-height);-webkit-mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;mask-size:var(--divider-pattern-size) 100%;-webkit-mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);mask-repeat:var(--divider-pattern-repeat);background-color:var(--divider-color);-webkit-mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url);mask-image:var(--divider-pattern-url)}.elementor-widget-divider--no-spacing{--divider-pattern-size:auto}.elementor-widget-divider--bg-round{--divider-pattern-repeat:round}.rtl .elementor-widget-divider .elementor-divider__text{direction:rtl}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-divider,.e-con>.elementor-widget-divider{width:var(--container-widget-width,100%);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1a719d8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1a719d8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4b93610\" data-id=\"4b93610\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-283ab82 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"283ab82\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<b>To start, can you briefly introduce yourself and the work that you do?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My name is Jan Brown. I am a woman in long term recovery, and that means I haven&#8217;t used drugs or alcohol for the past 34 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am the Founder and Executive Director of SpiritWorks Foundation, which is currently operating through two Recovery Community Centers, one in Warrenton, Virginia and one in Williamsburg, Virginia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I&#8217;m also an ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Church, and I serve at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How did you get started in the work you&#8217;re currently doing?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I initially got started in the recovery field by working at a drug and alcohol treatment center for health care professionals. As I was working there, I saw many people relapse and return to use, and I created SpiritWorks as a place to help people transition from treatment to the community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The original question was, \u201cwhat will someone do with the other 23 hours of their day that they\u2019re not in a meeting?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Or, after a three-month program, \u201cwhat will someone do on day 91?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How has SpiritWorks evolved over time? What programs did you start with?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SpiritWorks started in 2005. So last year we celebrated 15 years!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Happy birthday!<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you. It was a heck of a 15th birthday, but that&#8217;s okay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We started in my living room, with a group called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women\u2019s 16 Step<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s. It was made for those who wanted to grow beyond 12 step meetings or who felt that the 12 steps didn\u2019t really speak to them. Primarily those were women and folks who were marginalized, who the group was a good fit for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We also work with children. For several years we offered a summer camp for children who are growing up with addiction in their lives. One of the highlights of that was that they got to be around other children who understood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We offered it for several years &#8211; one of the cool things was that it was featured on the BBC, that was fun &#8211; and then last year, because of COVID, we had to take the year off. We\u2019re looking forward to being back with the kids this summer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, a really big transition in our work has been working more robustly and more directly with family members, and particularly with parents. That certainly wasn\u2019t where we started. I had an interest, but we didn\u2019t have any formal offerings for families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what started happening was that parents would come to me and say, \u201cwhat do we do?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And a couple of those folks asked if we could start a parents group. Some had loved ones who had been in treatment centers with a family program, but they wanted something beyond that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Right, it\u2019s similar to what you said before. Even when there is a family program, what do you do once it&#8217;s over for the day?<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a163619 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a163619\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b7b48b3\" data-id=\"b7b48b3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5a7031 elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"d5a7031\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-91e1ac8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"91e1ac8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d1ff76a\" data-id=\"d1ff76a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b7a467 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6b7a467\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;The original question was, <em>what will someone do with the other <br>23 hours in their day?&#8221;<\/em><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7a191d3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7a191d3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a204764\" data-id=\"a204764\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca3fcc9 elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ca3fcc9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-64e180a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"64e180a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ff398c9\" data-id=\"ff398c9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51f5c33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"51f5c33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<b>Something that I always find interesting about community organizing work and community support work is that everyone involved in it has a reason to be there and a reason that they\u2019ve stuck with it.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Could you talk a little bit about your motivation to remain in the addiction landscape?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s the children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of my goals in life, my missions, is to make a difference in the life of a child. And so it&#8217;s been about figuring out how best to do that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to addiction, we know where the next generation of people with addiction are: many are growing up in the households of people who are struggling. And yet we do very little for them. It just doesn&#8217;t make any sense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think these young people can have a really good life. And the grown-ups as well. We need to break the intergenerational cycle of addiction in families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And so, I&#8217;ve stayed with it.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5027b35 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5027b35\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d3e8a42\" data-id=\"d3e8a42\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f38fefe elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f38fefe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-74df4e1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"74df4e1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2b1b719\" data-id=\"2b1b719\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1240dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d1240dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;For women, for people of color, for LGBTQIA folks &#8211; <em>powerlessness<\/em> does not inspire change.&#8221;<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-adb7ca5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"adb7ca5\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8dea94d\" data-id=\"8dea94d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8ded71f elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"8ded71f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7588810 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7588810\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8e3c756\" data-id=\"8e3c756\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b90982 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8b90982\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<b>Could you talk more about what it&#8217;s been like to offer spaces for marginalized individuals and how you have worked to make those spaces accessible to different people?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sure. I think one of the things that was really important [in that process] was this notion, in the 12 Steps, of having to \u2018admit that you&#8217;re powerless.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For women, for people of color, for LGBTQIA folks &#8211; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">powerlessness <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">does not inspire change. Many of them have been told all of their lives that they\u2019re powerless. So that\u2019s not a helpful model to work out of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For people with any experience of abuse or trauma, as well, the hierarchical and patriarchal nature of the 12 Steps is not accessible. As well as for those who aren\u2019t interested in having God, as they understand God, be part of their recovery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But 15 years ago there weren&#8217;t things like Dharma Recovery and CRAFT. 12 Steps was the best game in town, so that&#8217;s what people relied upon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We started using the 16 Steps as a way to step away from that. To step away from [the 12 Steps] being the only thing that was offered. It was about resilience, and it felt much more empowering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>It\u2019s interesting to think about the idea of \u201cpowerlessness\u201d that is so common in the 12 Step model, and how it doesn\u2019t work for some people.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yeah &#8211; I used to be told, \u201cLook in the mirror, you\u2019re the problem.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And one day I said, \u201cWell, I\u2019m looking in the mirror, and it must mean I\u2019m the solution too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They didn\u2019t necessarily appreciate that, but I felt like &#8211; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stop beating me up<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">! I can do that all by myself.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>I\u2019m already doing that!<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[Laughter]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Is that shift in perspective something you work on with families as well?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Very much so. Early on in the recovery movement, families were actually considered \u201cthe problem.\u201d So they weren&#8217;t included in treatment or in recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They didn&#8217;t get any help, they didn&#8217;t get any support &#8211; and we&#8217;re still trying to overcome that. Because now, they often think it&#8217;s their fault.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Right, many family members have been told that staying involved in their loved one\u2019s life is \u2018enabling\u2019 their substance use. What is it like to share a different viewpoint with parents?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was talking with a mom recently, and actually stopped her as she was talking about enabling and said, \u201cWe&#8217;ve got to stop calling you all names. You&#8217;re not an enabler. You&#8217;re not trying to continue your child\u2019s use, you\u2019re trying to support them.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And next day, she called me and thanked me because nobody had ever told her that before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, families are just ill-equipped. They don\u2019t have the tools. Much like people who are learning to navigate recovery don\u2019t have the tools, at first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In our experience, parents and loved ones who want to help sometimes get nervous that they\u2019ll \u2018do it wrong\u2019 or will say the wrong thing. And with the ITC, we\u2019re trying to make sure people know that that\u2019s ok. It doesn\u2019t have to be perfect, and you can keep working on it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For me, practice has always been something that&#8217;s really important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s the age-old idea that you have to practice if you want to get better at something. And many parents have been willing to receive that idea. They\u2019ll show up and say, \u201cWe\u2019re here to practice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And I\u2019ll say \u201cOkay. Alright, let\u2019s do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is powerful to see folks continue to show up for their loved ones. And it doesn\u2019t have to be limited to parents or family members. Change is change is change.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b01e434 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b01e434\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a444d51\" data-id=\"a444d51\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e5bb83 elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1e5bb83\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7efb2d1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7efb2d1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4643b4a\" data-id=\"4643b4a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41f5cd2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"41f5cd2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;I told a mom recently, <em> we&#8217;ve got to stop calling you all names.<\/em> &#8220;<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-624cb1a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"624cb1a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-57c553b\" data-id=\"57c553b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c16277 elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5c16277\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bafe58f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bafe58f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8a54058\" data-id=\"8a54058\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d1611e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1d1611e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<b>Well, thank you so much for opening up about your work and your story. Is there anything else you want to share with us today?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I see us as &#8211; we\u2019ve always been a change-agent organization. SpiritWorks is about leading with love and having love in your heart before you say something. And [the ITC Approach] helps us get there even when we don\u2019t have the love in our heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[Laughter]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to check in with your self-awareness and your self-compassion, so you can go out and be kind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So much of the focus, in recovery, has been on stopping a behavior. In abstinence you remove <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and replace it with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">something else<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But change is a transformational process. And I see the Invitation to Change as a transformation. It allows you to change in a really powerful way, and to keep that change.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2f408c7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2f408c7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-58c4565\" data-id=\"58c4565\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-728908a elementor-widget-divider--separator-type-pattern elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"728908a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\" style=\"--divider-pattern-url: url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns=&#039;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&#039; preserveAspectRatio=&#039;none&#039; overflow=&#039;visible&#039; height=&#039;100%&#039; viewBox=&#039;0 0 24 24&#039; fill=&#039;none&#039; stroke=&#039;black&#039; stroke-width=&#039;2&#039; stroke-linecap=&#039;square&#039; stroke-miterlimit=&#039;10&#039;%3E%3Cpolyline points=&#039;0,18 12,6 24,18 &#039;\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;);\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d69f8f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d69f8f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-86fa063\" data-id=\"86fa063\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c52900a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c52900a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information on SpiritWorks, their mission, and their current offerings, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spiritworksfoundation.org\/\">SpiritWorksFoundation.org\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rev. Jan M. Brown, the Founder and Executive Director of  SpiritWorks Foundation, spoke with two of our staff about recovery, community organizing, and the importance of practice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":10208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[21],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10168"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10168"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10168\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmcffc.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}