Are you trying to help someone else with his or her recovery? I’ve been at this a while now, have degrees, certifications, and a decent amount of experience. I sponsor 17 guys in SA or SAA (too many, I know), and have taken 100 guys through my 90-Day Recovery Process. So let me offer the one thing that works.
Be positive.
Addicts live in shame. Further shaming them does no good. Tell them what they can be, rather than what they have been. Celebrate any progress and encourage them toward a better future.
Harvard professor Teresa Amabile said, “The best way to motivate people, day in and day out, is by facilitating progress – even small wins.”
Recovery Step: Learn from our Prime Example. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
