When I think about the history of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) I am reminded of three significant transformational moments. The first moment occurred in late November 1934, when Bill Wilson’s old drinking buddy Ebby Thacher dropped in on Bill for a visit. Bill was looking forward to tying one on with his old friend, but Ebby refused Bill’s offer to have a drink. Ebby told Bill he had found religion and didn’t need “the drink” anymore. Bill wasn’t impressed and surmised that his gin would outlast his friend’s preaching (Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 9). Ebby pressed Bill encouraging him to develop a relationship with God.
Welcome to Serenity Sit Down, a podcast series brought to you by The Retreat in Wayzata, Minnesota. This unique blend of inspiration and information is designed for those touched by addiction and behavioral health concerns, as well as addiction treatment professionals. Hosted by Father Jim, a seasoned veteran with over 35 years in the 12-Step Fellowship, this series dives deep into stories, strategies, and topics related to recovery, intervention, and prevention. Today, we’re thrilled to share a special episode featuring Jack Curtis, the Principal and Director of The Retreat. Below is an edited transcript transformed into a blog post for theretreat.com. Let’s explore the origins, mission, and magic of The Retreat through this heartfelt conversation.
Jack has been at the helm of The Retreat for over 26 years, guiding it from a bold idea to a thriving community dedicated to affordable, accessible recovery. I asked him to take us back to the beginning
I read in the Wall Street Journal about Artificial Intelligence software programs now doing therapy for mental illness. With a bit of exploration, I found that A.I is also treating addiction. I am skeptical that A.I. will be a successful approach to treating a disease that we know to be “cunning, baffling, and powerful”.
In the suggested closing of Al-Anon Family groups we find the following phrase…
“Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love, and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time.”
Recovery is a journey, one that requires support, community, and guidance. At The Retreat in Wayzata, Minnesota, people struggling with substance use disorders find a path to healing rooted in the principles of the 12 Steps. In a recent episode of Serenity Sit-Down, Father Jim sat down with Rich Murphy, Director of Admissions and Marketing at The Retreat, to discuss his personal experience, the unique approach of The Retreat, and the power of community in recovery.
Chess masters know exactly how to move each piece on the board to bring about the desired result. Master chess players employ certain strategies like the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, which can bring about a victory in just seven moves. However, if one of the pieces in the master’s strategy is unexpectedly removed from the board by the opponent, it can result in a prolonged game or loss of the match entirely.
This phrase, taken from an essay written by AA co-founder, Bill Wilson, describes the philosophy Bill wanted AA to adopt when it came to cooperation with the professional community. Bill understood that for people to find the AA program, AA needed to have good relations with the medical community, law enforcement, religious organizations and the like. This is as true today as it was in AA’s early days.
One of my favorite writers is David Brooks, who writes a column for the New York Times. He normally writes about politics, government, and public affairs. I was surprised to find a column last month about faith. His title was “The Shock of Faith, It’s Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be.” It was published on December 19, 2024, and if you have access to the New York Times website, you can read it there.
I started going to recovery meetings when I was 15. I heard in the meetings, “What the hell are you doing here? I lost my wife, my kids and my job because of my drinking. What the hell did you ever lose?
