Spirituality can be a significant “tool,” if you will, to help a person succeed in recovery from addiction and trauma. Why? Addiction and trauma often go hand-in-hand. This is due, in part, to the brain changes caused by trauma that in turn prompt a person to turn to a substance to alleviate the emotional pain caused by those brain changes. Without healing the trauma, it will be difficult to treat the addiction and succeed in long-term recovery. [This is commonly known as having co-occurring disorders. These two links explain this concept NIDA: Addiction and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders in more detail: The Addiction Project: Co-Occurring Disorders and NIDA: Addiction and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders.] Spirituality is one of the ways a person can heal their brains and to help us understand this idea, please find the following guest post by Rivka Edery.

Guest author, Rivka Edery writes on the role spirituality can play in addiction and trauma recovery.

Rivka Edery has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Social Science and a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. She has been active in the treatment and recovery field for more than sixteen years and since 2009 has been working as a clinical social worker assisting clients who are recovering from trauma-related disorders. As her career was advancing, Rivka wondered if the ancient spiritual principles of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous can be applied to the healing of trauma. The result is a unique approach for trauma survivors who are seeking a combined spiritual and clinical approach to their personal effects of surviving trauma. She has written a book on this subject, Trauma And Transformation: A 12-Step Guide. To learn more about Rivka and her work, please visit her website: RivkaEdery.com

The Spirituality Factor: Addiction, Trauma and Recovery by Rivka Edery, LMSW

The role of spirituality in trauma recovery is often misunderstood and subsequently minimized.   There is a great need for understanding the healing potential of spirituality in addiction and trauma recovery.   Utilizing spirituality as part of trauma –informed care, while detailing the complicated puzzle of the survivor’s inner reality, requires a step-by-step process of applying spiritual tools to each phase of recovery.  This process significantly alters a life of pain and confusion.   In order to engage in a truly effective treatment process, including utilizing spiritual tools to help surmount the challenges a survivor has to face in order to heal, the survivor has to be prepared to go down this road.

Trauma survivors usually have a difficult time experiencing their vulnerability and the attending feelings of having once been profoundly helpless and alone. The process of unearthing one’s memories and re-experiencing anguish requires the help of skilled, knowledgeable and spiritually grounded professionals who have done healing work on themselves.  With issues as delicate and sensitive as deep emotional wounding, each survivor and counselor must approach the recovery path with patience, self-love, self-care and the development of an appropriate support network.

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous comprise a spiritual program used to treat alcoholics and other individuals with a range of self destructive and addictive tendencies.  The potential for transformation in trauma-recovery lies in the powerful spiritual process that has its own mysterious element to it.  Due to the nature of the wound of trauma that is so often intertwined with addiction – a comprehensive approach to healing the physical, mental and spiritual wounding is essential.   It is my hope that survivors will consider incorporating a rich spiritual component to their recovery and encourage others to do the same.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Guest Author

Latest posts by Guest Author (see all)

• Children of Alcoholics | Guest Author Darlene Lancer - July 5, 2021
• Parental Alcohol Use Disorder Causes Trauma - May 12, 2021
• Opioid Overdose Prevention Tips & Resources - April 26, 2021