Good, Better, Best of the Addiction Recovery Program | An Interview with Brad Barber

Summary: "It is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best." —<a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/good-better-best?lang=eng" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dallin H. Oaks</a> Brad Barber co-hosts <a href="https://thenextsteppodcast.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Next Step Podcast</a>, which is based around the Church's Addiction Recovery Program and addiction in general. He grew up in the Church in southern California, served a mission, and attended Brigham Young University. Brad has seen many friends caught in addiction and became involved with ARP after hearing podcast co-host Jay's testimony of the program and wondering why there weren't ARP addiction meetings in his area. Highlights 6:45 How Brad got involved with ARP and started The Next Step Podcast 12:00 Setting up the ARP program is supposed to start with the stake 12:20 A facilitator who is an addict in recovery should be leading the meetings 12:50 Leaders who have not been through the process do not know what addicts have gone through and addicts can tell 13:30 A sponsor is a person who is in sobriety from addiction 14:55 At first, addicts categorize themselves against each other until they realize everyone's struggles are the same, but anyone who has experienced addiction can facilitate for others experiencing different types of addiction 15:45 Quote from the intro of the ARP manual (in LDS Tools) about what addiction is 17:00 Some statistics about addictions that go beyond alcohol, drugs, and pornography 18:10 "Atonement Realization Program" because the 12 Steps walk you through the Atonement to improve yourself 18:40 Elder Oaks' talk, "Good, Better, Best": Have people been lifted, encouraged, and changed? 20:15 A 12-Step meeting is different than counseling, but ARP is organized under LDS Family Services 20:35 Meetings usually start from the bottom up, where a family member starts a group after discovering the program exists 21:05 The 12 Steps were invented by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930's 21:40 Good: There are ARP meetings in the stake, and ward leaders are aware of them 22:15 Group leaders are generally not addicts in recovery, and need to be a person who has no judgment toward others 23:50 Brad's advice to group leaders: Don't show up dressed like a missionary or pretend to be something you are not 24:45 Better: Passionate group leaders who coordinate with other group leaders 25:25 Invite leaders to go to a meeting and challenge them to not be afraid of what other people might think 27:00 Some do's and don'ts about attending a meeting: * Introduce yourself by first name only * Resist the urge to share your testimony 29:50 Better: Have meetings with a varying mix of people at stages of sobriety to help support the participants 30:25 It's the responsibility of group leaders to find those addicts in recovery and get them to come 30:55 Bishops have a responsibility to help identify those people and connect them to ARP 32:35 It's the purpose of sponsors to follow-up and that's how to maintain sobriety 33:30 Spouses also need to understand that sobriety isn't the end 34:20 Better: Have your bishops attend ARP meetings 35:25 Treat the ARP meetings the same as self-reliance meetings and attend a full 12-week course to really understand the power of these steps 36:30 In ARP, everyone shares their experience instead of listening to an "expert" 37:00 Story: everyone can benefit from learning the 12 Steps 37:50 Better: Persons who have done the 12 Steps are now supporting others 38:05 "What gets you sober won't keep you sober" 39:50 Best: You have facilitators who have broken anonymity

Good, Better, Best of the Addiction Recovery Program | An Interview with Brad Barber

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