It's been quite a Memorial Day weekend. Old Blues Guy gas thus far been very successful in playing the gigs at a jazz festival without using any alcohol or drugs. He has been referring to PREHAB and the table of contents in particular. He says that is an encapsulation of the rest of the book. That's cool. I hadn't thought of that before, but you can just turn to the ToC and see the 4 p's and the dynamic duo right there next to one another and that seeing is a reminder of each of their impacts and their impact as a whole. In any event, having the book physically in his presence seems to be a calming factor for OBG. He is looking forward to his rehab which is the intent if the book. So, all seems well there. He'll be leaving for an LA rehab facility on Tuesday afternoon.
Joe was taken to Sacramento for the weekend by a woman of my close acquaintance. She came up here to visit my daughter and Joe and she hit it off. They asked if he could have the weekend with her, so I complied. At some point I have to believe that Joe is responsible enough o care for himself. I warned her about his drinking and that in no circumstance would that be acceptable. I do not fear for Joe using other drugs unless he is drinking. Then alcohol excuses all other irrational behaviors and I am extremely concerned about his using heroin here. There is a new, particularly strong form of heroin going around at the moment and junkies have been found with needles still in there arms or a straw still up their nose as they overdose easily on this stuff. Poor Joe, being as clean as he is now, would not do well with this junk. I last heard, however, that they have been attending yoga classes and lounging poolside enjoying one another's company. Fine. Next week we'll tackle more questions regarding his upcoming return to England. He has only 2 weeks left with me and there is still much to do vocationally.
I am an immigrant and became an American citizen in 1964 when I was 12. I love this country and appreciate it and Memorial Day always gives me pause to recount my very many blessings. I grieve for all the families who have lost a loved one through battle while defending our country. I offer my words to any of you who wish a free copy of my book. Bless you all.
On a personal front I feel good about my efforts over the past few months. I also can see the good that PREHAB has done and can extrapolate how this book would do if I could somehow get it out there in a worldwide release. I see how the book calms people and answers questions they have about themselves. I am blessed to have been the tool for PREHAB's founding.

Old Blues Guy left this morning. In just the few days he was here much by and for him was accomplished. He detoxed fairly well, sweating out long held toxins in my hot yoga studio. He discovered the healing benefits of cannabis based balm. He exercised more than he had in years. He confronted his being. He arranged for an in-patient stay (30 days)at a renown rehab treatment center in LA and found a way to pay for it and his airline ticket down there. He read and questioned, then comprehended and owned each and every PREHAB principle presented to him vowing to memorize its life-saving tenets. He arranged for a sober partner to pick him up here and stay with him throughout this Memorial Day weekend where he is playing a 4 day jazz festival he could not get out of (even though I advised against his playing it-I would have preferred him going straight into rehab from me). These and many other things accomplished here will help him withstand the rigors of the next few days and over the next month while he is in-patient. But this weekend upcoming is just the sort of time-trial that will absolutely test OBG's ability to stay focused on his intention (which is to get to rehab on Tuesday afternoon) and to control his urges to use by applying the PREHAB principles he has come to know and respect. He left me in great spirits, with a skip in his step and an optimistic point of view. We read PREHAB to each other and discussed all the various implications the book opened to us, and OBG seems more focused and determined than ever to beat his demons. I made myself available to him 24/7 as I do all my charges, we hugged, and off he went this morning...Good luck Old Blues Guy.
I'm such a nurturer that I find it always difficult to let go a patient. I question the timing of it all. I question my ability to have assisted in some way. I wonder whether or not I can be there for that person in the heartbeat when I will be needed the most. Knowing that I may not always be able to make those appointments is a brutal reality I must face. I wish I could be in the pocket of each one of my clients...guess that's why I wrote the book and made it pocket sized.
I got a call from an old client. He's clean and mostly sober. We've been working together since 1993/1994. He came to me hooked on alcohol and prescription meds; meds he was taking from injuries incurred on the job. He was into construction. Hard, physical labor. He also had a chip on his shoulder a half-mile high. We first met when he slammed then slumped his 6'2" body into one of the office chairs that faced my desk. Then, peering at me through his dirty, long blond hair, he snarled "So, what are you gonna do for me?"
I stared right back at his intense eyes with equal passion. Resting my arms on my desktop, I slowly leaned forward and smoothly asked "Why don't we start with your dream? Tell me what your dream is?"
Since that day we have become fast friends and he was an ideal client. His rehab was solid, he stuck to our plan and he made his mark. I was invited to his wedding some fifteen or so years ago. I know his son well. Unfortunately, he and his sweet wife are divorcing. He wisely called me to check in and I told him, as I always have, that I am available to him 24/7. We talked about possible pitfalls to watch out for. I hope he stay chill and makes this an easier transition for him than many I have seen. I will help him if requested, otherwise I will have to sit by the sidelines and watch this play out. Good luck, old friend!


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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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Sometimes things just seem to work out nicely. Placing OBG with Joe has been a wonderful experience for us all. They get along well and have been absolutely supportive of one another. Joe has been terrific since his minor setback 10 days ago and is appropriately contemplative throughout the day. It's cool to see him really taking his life seriously for a change. We joke about him having a moment of "feeling" where he is immobilized by the sensation, but in many ways this is the reality of his "feeling". Some of his past actions are appearing in his memory now and he has the time to actually process many of his actions, good and bad. This has opened him to feeling things that he should have thought about and felt long ago. Better late than never in this case. Many of his past memories make him "feel guilty" and he doesn't like this feeling. We discuss it and he realizes that guilt is something that evolves from the past and now that he is rehabbing he no longer has to feel guilty about his actions, although he still may have to face consequences for those actions. Joe continues to workout daily in one fashion or another, is writing and caring about his eating habits. His ADLs are more consist ant and he is shaving daily, brushing his teeth daily and, in short, learning and securing new habits.
OBG continues to sweat out his toxins which I am replacing with good, healthy food and a lot of water. He is sleeping less and is on a more traditional schedule now and during the days he is active in the hot yoga room with me sweating while we discuss PREHAB and his rehabilitation. He likes to ride a bike rather than walk as it is less painful on his arthritic knees. To that end, I obtained some cannabis salve which he applied to his knees. He reported immediate relief as he hasn't felt in years and wants to obtain more of the stuff. His mood is up and he studies PREHAB believing it is an elixir for life. We have been able to easily identify his dream in this life and he is cognizant of how his addictions have kept him from fulfilling his dreams. His understands how addiction has corrupted his purpose and how he has become addicted in order to satiate only his addiction! He understands how damaged he really is. OBG sees the usefulness of the 4 P's and the Dynamic duo of Intention and focus. He wants to do for others what I have done for him,. He desperately wants an addiction free life and I think he just might make it with the assistance of PREHAB and the advent of the PREHAB toolbox! He tried to underline and highlight the book at first but then realized that he was underlining the entire book, so he's decided to just commit the book to memory! Smart guy. That's why I kept it short and succinct. Unfortunately, he feels it necessary to play a four day Memorial Day gig and he won't go into rehab till it is over. I told him that he will be his most vulnerable during this time, but he assures me he will be able to handle it. He told me he would keep the book with him at all times and will call be daily till he goes inside on Tuesday, next week. He will leave here in two days having been detoxed and with a thorough understanding of PREHAB in its tenets. Hopefully, he'll make it easily through the weekend's gigs and fly to LA on Tuesday ready to complete his first rehabilitation experience.

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I set up OBG downstairs as Joe is able to sleep solidly through the night (for him a miracle to go to bed at 11pm and sleep until 8ayem). OBG has medical issues that complicate his recovery as he is in considerable pain from arthritis and from various other physical maladies that will be examined by a MD when he formally enters a rehab facility. Till then I will have to rely on my blood pressure sleeve and his verbal history when designing his program here for detox. His meth use has been fairly consistent, so coming off this is going to be quite harsh to say the least. I usually do not detox, but have done so on too many occasions so I know what to do and what to look for. This won't hit him =for a few days, anyways. Then he'll do all the bs that junkies do to fool themselves and the others around them. It's gallows-humor funny to me now and I just chuckle and refuse to cave in. It's frustrating to the junkie because they are used to getting their way or bullying about till they get what they want, but I can't be bullied and just remind them that their ridiculous behaviors just belie their need to rehab. I can get most folks to stay. OBG needs to go into stir for at least 60 days. I hope MusicCares finds him a good bed that will treat him that long. Anyway, he's asleep now and I expect he'll be sleeping for a day or two pretty solidly. If not, he'll be in my hot yoga room sweating this insidious drug from his bloodstream.

Joe is a completely different guy when he's not drinking. He truly is one of my great friends as over the years I have come to respect his ability to survive amidst his personal, mostly self-made tragedies. His expertise with OBG could come in handy this next few weeks and already his demeanor toward me and his rehab has assisted OBG in accepting his role here. Having both these two cooperating and working in unison would help me survive the next few weeks. I end a four month run of this stuff 6/14 and will not take anyone on until Sept 1st, so I'll have a nice respite from this madness. My goals now are threefold: 1) to continue to physically workout Joe and keep him forward thinking (as forward as we can think considering a potential trial). His next royalty check (near the end of June)will allow him to settle in NYC where his resume should gain him entree to an agent or manager. He has been writing new works and that is a wonderful thing. My 14 yr loves one of the new songs apparently and Joe seems happy with that(whereas I would question anything a 14 year old girl likes-lol).

The weather in Tahoe runs from snow flurries to bright, warm sunshine this time of year. The Canadian Honkers and their goslings float easily down the keys and the vast variety of birds visit my feeder daily. Soon the ducklings will be born and OBG, Joe and I will go exploring the trails and streams of my lovely mountain home.I am forever grateful for my lot in life. I have everything I need and alot of what I want. Although it is hard work without financial compensations, I love my work and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve others. I have 3 talented and beautiful daughters who are wonderful human beings just trying to do their human thing. My mother is well enough for 80 and as I reflect back on this past work year (I go from September to June), I must humbly thank the Great Powers That Be for this amazing life I am so privileged to perceive. I look forward to the next round of adventures heading my way and the love that will be coming to me and flowing from me.

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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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Joe thinks he can "dabble" in alcohol and drug use. This is his imagined perfect world: He wakes up and has breakfast, coffee, then begins to write. Maybe smokes a bowl here. A workout, snack, and more writing/reading throughout the afternoon. An evening meal. A short run, before...a "nightcap" over television. Then bed. What can be wrong with that? Sounds like a pretty idyllic life. For most of us this would be a terrific lifestyle, especially if the "nightcap" were a small glass of red wine. All this seems fairly benign. To most of us that's true. But, to Joe, this seemingly benign schedule holds the potential for great disaster. Where and how?

Firstly, there is nothing built into his schedule that supports him outside of himself. Joe has stated repeatedly that he doesn't like AA and cannot continue going to meetings that he sees as a waste of time, and maybe even backsliding. Well, if not AA, then somewhere Joe needs to insert a support system of some sort.
Secondly, and far more importantly, alcohol, in even the smallest amounts, will pave the way for Joe's return to heroin and the harsh life he was living. Although it appears to him to be innocuous, alcohol opens his "Mr. Hyde" and once Mr. Hyde appears there is little "Dr. Jekyll" can do to hold Hyde back. Hyde will certainly return to the darkness and Joe will be howling and wailing long into the night for fixes needed and shots taken. I hope the lessons Joe learned from the disabled children he visited will be remembered and nurtured because I believe that Joe's giving unto others will open his Being to new pathways of wonder.

On another note...I found out that Old Blues Guy isn't even as old as I am (I'm almost 58). He just looks a wreck. This is the result of years of methamphetamine abuse. Old Blues Guy (OBG) has been recently shooting the stuff into his already seedy circulatory system, overloading his Hep C liver. Well, he's on his way up and is expected to arrive this evening. Apparently, he has been accepted by MusicCares for inpatient treatment and someone is trying to arrange something for him, but until then he needs a safe place where he can come down and be cared for. So I was asked.I usually don't take someone actively coming off a long drug haul, but OBG is close to not making it, so I thought it best that he come here rather than be on the streets trying to score. Apparently, his band (a well known blues group) is very close to firing him. That would prove disastrous and certainly send him speeding away somewhere! But, it's been about 4 months now of 24/7 care here and as summer approaches I find myself tiring and weakened. I need a break soon, so hopefully by mid June all this will be over for a spell. Meanwhile, I'll prepare another room...


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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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Working with Joe these last few weeks has enabled me as a therapist to witness something very rare in this line of work; true epiphany from a person whose entire life has been a living nightmare of one drug or alcohol fueled experience to another. I'm not talking about someone who has dabbled in recreational drugs and gone a bit overboard becoming addicted after a few months continued use. I'm not even talking about the alcoholic who started drinking innocently enough in college and is now in their late twenties to mid thirties trying to cope with a newly realized alcoholic self. This gentleman started out at the tender age of 8 and by the time he was 10, he was already a fan of daily beer and a shot or two thrown in when he could muster one. Now, at 41, he is just coming round to the realizations that most of his life has been accomplished unwittingly in alcoholic stupors and/or drug fueled manias. His life has been blasted from him by his various addictions and seeing him-finally-coming completely out of this has reminded me somewhat of the traumas brought about by a sudden or violent assault upon the senses, such as is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Joe's assault was initially a single traumatic event foisted upon a child. With no time to properly respond to the initial attack, he was assaulted again and again, day after day, with traumatic and what must have been interpreted as violent, assaults upon his body and senses. After all, Joe was but a child when his addictions began and his mind was incapable of differentiating between should and shouldn't, good and bad, right and wrong. His mind was also attacked perceptually as his young brain was only beginning to properly sort out reality from fantasy and fiction. And now, watching him sort through all the debris and begin to restore his tortured mind, I see him riding the same emotional roller coaster I traveled on with my PTSD. It seemed that one day I would be fine, present, and taking care of business personally and professionally. But, the next day, for seemingly no reason at all, I would be grumpy and pessimistic, easily irritated, sharp with others and distrustful. There has always been a correlation between PTSD and drug/alcohol use, but for the first time I'm seeing the horse before the cart, so to speak. It's very possible that Joe's repeated early alcohol abuses produced in him a post traumatic stress response that perpetuated his alcohol and drug usage. He'd been thrust into a very horrid vicious cycle that has continued unabated until he began seeking treatment with me in 2002. It has taken this amount of time to properly "see" his PTSD so I can begin treating it. I've never even heard of this sort of thing before, but then again there are not a lot of 41 year olds around that have been octuple addicts for the past 30 years, give or take a few. It gives me hope to see Joe rehabilitating and going through his grieving process. It is not unlike what occurred in me the closer I got to learning to cope with PTSD.

PTSD may be more pervasive than we think. If Joe’s addictions are PTSD based as I think they are, then that may hold an answer in how to treat his particular addiction. Advances in treating PTSD are happening as we speak and a great deal of attention is finally being placed upon understanding and treating Post Traumatic Stress. We know irritability, drug and/or alcohol abuse, all sorts of excessive and addictive behaviors, violence against self or others, societal withdrawal, and so many other symptoms are related to PTSD traumatic stress, perhaps if we incorporate PTSD treatment modalities with new drug and alcohol rehab techniques we may find new successes are possible.

How does this affect those who currently suffer from PTSD and its related symptoms? How does this affect the millions of us that PTSD sufferers touch daily?

Firstly, you are not alone. Not even close to being alone. There are millions of us who are touched daily by those who suffer from PTSD, and the good news, the hope is, that we are beginning to look at PTSD in ways never thought about before and new therapies are being invented for those who suffer. New treatment modalities offer new hope for freedom from this crippling dis-ease.

To all those suffering from PTSD, and to all those who live with such a person, please remember your 4 P's, and practice focusing on your present intention as it will always keep you on your pathway toward your purpose and your dreams in life.


www.prehab2rehab.com
PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
Available at www.Lulu.com and www.Amazon.com

This is just going to be a short update to share my joy of news from Joe that his day with the disadvantaged and handicapped children that I had arranged has had a profound effect on him. He called this afternoon to say that he has just had a lesson in computers from a small boy with no arms or legs> I could hear the cracking in Joe's voice at just talking about this. He asked if he could refrain from the karate school (I thought that might be a bit over the top for him anyway) so that he could spend the afternoon in reflection on his experiences of the ayem. I heartily agreed and we have conversed several times since. As I had hoped this experience is sparking emotional changes in Joe he has perhaps never before felt.My ex-wife says he's natural with working with special needs kids. What a wonderful combo this is! Not terribly unexpected, I might add. Joe is doing better than I had expected and I hope he continues to have wonderful, loving living experiences like today's for years to come. More on this trip when he arrives back to me later this week.


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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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If you have read my book, PREHAB, you'll know that I am a strong advocate of vocational redirection when necessary to recovery and rehabilitation. With "Joe" these discussions have been on-going for the past 8 years. As a musician and poet (he is listed as such in wikipedia), Joe's world collided constantly with drug abuse and alcohol consumption, and whereas the music industry isn't necessarily about drugs and alcohol, it is certainly more involved with these substances than most other industries. There are several possible explanations for this, but none are relevant to this discourse and would best be saved for another blog devoted to the music industry-suffice to say I have a great deal to complain about within the recording and musical performance industry. In the past, Joe and I have always come to the same precipice where he starts out as the living dead, then comes to see me, becomes restored, only to return to the very conditions the promoted his abuse. I have long advocated the need for a vocational change for Joe, and maybe-just maybe if we're lucky-I think we might have turned a very important corner.

During one of our down times, Joe and I were watching television and a commercial came on asking for donations to a disadvantaged, physically handicapped youth program. The words and images evoked a deep reaction in Joe unlike any I have seen in him before. He turned to me and said "I think that's somethin' I might like to do..."

I was stunned, but immediately reacted by telling him that it would be a wonderful thing to turn his talents to the disadvantaged and to dedicate some time to helping the needy. This really was an extension of an ongoing discussion we have had for years and was the basis for the chapter in PREHAB devoted to this issue: a willingness to alter course or career. This particular idea also involved the chapter on selflessly giving as a means to heal. I also immediately chimed in that I could make that happen for him in a heartbeat. He fell silent, contemplating the real possibility of delving into a field that had a completely different ego associated with it. Our talks about this possibility kept on going throughout the day and night and into this morning. I told him at breakfast today that if he wished he could stay in Sacramento and go with my friend and first ex-wife, Susan, to help at her school. Susan has been an exceptional teacher of the orthopedically handicapped for the past 35 years. She works at a unit within the San Juan Unified School District that instructs multi-handicapped youth. Susan could pick Joe up on her way to school in the morning. This would force Joe to stick to the time schedule he is presently on. After a few hours Joe would be picked up for volunteer work at a karate school in Rocklin. In the evenings he would attend an AA meeting and workout at a club (I have made arrangements for his boarding and transportation).

This is a new and very exciting possibility for Joe who had never envisioned himself doing anything other than getting high and doing music. We talked about how shaking things up can be a wonderfully cathartic experience and we spoke of the delights children can bring to the heart. Even if it were only for a few days, the exposure to these children will do wonders for Joe's ego-structure. To see that he can be successful at something other than music, and to be selflessly giving, will open Joe to whole new realms of possibility for him. We talked about his not having to prove anything to anyone. That his past is just that-his past. Joe has assimilated PREHAB and owned its tenets. He believes he is on the right pathway for him and I couldn't agree more.We are giving it this weekend to ruminate over this and if all goes wee Sunday evening I will deliver him to Sacramento. At some point I have to trust and have faith in Joe's desire to move forward. Joe is strong in his rehab. This is a great time to test us both.

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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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Wow. It's been a few days since I last wrote and so much has happened in that not much has happened. The fact is Joe is doing so well that the days pass quickly and I find that we are already a third done with our rehab efforts. Joe is in the midst of redefining himself, building a new substructure and foundation for the new self he is inventing. Accepting the losses of his past and placing them into a subconscious file where they cannot disturb his present course, but are available for review whenever necessary or wanted. This has enabled Joe to begin forward thinking. The leg he had stuck in the past is being pulled daily from that muck and mire, and the thoughts that weighed him down in so much quicksand have been compartmentalized for later examinations. Although he realizes that there are still many tough roads ahead (he has to return to England to potentially face criminal charges that may wind him in jail), he is willing to accept the consequences of his past actions, but sees them as past actions that are not related to his new self. It is an interesting perceptive position. One stands in the now and prepares to move forward. In this case, moving forward means having to be responsible and pay possible consequences for past actions. By doing this and by perceiving it in this fashion, we bring the past into our present and accept TODAY what might have been an action of our past. By owning these actions in the here and now we can learn from them and gladly suffer whatever consequence befall us because we are more whole and present with our feelings. Although Joe is not particularly thrilled at the prospect of returning to England (it is a long standing discussion of ours), he is going to do so and be splendid in his doing. Hopefully, his rehabilitated self will convince the court that this once hopeless addict is now fully functional and willing to be a responsible citizen-even pay for past crimes that he can no longer relate to. Perhaps the British courts will be lenient and forgiving. Mercy is a beautiful human trait that we do not see much in nature. Our intelligence allows us to go beyond mere instinct. We shall have to see how things transpire a month hence.

Meanwhile, Joe's yoga is getting pretty good. We are working out daily in 112 degrees and 40% humidity. He is eating well and gaining weight. He spends a great deal of time contemplating his now and how he is feeling (or not feeling) and he seems bothered by the fact that great wells of tears are not flowing to the surface. I explained to him that during his heavy drug addiction and perpetual usage, that he might, in fact, just not remember what he was feeling and for whom he was feeling it. His cognition, although not greatly impaired (somehow) is full of spaces in time and events happened and slow to remember at all. Time will eventually allow for his feelings to well up. I am not pushing this. We continue to eat well, work out hard, and talk continually. He is trying to devise a viable plan of action from this point forth (actually, for after the court hearing in June in London). If all goes well there, Joe plans to return to the US at the end of June when he will receive the next installment of royalties for his work. This will be the first time he has had such a check without needing to pay back drug dealers and such, and without the immediate need to cop more dope, so we are hopeful he will take this "seed" money and move to NYC. NYC is the best place, we think, for Joe. Yes, there is a massive amount of alcohol and drugs in the city, hoverer in his business, the music industry, there will always be present these undesirable things. Joe has to be strong enough to resist temptation. No one can do this for him. Joe now sees very clearly the errors of his thirty year drug/alcohol fueled past and wants more from life now. A home, a wife maybe. He needs to find safe digs there and an agent/manager willing to set up a showcase. NME and Rolling Stone need to see the changes in this guy. One good review and one sold song and this man's new life takes hold forever.


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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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I watched Joe's trailer today. It's a trailer to a movie that is still being edited. It's supposed to be a movie about his progress or undoing as an artist and a musical act, but to me it is really a story of his progressions through addiction. His gaunt face and wobbly, wiry frame are a total juxtaposition to the person he is now. Seeing the past images of the person he was for so many years then turning to look at this absolutely charming, healthy man, makes it is very hard to reconcile the two!

Joe is forward moving and thinking now, happy in his decision to leave the "pub" he was in the other night before things there could get out of control. He has been to a couple of local AA meetings but is not too enthused about AA (never really has been) and doesn't intend to begin the 12 steps. The finds the lack of personal empowerment distasteful. He is willing to accept the responsibility for his actions. At 6'1" he initially came here at 148 lbs- "heavy" actually for him, but I would like to see him tone up and arrive at about 160 within the next couple of months. Muscle weighs more than fat, and although he has little body fat, he did gain a slight pouch around his midriff from the 60 days he spent at Focus 12 where his diet was mostly carbs and sugars. Here he is eating wisely, mostly proteins and complex carbohydrates and his muscle mass is increasing nicely. He has gained 5 pounds this week, is standing taller and straighter, and as I reported to you earlier, he is writing again. His physical activities vary so as to keep his short attention span occupied. Today he went ice skating with my 13 year old daughter and her bf. We also picked up his bicycle and he rode it the 3 miles back home. That was after our ayem hot yoga workout. He is eager to rise in the morning and busies himself with the guitar and writing in "down" times.

Our therapy has revealed much. Mostly that he has spent his life being conned and duped by those around him-some of whom say they love him the most. He is beginning to mourn his loss of a past life, while at the same time learning to let go of the mistakes he's made. Since discovering that he actually is guiltless in the recent OD death of a close friend has lightened his soul and allowed him to breathe a bit freer again. Unfortunately, the revelations regarding this death also removed the weight he felt so heavily upon his shoulders-a weight that might have had a considerable amount to do with his successfully completing Focus 12 in 6 weeks. Now that he realizes that he was duped and is guiltless in this death, the weight has been lifted and so has his desire to remain 100% clean. Marijuana, which is legally dispensed as a medication in California, is all around him in this city and state-he knew this coming out here. In fact, he told me today he "expected" to smoke pot once in California and was surprised when I refused to allow him this. Since I once used copious amounts of marijuana to successfully take him off opiates (heroin) 8 years ago, I think he expected me to let him smoke pot here again. When he arrived we discussed that and I told him I would prefer him to remain 100% clean as long as possible. Frankly, I do not care if he smokes some pot. Pot is in no way going to reactivate his opiate addiction. What will activate that is drinking. Alcohol is Joe's drug of choice and it is and always has been his most terrible nemesis. Any alcohol will immediately make him crave heroin, so I am happy he is not wanting to go there. There are ads in the newspapers here for medical marijuana and I do not expect to keep him from this benign drug which I have used as a healer for decades.

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PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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Joe is doing very well. He is sleeping through the night, although he is having some intense early morning dreams. These are generally expected at this point in a rehab; things have settled down in his body (he's 83 days sober) and he's been with me a week now and has become accustomed to the altitude of Tahoe and the relaxing, creative environment that I attempt to provide. Well, something is clicking big time with Joe. Not only is he up on time, he is generally early to rise. He busies himself with morning ADLs which now include for him the feeding of the ducks and geese. This is baby season and the key is loaded with wildlife. Joe is self motivating about his exercise and has gone for swims, walks, bike rides, and kayak cruises. He runs on my treadmill every day and has been able to stick it out twice for full hot yoga workouts (100 mins in 112 degrees). Today, he went for a walk and found his way to a small restaurant here in the Keys. He met a woman there and has a "date" tonight. He is extremely excited about this whereas I am extremely speculative. This woman had him meet her at a "pub" here in town. Apparently she works there. He was to meet her after her shift at 7 pm this evening. Cinco de Mayo. One of the partiest of all party days during the year and the particular pub she wanted him to meet her at is a local hot spot. It will certainly be hopping tonight and alot of alcohol all over this city is going to be consumed. I was quite hesitant to let him go, especially alone, but he assured me he could do this without taking a drink or having any illegal substance. I am not a Gestapo Agent. This is not a prison. This isn't even a locked facility. Joe is here because he wants to be and he will have to face worse situations than entering a bar when he returns to the music and recording industry. I must trust that the principles in PREHAB stick with him tonight and when I awaken tomorrow he will be here and ready to do our work. The most important thing that has occurred however is that for the first time in a decade, Joe has begun writing again. He has written two new songs in the past two days and i told him he wasn't going to leave until he's written 10 new tunes. He is wonderfully riding this rehab and is getting the best out of it he can. He is forward thinking and dreaming his dream, and for the first time in his adult life he is facing the world as a clear headed and well motivated Being of Positive Energy and Light! I couldn't be happier for him.

www.prehab2rehab.com
PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
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Joe looks terrific. He was received by my daughter in SF upon arrival from the UK on Wednesday, spent the night with my mother in Sac (she is very British and the two of them sip tea and chat-it's adorable). I picked him up the following morning and was very, very pleasantly surprised. Joe looks wonderful! His face is full for the first time in 3 decades. Cheeks flush and teeth repaired! I sent an immediate email off to the folks at Focus 12 (I apologise for referring to this place in previous blogs as Focus 2) congratulating them on the amazing job they've done with Joe. He is off: heroin, cocaine, methadone, crack, alcohol, and marijuana. The last of his killer physical addictions is to cigarettes and even those have been cut back considerably. I was pleased to see him with a copy of PREHAB and he has practically memorized the thing! His affect is up and his motivation to press on with his life is forward moving and progressive. This is usually the shape he is in after he spends some time with me. Usually he comes to me looking like Death himself, cheeks hollowed, skin pale, and mood black and nasty (especially if he'd been drinking). I would have to spend 30 days just getting him to the point where he is at the moment. Then, a record company or some musician friend would pounce upon him and get him to go back to London for some BS musical thing and within just a few hours of stepping off the plane, Joe would be up to his old tricks. This time around, though, he's had a really solid 6 weeks of detox and another few weeks of therapy. In PREHAB I discuss allowing patients up to 90 days to really thoroughly explore rehab, and Joe now comes to me at a great starting point. Instead of backtracking with him, I am able to pick up where I have had to leave off twice before and take Joe into the next level of his recovery and rehabilitation.

In the past, I have always had an ethical dilemma when working with someone like Joe. After all, after detoxing a horribly corrupted gentleman like Joe, the very last thing you want to see is him returning to the same environment that hooked him in the first place. We had/have discussed his immagrating here permanently so as to avoid the negative worlds he knows in London. I think, honestly, this would save his life. Since there is considerable interest regarding his actual ability to rehab for any lenght of time, we have decided that he will take that time to reestablish himself as an Novella nominated artist (he's got quite a write up in wikipedia) in the LA area. Since I have also gotten him to agree NOT to go on the road and gig, but instead to stay put here with me and as part of his rehab, to write a whole slew of new works that will better represent who he is now and who he is becoming.

Joe is 41 now. Fortunately for him the 3 decades of hard drug and alcohol use have not completely destroyed his body. We have devised a strict schedule for hi to maintain:

Up by 8 am
morning ADLs
self-meditation
light breakfast - fruit, yogurt, grains, juice, coffee

9:30 am
Hot yoga - continues detox and promotes strength and concentration
2hrs

Breakfast 2
hydrate

12:30pm
Counseling walk/meditation/file sharing

1:30pm
Creative hour - reading, writing, music

2:30-3:30ish
Afternoon exercise: swimming, kayaking, biking, hiking, skating, tennis, fishing...

3:30-4:30
Afternoon meditation and reflections
file sharing

5:00-7:00
AA meeting

7:30
evening meal

8:30
evening run in indoor treadmill
20 mins-1 hour

shower/relax/TV/

Bed 10-11:00pm

As you can see (and as I stae in my book) I stress physical activity as a means of producing those wonderful, natural bodily fluids/chemicals that make us feel soooo good! Our counseling sessions will focus on two man subject areas: Past internal "files". These are past areas that the patients perseverates upon and that cannot be ignored. And, a vocational direction. A way for Joe to earn a living, sober!

Joe is happy and compliant. I believe he has in fact made that internal decision to make his rehab work this time around and I am as excited for him as he is.


www.prehab2rehab.com
PREHAB: The Essentials for Successful Change
Available at www.Lulu.com and www.Amazon.com