THE LECTURE AND OPEN FORUM SERIES
AUDIO FILES
Right-click
or control-click to download each file to your computer
(Quicktime format)
Lecture #1
Discussion #1
NEXT LECTURE (#2):
Relationship
and Communication Difficulties for Addicts, Alcoholics and
Codependents
September 22, 2007 at 2:30 PM
@
Visions and Dreams
(2482 Newport Blvd #1, Costa Mesa, CA, 949-650-6929)
FREE!
LECTURE #1
On
Saturday, 8/25/07, at 2:30pm, a terrific experiment
happened. I was joined by ten friends in the first of what
will become a monthly event. I had recently been thinking
that as I have mostly been working with individuals and
couples, most of my people were not being exposed to the
information contained in the lectures I have developed over
the years. I thought it would be an interesting experiment
to invite some people who I thought would benefit from the
topic of the lecture – people I have worked with in
my capacity as a therapist, as friends in recovery, and
others I had worked with professionally.
The lecture was to be followed by an “Open
Forum” discussion – just as an experiment to
see what happened. The idea was that a free and open
discussion would bring out ideas I hadn’t talked
about and that would also reveal perspectives from the
inside out that might not have been recognized before.
The topic for the first lecture I presented was
“Relapse
and Step One.” The
lecture was followed by an Open Forum discussion as
planned.
The results were wonderful and exciting.
Both the Lecture and the Open Forum discussion were
recorded digitally and are posted here for download for
anyone interested in hearing them. Bear with us – the
recording quality is not exactly excellent. We will try
hard to improve sound quality for next time. This was only
our initial test flight.
The recordings are also available on CD for anyone who
would like to order a copy. The cost for the CD’s
will be $5.95 each.
All proceeds from the CD sales -- less mailing costs --
will be donated the Atlantic Alano Club in Long Beach. (For
clarity, I am not claiming or pretending to be a
representative of the Atlantic Alano Club).
The CD's will be available for patients of mine who cannot
attend the events or for others who would like to attend
but can’t make it. The CD/downloads can also be used
as springboards for group discussion. I am also available
to present any of the lectures in the series as a guest
speaker at agencies and programs where the information
might be valuable or helpful.
After the experience, everyone seemed to agree that it was
very valuable and exciting. We seemed to agree that the
event should definitely continue as a series. We also
thought it was likely that after the participants had told
and invited others they knew, and I had sent out e-mail and
paper newsletters explaining the event, the expectation of
attendance at the next “Lecture and Open Forum”
would be quite significantly increased.
The
date set for the next “Lecture and Open Forum”
will be:
September 22 – 2:30pm (Saturday)
The topic will be:
“The Relationship and Communication Troubles of
Addicts, Alcoholics and Codependents”
The
location of the venue is yet to be set, as we will need to
wait for a headcount before we can determine the size of
the room we will need.
If you are interested in attending the next Lecture, please
RSVP by phone or e-mail to lukebenoit@lukebenoit.com. If
you are interested, be mindful. We are most likely to
limit the number of “panelists” for the
discussion to 10-15 and we expect that those places will
fill quickly. The initial participants will be given
first opportunity to sit on the discussion panel. The
remaining seats will be given out on a first come-first
serve basis subject to approval.
Others who attend, if we have a great enough number of
people, will be seated in an audience formation and will be
asked to submit written questions – pens and note
cards will be provided at the break – which will be
presented to the panel for discussion in a “Question
and Answers” section in the final portion of the
program.
All who participate in the Open Forum discussion will need
to sign a release indicating their consent to be recorded,
acknowledging that the recordings will be posted to my
website and burned as CDs for distribution, and made
available to others who request. We will make every effort
to keep all identification on a first name only basis.
There will be no identification or statement of affiliation
with any 12-Step program.
At some point in the future, we may attempt videotaping the
Lectures and Discussions, but at this time, this remains
only a future consideration.
I hope you will all enjoy and benefit from this project as
I already have.
And as always —
1.
ENJOY THE KARMA:
Because
Good or Bad,
it always comes back around…
–and–
2.
NAMASTE:
The
Spirit in me recognizes the Spirit in you -- as it is that
one same spirit that is alive in both of
us.
Sincerely,
Luke Benoit, MFT