October 3, 2024
Dear Hossein,
Thank you for your latest communication. I am well and feel fortunate to have escaped the major damage that so many communities in my country experienced from our recent hurricane. It has been two years since the last hurricane that directly hit my local community, and we are still in the middle of repairs from that one. It will take years for many communities in the United States to rebound from the devastation of this most recent one. The increase in such climate-fueled disasters is a warning call that I hope the world will heed. Amidst such destruction, there are reports of great heroism and survival as people supported one another through this crisis. It reminded me of the kind of mutual support that exists every day within Congress 60 and other recovery communities across the globe.
I appreciated your reference to “The treasure is found in the ruins.” It affirms that in the worst of tragedies can be found great meaning and purpose. Few people would choose to become addicted, but there are previously unrecognized sources of power within and beyond the self that can be revealed through the process of overcoming addiction. That is so true that many people today view recovery as a gift that has provided them a quality of life that is far better than their pre-addiction life. What others view as a curse turned out for those so blessed to be an unexpected gift. That is not to glorify the suffering from addiction but to proclaim the joy that is possible in overcoming the suffering so common within the addiction experience.
Thank you for providing me the latest numbers on the guide exam. I have added that number to the draft of the research study we are working on. Do let me know the final number of guides selected. I am also pleased with your approval of the latest excerpt from the research report that Ehsan translated. I can send you other sections of the report or I can wait and send you a complete first draft once the data analysis is completed and the write-up added to the report. Let me know which you prefer. In the meantime, I will continue to send questions to you that will help us describe Congress 60 procedures in more detail. Dr. Sarapas is also in touch with Ehsan regarding data we can use as part of this latest Congress 60 profile. I am grateful for Ehsan’s willingness to serve in this liaison role.
Congratulations on the other research articles that have been accepted for publication. The number of publications and presentations coming from Congress 60 is quite impressive and will help spread the philosophy and methods of Congress 60 to international audiences. I appreciate you sharing the details of these studies with me as they broaden my own understanding of addiction and recovery and enhance my ability to share the work of Congress 60 with other countries.
At Chestnut Health Systems, this is the time of year during which we submit grant proposals for funding of future research studies. An emphasis of our research is on how to enhance long-term recovery after the period of active treatment. We are currently quite interested in the use of recovery check-ups and related support services following treatment as a means of reducing post-treatment relapse and enhancing the quality of personal and family life in long-term recovery. This would be analogous to continuing the guide role for quarterly checkups following completion of DST method.
Please extend my warmest regards to your family and to all members of Congress 60.
Friends and Brothers Forever