New Groups and CR Curriculum

I am always excited to hear when a CR is ready to start a new recovery specific open share group. It means, get ready to grow!

To start a new group all you need is a trained leader and co-leader. On the evening you start your new group plan on having the leader share their CR testimony. It is an exciting way to introduce your group and encourage participants to check it out.

Before starting a new open share group, every effort should be made to have your indentified leaders complete the 1st workbook and Open Share training. Then your indentified leaders need to continue working through all 4 workbooks. We also recommend that leaders have at least 1 year of recovery. It is important for the safety of the group. You don’t want to start groups with leaders who don’t get recovery; who are seeking to help “those” people.

The above process will change once you have a step study group up and running. At which time all future leaders should complete a CR Step Study group before starting a new open share group.

I am often asked if CR offers specific curriculum for a particular area of recovery. Celebrate Recovery utilizes the CR Bible, the 4 Participant’s Guides* and the CR Leader’s Guide (25 lessons) for all areas of recovery. In addition, CR runs all open share groups and step study groups the same way. This is a part of the DNA* of an authentic Celebrate Recovery.

I think we can all agree that every area of recovery; food addiction, eating disorders, chemical addiction, co-dependency, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual addiction, gambling addiction, etc., has their own unique hurts, habits and hang-ups. Our founder John Baker, created the CR curriculum based solely on God’s word, and God’s word applies to all areas of recovery. Each lesson and each question creates movement through the Steps and Principles. In addition, CR is for the entire family. Using the same curriculum provides harmony to families participating in the program together, and prevents any further confusion in an already dysfunctional and hurting home.

God Bless your week,

*Stepping Out of Denial into God’s grace; Taking an Honest and Spiritual Inventory; Getting Right with God, Yourself, and Others; Growing in Christ While Helping Others.

For a copy of *Celebrate Recovery Trademark Agreement; feel free to contact me at tinad@saddleback.com.

Comments

[Kirk]

The "One year of recovery rule" for leadership. What about someone leading a Depression group? I do not suffer from depression as a rule, but have days or even a week here and there where I have depression. Would having a bad day with depression qualify as a relapse?

[Ern]

Kirk, I too suffer with depression on occasion. I am prone to the gray-days type of depression in the winter where there are extended days when there is little or no sun.This is my own opinion and I'm not sure how CR deals with it, but I say I would only consider it a relaspe if I allow myself to dwell in the darkness of the depression. Depression can be caused by many things including a chemical imbalance which the sufferer has little or no control over. What you do have control over is how you deal with the depression. If you allow yourself to be taken over the by it and dwell in it without taking steps immediately to overcome it once you realize it's onset, then you have relasped. Once I realize the onset of my depression I immediately bind it in the name of Jesus and begin to pray, meditate, and do the things that I can to shorten its affects(ie.: sitting under a sunlamp, taking prescribed meds, throwing myself in to projects, talking it out in open share, etc.)