FW: [Ailist] Has AI been used effectively with teen-agers and drugs

[Cindy Grant]

Cindy



-----Original Message-----
From: Cindy Grant [mailto:togetheragain at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 9:23 AM
To: 'ldj at sisna.com'
Subject: RE: [Ailist] Has AI been used effectively with teen-agers and drugs

Anna, Lynn,

I am not an AI professional, but I am a coach for Prevention Coalitions
throughout the state of Florida and a prevention professional.
I have been a "listener" on this list for a very long time and have gleaned
many useful bits of information on the AI approach that I have turned toward
grief "support" for parents who have lost a child to substance abuse. So, I
do belief there is value to be gained here.
   
I speak from experience as well, since I lost my son 10 years ago to an
oxycontin overdose.   From the grief perspective - one never "gets over" or
"goes through" grief;  one learns how to live with that grief.  I have found
that with most of the parents I deal with in support groups, after about 2
-5 years in support and with positive support(and possibly some AI
approaches) there is an opportunity for the grieving individual to direct
that grief into something positive.  My own case in point,   I did not come
into the prevention field until 2 years after my son passed.  Then my
passion for learning everything about prevention efforts overtook everything
else in my life and I devoted myself to that effort.  Now, I work full time
in the prevention arena.   

There are many others who have followed similar paths as mine to direct
their grief into positive outcomes.  

I have not checked the research on AI in substance abuse prevention and
treatment ----- but will now and welcome any suggestions.



Cindy



-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
[mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Lynn D. Johnson
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 11:21 PM
To: Anna spector
Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: Re: [Ailist] Has AI been used effectively with teen-agers and drugs

Anna, about the 'grief therapist' there is no evidence I have seen that
doing anything 'therapeutic' with grief is helpful. Often it makes things
worse. Most people face and overcome grief through their own strengths and
resources. I would have wondered how we could recover from such a tragedy
that we could someday say we made the world a better place because of that
death. John Walsh comes to mind, Candy Lightner is another. Grief therapists
tend to pathologize normal processes. They mean well.
Lynn Johnson

Anna spector wrote:
> Dear AI Community,
>   Yesterday I attended a memorial service for my seventeen year old cousin
who passed away due to an accidental drug overdose.  He was bright,
handsome,cared about the planet, but unfortunately,had an addiction that
claims so many teen-agers each year.  The grief therapist in charge did a
poor job and focused mostly on the tragedy, etc.  Needless to say she took
the laughter out of any conversation we were sharing about the times we
appreciated him.  It was truly a downer.  So, I have been reflecting on AI a
lot and I was curious if anyone had worked with teens involved with drugs
and was AI a powerful enough influence to steer them away from drugs and
into something more productive?   Thank you again for letting me share this.

>    
>    
>    
>   Warmly,
>   Anna Spector- Seattle
>   MA, Organizational Psychology
>
>        
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! oneSearch: Finally,  mobile search that gives answers, not web
links. 
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The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles
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