292: Personalized Recovery Paths for Atheists with Jeffrey Munn

What happens when the traditional 12-step recovery program doesn’t quite fit your belief system? Licensed marriage and family therapist Jeffrey Munn joins Duane to share his deeply personal journey through addiction and recovery, which led him to author "Staying Sober Without God: The Practical 12 Steps to Long-Term Recovery from Alcoholism and Addiction." Jeffrey opens up about his battles with isolation and internal turmoil and highlights the crucial support from his parents that helped him navigate this challenging path. His story underscores the necessity of individualized recovery approaches and shines a light on the often-overlooked needs of atheists and agnostics in recovery.

Jeffrey discusses the integration of traditional 12-step programs with personalized mental health approaches, emphasizing the importance of addressing trauma, unresolved grief, and boundary-setting. He candidly recounts his own experience with the pressure to adopt a belief in a higher power within 12-step meetings and how this led to a temporary setback. Through his narrative, you'll learn about the significance of merging the wisdom of 12-step programs with modern psychological insights to create a more rational and personalized recovery journey. They also delve into the specifics of how inpatient rehab focusing on mental health practices played a pivotal role in his recovery.

The conversation takes a deeper turn as they examine the challenges and benefits of faith-based recovery for those who struggle with blind faith. Jeffrey provides a logical and practical perspective on the concept of "letting go and letting God," drawing parallels to principles in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). 

In this episode, you will hear:

• Finding personal recovery path without God
• Psychology-based recovery approaches
• Personal recovery and finding meaning
• Exploring alternative higher powers in recovery
• Navigating integrity and personal belief systems
• Challenges with faith-based addiction recovery

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Supporting Resources:

https://www.practicallysane.org/

Staying Sober Without God: https://www.amazon.com/Staying-Sober-Without-God-Alcoholism-ebook/dp/B07MBVCS29 

NovusMindfulLife.com

Episode Credits

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