Dr. Joe Nowinski's book ideas comes from working in the trenches, not from any ivory tower. Episode 77 of Rebellion Dogs Radio looks at a run-of-the-mill problem in early recovery that doesn’t get enough ink: if we are together in a relationship and you go to treatment and come home to stay sober, should I live a sober life too? It’s your problem. Well, that’s one way to look at it; others would feel we are in this together.

Here’s another case: a couple is together for a long time. Neither has ever had a legal or health scare because of using alcohol or other drugs. Still, their consumption has increased, and the relationship is suffering from some consequences. Should they consider being a sober couple, or is sober just for people diagnosed as severe on the alcohol use disorder spectrum?

Dr. Joe Nowinski has a new book (Johns Hopkins Press Health Book, September 10, 2024) called Sober Love: How to Quit Drinking as a Couple. This is from case studies over years of family practice as a clinical psychologist.

Former Chief Medical Officer of Hazelden Betty Ford says, “Dr. Nowinski is a highly qualified expert who uses the latest research and his clinical expertise to couples that recognize that alcohol has interfered with their lives." Dr. Marvind D. Seppala goes on to say, "Alcohol can undermine even the best of relationships. Sober Love delivers the information necessary to develop a plan.”

Addiction Medicine doctor Ray Baker says, “I am delighted to recommend this gem of a book! It offers the knowledge, tips and skills needed for recovery people in intimate relationships to interconnect on their mutual journey of growth. It’s one of a kind.”

If you’re a Rebellion Dogs Radio long-timer, you know Joe’s a repeat guest. Mary C and Joe C talk with Dr. Nowinski after reading his book. If you are new to Rebellion Dogs Radio, visit our website for links and further discussions:

Recovery After Rehab: A Guide for the Newly Sober and Their Loved Ones (2021) on Episode 62 & If You Work It It Works! The Science Behind the 12 Steps (2015) on Episode 12.

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What’s Different?

• The first 164 pages are now 122 pages – by simplifying the language.
• More “gender-balanced” – e.g. jaywalker is female; but not gender-neutral using “they”.
• The wording of the Steps has not changed from Him/His, but in other places,gender-balanced He/Him/His “may have changed to God”.
• Only “Dr. Bob’s Nightmare” is included in the stories (more on some problematic Doctor Bob language to follow).

Plain language interpretation reduced 164 pages by 25%—a noteworthy reduction. How Bill wrote does not fit in as far as a contemporary discussion about alcohol use disorder or addiction in general. Here’s an example: it is unimaginable to expect to hear or read this abstract and flowery description of alcohol use disorder at your doctor’s office:

“But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is finitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die.

If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics, these things are poison (“How It Works,” p. 66).”

Referred to in this show:

THE BLOG POST (Read on PDF or Website) includes AA membership from 2002 to 2020, which changed (+/-) over 20 years and more.

https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/blog/blog/7425695/plain-language-big-book-coming-soon-who-what-where-when-why

Biographies of the 28 AA stories in the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous (and other AA stories)Referred

https://library.iusb.edu/search-find/archives/gcarchive/docs/ref-bb-authors.pdf

2020 Membership Survey from Great Britain General Service Office+

81% of newcomers and 94% of people sober 10+ years believe in a higher power (Great Britain and English-speaking Central Europe). Of those who believe, ⅓ believe in a religious god, ⅔ believe in a secular higher power. See page 11.

https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AA-Membership-Survey-2020.pdf

Other show notes....
https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/rebellious-radio/blog/7438907/plain-language-big-book-episode-76-rebellion-dogs-radio

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We look at history—why? Isn’t this a contemporary, or even future gazing look at recovery and addiction?

Well yes and yes. Yuval Noah Harari, PDH author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind says, “History is not the study of past; history is the study of change; it’s not about remembering the past; it’s about liberating ourselves from it.”

Episode 75 of Rebellion Dogs Radio explores three calls to action by Alcoholics Anonymous that need our attention in 2024:

1. New stories of AA diversity today are needed to update the 48-year-old Do You Think You’re Different? Let’s get our freak on; if you ever felt you can’t or won’t blend into AA, we want you to help demonstrate what we mean by, “We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful.”

2. About our primary literate in AA—The Big Book + 12 & 12: rewrite it? Or reify it? Grappling with a need to adapt to changing times, being sensitive to change-resistant tendencies, the trustees’ Literature Committee is polling members, looking for their marching orders: preserve what’s written; or breathe fresh life into last millennium’s AA message and widen our gateway? Directly from AA’s General Service Office, we have these seven questions for you.

3. The 2022, much anticipated, AA membership survey is posted with current data on AA for all to see; counselors, healthcare and criminal court diversion professional who refer people to AA, the general public and last but not least AA members to show how we are doing, from our home groups to the USA/Canada General Service Conference at reaching all those who want or need AA to be available, equitably, and effectively. Our responsibility declaration nudges us to look at this new info, see who were are serving, who we may be failing and confront how, whenever, wherever, someone reaches out, we want the hand of AA always to be there (for everyone regardless of age, race, gender, creed, cultural touchstones). There’s information for the first time about USA/Canada AA’s use of online meetings and our preferences. It’s like those pioneering driving blind days all over again.

DIVERSITY: What makes you different?

If you are someone in recovery and you were helped by peer-to-peer, maybe AA specifically, did you immediately feel at home at your first meeting, or did you feel different that the group you were exposed to? If you felt or feel different, we have a humble writing assignment for you as our first topic.

The AA Literature desk wants your story, 500—800 words. DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DIFFERENT? is the 48-year-old pamphlet #13 that tipped the scale in my own should-I-stay or should-I-go sobriety. I found people (stories) spoken in my language for the first time in AA. If you do not know this collection of AA stories, click the link to read. Thirteen essays of people who felt marginalized, a teenager, atheist, clergy, high bottom, low bottom, movie star, person of color, LGBTQIA+, share the barriers and bridges navigated to find a rightful seat in AA. How timely to hear from a 15-year-old when I was a teenage alcoholic. I was happy to read what Ed the AA atheist and Jan the AA agnostic had to say about sobriety without an anthropomorphic personal higher power.

It's a great recovery tool; and it’s old. Today’s teenager doesn’t have any use for 1970s teenage angst; it could be unrelatable, leaving gender id

Please join the conversation; for social media, contact info, links and show notes, info on Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life and other great books etc, visit:

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From our Radio vault, Episode 19 features Richard, a Canadian Slam Poet, Comedian, pianist + Jack from LA, punk rocker, author, and recovering Big Book thumper. This show was recorded in the Fall of 2015. It is eight years later - both of these mavericks are doing their thing, in meetings and on stage. Visit our website for links if you connect with Jack, Richard, or both of these samples of recovery. I suspect that one or both are performing somewhere you could get to, or maybe in a meeting on Zoom or just down the road from you. Jack's book, A Principle of Recovery: An Unconventional Journey Through the Twelve Steps is only a click or two away, also

Most of all, how these people with addiction found recovery in the rooms and adapted what they found to fit their worldview and the life they lead, is a story worth listening to again... or again and again.

Also discussed on this podcast, Vancouver will host the International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous the first weekend of July, 2025. This quinquennial event has happened (almost) every five years since 1950. In 2020 we were supposed to be in Detroit but COVID, who remembers COVID and an in-person event of tens of thousands wasn't going to happen in Motown or anywhere. So, some restless folks are going to be eager to get out and share in the spectacle and spend the money already saved up in their Big Book sized piggy bank. That said, crazy as it might sound, it may not be too early to think about booking a hotel room or Air B'n'B because VanCity will be overcapacity, I am pretty sure of that. Also on the planning ahead front, the twice postponed 2020 and 2022 biennial International Conference of Secular AA had to funnel atheists and agnostics onto Zoom because Washington DC wasn't going to happen for the same reasons mentioned above. Orlando Florida, September 20-22 we--or some of "we" are going to to be all Goofy, Mickey and Minnie or Donald Ducky for the weekend. Info for Secular AA ICSAA 2024

For more on this Rebellion Dogs Radio classic, blogs, books, community and other ways to engage with time well wasted, visit Rebellion Dogs Radio for links and show notes or to comment. We are all in this together; Rebellion Dogs would enjoy hearing from you.
https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/

Please join the conversation; for social media, contact info, links and show notes, info on Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life and other great books etc, visit:

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It was the Fall of 2019, Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA by William Schaberg was about to be published and Joe C sat down with the author to talk about the soon-to-be-unveiled book born of eleven years of primary documentary research on Rebellion Dogs Radio, Episode 49. Four years later, more has been revealed and new insights gained. So listeners asked, “When are you two going to sit down again for a podcast?” Here it is.

This time around we look at new insights and speculation into early AA history. Bill and Joe share about their own recovery experience and reflect on changing AA culture through the years and what might inform the future of AA groups, members and culture.

• We talk about The “God” Word: Agnostics and Atheists in AA
• We talk about the upcoming ZOOM October 7th/8th ICSAA (International Conference of Secular AA).
• We talk about the probable influence of the most popular New Thought books of the day and how this cultural phenomena informed our AA 12-Step suggested program of Recovery. Read “Bill W's secret bookshelf.”
• We talk about the idea that and documentary evidence that supports the idea that Bill W thought he was done writing the Big Book--without the 12 steps or any step-by-step guide.
• We talk about Episode 49: when we first talked writing Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA (click to read/listen)

Rebellion Dogs Radio always features rebellious music. Episode 74 feature a Toronto band covering a recently lost British icon who died, too young, but sober: Goodnight Sunrise covers David Bowie's Major Tom.

Rebellion Dogs thinks this Major Tom cover is amazingly artistic and new sounding - it may send you clamoring back for your original psychedelic era version (and that's okay, too). Visit Goodnight Sunrise, view their campy look at the music industry today in their video WAIT FOR IT. See this band live if you get the chance.

SHOW NOTES & LINKS EPISODE 74 of REBELLION DOGS RADIO

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Two Davids, facing two Goliaths of stubborn orthodoxy are the focus of Episode 17 of Rebellion Dogs Radio.

One rebel is Mark Lewis, who challenges the disease model of addiction.

Greta Vosper, atheist minister of the United Church of Canada, who at the time was facing a review of her peers who found her liberalism to be maybe too far to be called even progressive Christianity.

Looking back in 2023, these heretical views of not so long ago are today's contemporary views or worldview and/or substance use disorder and wellness.

Visit original posting for links REBELLION DOGS #17 August 30 2015

Visit Rebellion Dogs Publishing for the latest

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Trysh Travis, is Associate Dean at University of Florida. She oversees Women’s Studies, is a cultural and literary historian whose work looks at the gendered history of medicine and popular therapeutic cultures. While working as a high school teacher, she earned an MA from the Bread Loaf School of English, followed by a PhD in American Studies from Yale University. She is the author of The Language of the Heart: Twelve-Step Recovery from Alcoholics Anonymous to Oprah Winfrey (UNC Press, 2009) and co-editor (with Timothy Aubry) of Rethinking Therapeutic Culture (Chicago, 2016). Her work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and appeared in venues such as PMLA, American Quarterly, Contemporary Drug Problems, and Raritan: A Quarterly Review. With UF colleague Joseph Spillane, she is the co-founder of the translational humanities project Points: The Joint Blog of the Alcohol & Drugs History Society and the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, where she currently serves as Managing Editor Emerita.

Dr Travis presented to AA History Symposium about the history or women in AA and gender politics. Originally, Episode 34, this recording inspires new listeners every month. See original show notes from Episode 34

This talk discusses the democratization of "We are all the same, we are all equal" in AA with "It's more complicated than that; there is gender politics and other marginalizing factors for some of us in and out of the meetings which needs to be addressed in a discussion of addiction and recovery."

Our musical guest is English art-rock band Moulettes

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William G. Borchert: September 9, 1933 - October 1, 2022 memorial will be on Zoom coming from Stepping Stones April 2 (first 1000 only)
ZOOM 867 0807 3394 Passcode 1962 7—8:15 PM New York time (UTC –4)

Who was Bill B? A New York newspaperman who got sober in the 1960s and would write some AA history including early AA + When Love is Not Enough, the story of Lois Wilson. Bill died in October 1922 and he is being honored by friends in recovery, so we are replaying this 2016 recording.

My Name is Bill W. (1989), staring James Woods as Bill W. and James Garner as Dr. Bob and When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story (2010) staring Winona Ryder - this is some of William's work. Having written 1000 Years of Sobriety (Hazelden), the stories of twenty members with fifty or more years of sobriety each, William Borchert's was our Rebellion Dogs guest as he had recently put out his autobiography that I had just read: How I Became My Father: A Drunk is not only a look at AA history by someone in the room, but a time-capsule of mid-20th century American life. I mention in the show that I talked much longer with William and I would post our discussion about the craft of writing and more about his autobiography. I went on to other demanding things and it did not happen. Maybe soon, I will post it.

Also on the show, a regular: Jackie B, playwright and AA historian. Jackie is part of a History: Steps, Traditions, Concepts presentation @ The Wilson House in Vermont, April 15/16 and on Zoom along with William Schaberg (Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA) and others.
More Rebellion Dogs Radio

Please join the conversation; for social media, contact info, links and show notes, info on Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life and other great books etc, visit:

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