Addiction and Recovery: Accompaniment Toward Wholeness and Healing

Presented by McGrath Institute for Church Life

Monday, January 22, 2024 12:00 pm EST

Join the McGrath Institute and Catholic in Recovery for a discussion with leading thinkers in addiction recovery, psychiatry, and theology. Drawing on their respective experiences in pastoral and psychiatric care, our speakers will address how to understand addiction through a more integrated lens, engaging the wisdom of both faith and science. Our speakers will address practical questions of how priests and parish staff, mental health professionals, and each one of us can draw on the resources of faith and science to support those in our families and communities living with addiction. Moderated by Beth Hlabse ’11, M.S., LMHCA, program director of the Fiat Program on Faith and Mental Health at the McGrath Institute for Church Life.

Speakers:
Fr. Sean Kilcawley – Diocese of Lincoln, Freedom from Pornography Apostolate;
Amy Ricke, M.D. – Psychiatrist;
Scott Weeman, M.A. – Marriage and Family Therapist

For more information visit the McGrath Institute for Church Life.

In a compelling conversation titled “Conversations That Matter: Addiction and Recovery, Accompaniment Toward Wholeness and Healing,” a panel of experts including Scott Weeman, Jessica Keating Floyd, Fr. Sean Kilcawley, Dr. Amy Ricke, and Beth Hlabse dissected the complexities of addiction.

Fr. Sean Kilcawley initiated the dialogue with a candid reflection on his background. He highlighted the shroud of silence that often surrounds the topic of addiction within communities, especially as it pertains to shame and sexuality. Emphasizing the need for open discourse and other opportunities within parishes and faith communities to grow in understanding about addiction, codependency, and the dysfunctions within families, Fr. Kilcawley addressed the essential role of parishes as safe havens where people grappling with addiction can seek support. He advocated for programs like Catholic and Recovery to bolster Catholics on their journey to recovery.

Complementing this perspective, Beth Hlabse spoke to the necessity of drawing upon resources from both the faith community and the domains of psychology and neuroscience to foster healing. Her approach underscored the complexity of addiction and the invaluable role that supportive relationships and spiritual tools play in the process. Hlabse acknowledged the multifarious factors contributing to addiction, such as genetics, environmental influences, and mental illness, underlining the delicate vulnerability of individuals coping with such challenges.

Scott Weeman, founder of Catholic in Recovery, shared his conviction about the transformative power of humility in the healing process. He stressed the significance of engaging in challenging conversations and the act of storytelling, where exchanging experiences of strength and hope emerge as powerful mechanisms for support. Weeman vividly presented the transition from a state of victimhood to accepting responsibility in recovery, suggesting a shift from a fearful dependence to embracing spiritual resources and investing in nurturing relationships.

Dr. Amy Ricke, elaborating on the nature of addiction, substantiated it as a brain-based illness. She made a powerful case for non-judgmental support and highlighted the importance of understanding the brain’s reward system in the recovery equation. Dr. Ricke’s scientific insight was a poignant reminder of addiction’s grip on the brain and its effects on behavior and free will.

In wrapping up the dialogue, Dr. Ricke, Fr. Kilcawley, and Weeman discussed the vital nature of empathy, hope, and addressing the shame and isolation experienced by individuals battling addiction. Fr. Kilcawley, in particular, advocated for a gospel-centered way of addressing unmet needs rather than just focusing on the consequences of addiction. Weeman echoed this sentiment, encouraging robust and open conversations on challenging topics like pornography, eradicating the stigma and fear that have traditionally kept these discussions at bay.

Listeners to this conversation were left with a call to action: to engage in these difficult conversations within their communities, to provide non-judgmental support, and to recognize the intrinsic human dignity of all individuals, especially those on the path to recovery. The episode underlined the need for a collective effort in transforming how addiction is addressed—moving towards a narrative of hope, healing, and wholeness bolstered by faith and community support.

[00:10:30] The Role of Faith in Healing from Addiction
Fr. Sean Kilcawle and Beth Hlabse focus on the synergistic relationship between spirituality and science in addiction recovery. They argue that churches have the potential to act as sanctuaries, aiding healing through a combination of faith-based support and contemporary psychological understanding.

[00:25:45] Addressing the Brain Disease Model of Addiction
Dr. Amy Ricke offers a medical perspective, defining addiction as a chronic brain disease. She details the interaction between genetics, environment, and life experiences in addiction, explaining how the brain’s reward system affects self-control and how understanding this can aid recovery.

[00:40:05] Transitioning from Victimhood to Agency in Recovery
Scott Weeman emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility and humility in the recovery process. He highlights storytelling and supportive community as powerful means for healing, illustrating the transition from fear-based reactions to taking ownership of one’s recovery journey.

[01:00:20] The Importance of Empathy and Boundaries
Through the conversation between Dr. Ricke and Fr. Sean Kilcawle, listeners learn the balance needed in providing support to individuals struggling with addiction. Empathy and hope are crucial, but so are setting healthy boundaries to ensure that support is constructive and sustainable.

[01:15:40] Overcoming Stigma and Promoting Open Dialogue in the Church Community
The panelists underscore the need for candid conversations about addiction within faith communities. Scott Weeman and Fr. Sean Kilcawle particularly stress the importance of addressing the often-taboo topics like pornography addiction, arguing that these discussions can lead to transformation and a deeper, broader grasp of the Gospel’s relevance to personal struggles.

The Power of Sharing in Recovery: “It wasn’t until I found myself in a 12 step meeting. After that meeting, a man darted across the room, looked me in the eye, and said, I know exactly how you feel.”
— Scott Weeman [00:24:42 → 00:24:51]

Understanding Addiction: “In 2021…estimates that more than 46 million people in the United States have a drug or alcohol addiction.”— Dr. Amy Ricke [00:05:17 → 00:05:24]
The Nature of Modern Addictions: “A lot of times it’s a way of replacing negative emotions with positive sensations, like things that I can influence my body so I don’t have to feel my feelings.”
— Fr. Sean Kilcawle [00:16:37 → 00:16:38]

Understanding Addiction and Recovery: “we have to understand and hold that context that people will get better; they may get worse for a while; they may get better, and we need to stick with them as they go through that process and not see this as a moral failing, not see this as a moral referendum. As I think Scott said, each of us have vulnerabilities based on our genetics, our early environment, our upbringing. The causes are multiple, and these predispose us to various forms of suffering through our life and very few of us would voluntarily choose to suffer and certainly someone struggling with addiction. So much of it is involuntary, once the disease takes hold.”
— Dr. Amy Ricke [00:32:21 → 00:32:59]

Spiritual Healing in Addiction Recovery: “The spiritual dimension of recovery is about speaking the truth into those lies, and helping someone come to believe that they are in fact lovable, that our Lord loves them as they are, that our Lord can meet their needs, and that he’s trustworthy, and that’s what happens when we preach the gospel.”— Fr. Sean Kilcawle [00:19:32 → 00:19:49]
Talking About Difficult Topics with Kids: “Sometimes we fear that if we introduce a topic such as pornography to someone or bring it up to our kids or others, that might be the activating event that leads them to go do it. I don’t think that’s ever been the case, and there’s this, I think that’s actually more of a manifestation of our own fear, maybe shame, maybe our own challenges on the topic, and have the conversation, be bold and don’t be, don’t fear the conversation.”
— Scott Weeman [01:02:01 → 01:02:24]

Youth Exposure to Inappropriate Content: “For pornography use, the number of eighth graders, for example, it’s a big, a large percentage. By the time kids graduate high school, an even larger percentage have used pornography, for example, and they think the same applies to drugs, alcohol.”
— Dr. Amy Ricke [01:04:33 → 01:04:46]