New Time for the Placerville CA LifeRing

The Placerville California meeting has changed times.  It is now on at 5:00 on Sundays instead of the old 2:00.  The location remains the same, Here & Tao Hypnotherapy.  It is at 419 Main Street, Suite 318 in Placerville.  For more info, contact convenor Dennis C. at (714) 709-9736, or, as a backup, Gaye W. at Here & Tao: (530) 490-7511 or via  email.  [4/10/09]

New Delegate's Briefing Ready for '09 Congress

A new edition of the Delegate's Briefing, an information bulletin for prospective attendees at the Delegates' Assembly May 10, is off the press and will be mailed out to LifeRing meeting convenors this week.  The bulletin contains introductory information about the Assembly (a/k/a the Congress proper), suggestions for making meeting reports, an outline of a proposal for organizational expansion, information about the Board of Directors election, and a proposed agenda for the Sunday morning session.  A PDF copy is available online here.  Because the original is sized for 11x17" paper, printing the PDF on regular letter-size paper will make for eyestrain.  If you're a LifeRing meeting convenor and you haven't received your copy via snail mail by Monday April 6, the LifeRing Service Center probably doesn't have your snail mail address.  Shoot an email to service@lifering.org or phone 1-800-811-4142 and a copy will be mailed to you.  [4/3/09]

LifeRing on the Web Now Has 2 Front Doors

Until now, the only way to access the LifeRing home page was to go to www.unhooked.com.  As of this week, there's also a second, new way to get to the LifeRing home page: www.lifering.org.  We've been advised by PR professionals -- and this makes good sense -- that seekers on the web, and newcomers, will have an easier time getting to us if our web address matches the name of our organization.  So, now you can get to LifeRing by typing either www.lifering.org or www.unhooked.com --both go to the same place.  We'll keep the www.unhooked.com address active for the indefinite future, but we'll gradually feature www.lifering.org more prominently.  Meanwhile, www.lifering.com remains the address for the LifeRing Press online bookstore.  Got it? Lifering.org for the LifeRing organization, lifering.com for the LifeRing commerce site.  [4/3/09]

Northern Cal Schedule Goes to Larger Paper

With the opening of the new San Bruno LifeRing at the Veterans' Administration Clinic, the number of Northern California LifeRing meetings has grown too large to fit on a regular letter-size sheet of paper.  The printing on the schedule was already down to six point type, just about requiring a magnifying glass to read.  Any smaller and readers would need a microscope.  The new schedule printed on March 30 is on legal size paper.  The print is at a luxurious 8-point size.  There's room for a few more meetings before we have to shrink the type size again.  Please download the new schedule in PDF here.  Print copies will be mailed to Northern California addresses on the LifeRing mailing list within a week. [4/3/09]

Library Journal: New LifeRing Book "Highly recommended"

Library Journal recently reviewed Empowering Your Sober Self: The LifeRing Approach to Addiction Recovery in its "Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books" section:

Nicolaus, Martin. Empowering Your Sober Self: The LifeRing Approach to Addiction Recovery. Jossey-Bass. Apr. 2009. c.288p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-470-37229-6. $26.95. PSYCH 

Verdict: This introduction to LifeRing Secular Recovery’s principles philosophy for overcoming addiction—without the religious underpinnings of most 12-step programs—will be well received by those seeking support on their road to recovery. Highly recommended for university libraries supporting the helping professions and larger public libraries.  

Background: Nicolaus (Recovery by Choice), founder and CEO of LifeRing Secular Recovery, a nonreligious addiction recovery treatment alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous, provides an engaging guide for individuals and addiction treatment professionals seeking nonspiritual support and strategies. The author distinguishes LifeRing Secular Recovery from 12-step programs, includes numerous testimonials from members, and focuses on informing readers rather than converting them.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

See: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6645676.html

The Library Journal offers the following background on its website: In its 132nd year of publication, Library Journal is the oldest and most respected publication covering the library field.  Considered to be the “bible” of the library world, LJ is read by over 100,000 library directors, administrators, and staff in public, academic, and special libraries.   [3/30/09]

New LifeRing at VA Center in San Bruno CA

Convenor Gail C. reports that a new LifeRing will begin April 2: Thursdays at noon at the Veterans' Administration Clinic on the third floor of 1001 Sneath Lane in San Bruno.  This is the first LifeRing meeting at a VA facility.  Gail, the founding convenor of the Burlingame LifeRing meeting, and mother of a son serving in Afghanistan, will convene this meeting until Kevin B., an Iraq veteran, gets his six months and takes over as convenor.  For further information about the meeting, contact Kevin via e-mail or phone (650) 814-7773.  [3/22/09]

New LifeRing Book Makes Front Cover

Empowering Your Sober Self, the forthcoming new book about LifeRing, is featured on the front cover of the new catalogue of "Books for Mental Health Professionals -- New and Best-Selling Titles in Psychology," from the Jossey-Bass division of Wiley & Sons, publishers.  The catalogue is mailed to more than 175,000 healthcare professionals in the English-speaking world.  Placing the LifeRing book on the front cover of the catalogue reflects the publisher's confidence that the book will meet with a positive reception.  Advance readers who read the book in manuscript were strongly positive. Go here for their thoughts.  The book is on pre-order now from LifeRing Press as well as amazon.com and other sellers; ship date is April 29.  [3/22/09]

New LifeRing in Malmo: Sweden's second

A second LifeRing in Sweden began in February in Malmo, a city about 500 km southwest of Stockholm and connected via a long bridge to Copenhagen, Denmark.  The building at the left is The Turning Torso -- another Malmo landmark.

The Malmo meeting is on Fridays at 5 pm in the Cafe Mollan, at Sofielundsvagen 13, close to Mollevangstorget.  The first meeting reportedly had 11 people in attendance.  For further information, please contact the convenor Goran D. by email. [3/19/08]

Stockholm Meeting Changes day

The Stockholm LifeRing meeting has changed from Tuesday to Wednesday. The time remains the same:  5 p.m. and the location is unchanged: Drakenbergsgatan 16, code 1689.  For further information about the meeting, contact Lars Bergstrom, by email. [3/19/08]

Swedish translation of Recovery by Choice

The Recovery by Choice workbook from LifeRing Press is now available in a partial Swedish translation.  Christer K. of Stockholm selected key passages from the book and translated them into Swedish for the use of the Stockholm LifeRing meeting, the new Malmo LifeRing meeting, and other Swedish readers.  The translation is currently circulating as a photocopy and as a pdf.  [3/19/08]

New Sunday LifeRing
in Victoria BC

We are very pleased to announce that one of our original members of LifeRing in Victoria, who also started the Langford Chapter, Clyde Fries has started a new meeting. The meetings will take place every Sunday night beginning February 15^th, 2009 at 7:30pm at 540 Manchester Road in Victoria. It is very important to note that anyone attending must use the front lower level entrance only as this is transition house run by the John Howard Society. Clyde can be reached at 250.384.8092.

LifeRing Secular Recovery recently celebrated one year in Victoria. Our first meeting was January 30^th, 2008.  This is now the fourth weekly meeting in Southern Vancouver Island.  [2/9/09]

Wednesday LifeRing
in Fremont (Niles) CA

The latest Northern California meeting is in the historic Niles district of Fremont.  The group meets Wednesday at 6 pm (and going until 7 or whenever) at Joe's Corner, 37713 Niles Blvd in Fremont.  The meeting is already going and attracted a crowd the first night.  So come early for good seats!  [2/9/09]

LifeRing Comes
to Cape Cod

The first LifeRing meeting on Cape Cod will be held in the Old Lilly Building of Falmouth Hospital, 100 Ter Heun Drive, Falmouth, MA. The meeting will be in the Maternity Conference Room from 7:30 to 9:00 pm on Thursdays, starting on February 5, 2009.  Signs will be posted to the Conference Room.   If you have any questions please call Julliette S. 508-648-7664 or via email.  [1/17/09]

New Location for the
Green Bay WI LifeRing

The Green Bay Wisconsin LifeRing has moved from its former location in Ashwaubenon to the Goodwill Store at 1660 W. Mason St. in Green Bay.  The meeting room is the conference room in the rear of the store.  The meeting is NOT in the cafe next door, where other meetings are held.  The day and time remain the same: Thursdays at 7:00 pm.   For more information contact Tom K at 920-499-9431 or via email.  [1/17/09]

New LifeRing in
Winston-Salem NC

Another new LifeRing will start on January 7 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  The Wednesday 6:00 PM meeting will be held at The Bridge at Brookstown at 235 S. Cherry St.  

The convenor, Craig A. is a counselor: "I've been trying to sell AA to my clients for 25 years without much success.  I finally decided to start listening to them to find out why.  I found you on the Internet.  I'm going to make this available to my clients."  For more information, contact Craig by phone at 336-725-8567 or via e-mail.  [1/4/09]

Sobriety,
Without the Sermon

Last month, RedwoodAge.com, a news and commentary website, talked with Craig W., LifeRing's on-line coordinator for the LSRsafe, LifeRing E-pals, and LifeRing SoberLiving online groups.  The article begins

Perhaps no one in Craig’s rural community suspected he struggled with a drinking problem. 

The 61-year-old book store owner would quit drinking from time to time, but soon enough wade back in, feeling calm and in control. “I would forget and say, ‘No problem,‘” he said. “Especially at Christmas.”

Craig thought more than once about joining Alcoholics Anonymous, but the faith piece of the 12-step program alienated him. “AA people think it’s resistance to quitting,“ said Craig. “It’s not. It’s resistance to the program.”

Surfing the Internet, he struck the magic combination of words that brought up a secular recovery program. At Unhooked.com, he found LifeRing, which began in the San Francisco Bay Area and has spread since its inception in 1997 to communities around the nation, including the Pacific Northwest where Craig lives. 

Check out the rest here.  [1/4/09]

New San Bruno CA
LifeRing Coming Jan. 8

The latest addition to the LifeRing meeting roster will be a Thursday evening meeting in San Bruno, CA, from 7-8 PM.  The meeting will be at the Kaiser Permanente Chemical Dependency Services (CDS), 1001 Sneath Lane, upstairs in suite 204.  The room is wheelchair accessible.   [12/25/08]

Dec. 27 San Francisco
One-Time Meeting Change

The meeting in San Francisco on Saturday mornings from 10 am - 11:15 has a change of venue for Dec 27 ONLY. The LGBT Center is closed that day.  The meeting will be at the San Francisco Main Library, 100 Larkin Street, in the Stong Conference Room on the First Floor.  Time will be 10:15 - 11:30 am.  Enter on Grove Street (between Larkin and Hyde).  Civic Center BART is 1/2 block away. Parking on Fulton or Larkin.  Enter the Library, going in to the main atrium. Turn left at the Information Desk.  The Stong Conference Room is just around the corner.  Questions?  Call co-convenor Mark Hotsenpiller at (415) 806-7001 or contact him via email.  [12/19/08]

Meeting Changes in
Sacramento CA

The meeting at Strategies For Change in Sacramento is, well, changing.  The meeting will now be on Monday evenings from 6-7 pm, starting on November 24.   There's a new location too: 4441 Auburn Blvd. Suite E Sacramento.  For more information contact convenor Jo by email.  [11/20/08]

New Time and Day for
Petaluma CA LifeRing

 The LifeRing meeting at the Mary Isaak Center in Petaluma originally scheduled for Wednesdays at 6:45 am is now on Sundays at 6 pm.  The other LifeRing meeting remains on Fridays at 6:00 pm.  The Mary Isaak Center is at 900 Hopper Street, Petaluma, CA.  For more information, contact convenor Richard H. via e-mail or call (707) 322-4112.  [10/31/08]

Looking for a
San Diego Convenor

We have a offer for a room to host a LifeRing meeting in San Diego, CA.  But we need a convenor.  If you are interested, please take a look at the Convenors page and drop an email to the Service Center or call us at 1-800-811-4142.   [10/9/08]

LifeRing Partners
Launches in Victoria BC

LifeRing Partners, a group for friends, family, and loved ones of those in recovery, has launched!  Convenor Bill and co-convenor Barbara lead a meeting at the Burnside Gorge Community Centre at 7:00 PM Mondays in Victoria, British Columbia at 471 Cecelia Rd.   Bill reports the meetings – not yet widely advertised – have been small but lively with lots of productive discussion.  The group has adopted the "How Was Your Week" format and has tried as much as possible to stick to the principles laid out in the LifeRing convenor's handbook.  For more information on the Victoria group contact Bill or Barbara via e-mail or call 250-818-1652.

LifeRing has had many inquires over the years about a group for friends and family and supports the LSR-LO (Loved Ones) e-mail group.  As mentioned here, the latest effort to kick off a face-to-face group came with the 2008 LifeRing Congress.  A steering committee made up of folks who attended that Congress session that took it from there.  The result is LifeRing Partners, an association of clean and sober people who are affected by someone else's use.  We hope other meetings will follow in other areas.  If you are interested – especially if you are interested in convening such a group – please contact the Service Center via e-mail or via phone at 1-800-811-4142 or 510-763-0779.  [9/28/08]

LifeRing comes
to Sweden

LifeRing adds its first European face-to-face meeting in Stockholm on 7 October.  The early evening meeting is from 17-18 on Tuesdays at Drakenbergsgatan 16, code1689.  For more information, contact convenor Lars B. via email (or alternately, here) or via telephone.  Within Sweden, telephone 087291737.  From abroad, +4687291739. And check out the LifeRing Europe website in Swedish or English. [9/25/08]