Integral recovery

Hi Marjorie, 

  I appreciate your question you posted. I have a lot of personal experience so I felt inspired and slightly obligated to reply. (i normally don't post.)

 I'm not sure if your familiar with Ken Wilbers book "Integral Psychology", but I think it's an excellent place to start especially if your studying psychology. If the educational system was at an integral center of gravity it would be required reading even for a minor in psych. The book is basically about how all the different modalities of psychology are partially right. Depending on what stage of development the client is at, or what stage the pathology developed, there are certain modalities that are more effective for treatment. It eliminates all the in fighting about which therapy is "best".  Well, the integral lens has shined on this subject and the best therapy depends on what "level" the person is at. DBT is focused for people with "borderline personality disorders", usually a pathology pertaining to the first couple of stages of development.  ("fulcrum 2", the transition from first to second) It has a lot to do with attachment issues and "structure building" issues. The 4 modules of DBT are "mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness."  Not all people with addictions have this problem. Although, alot of people stuck at some stage 2 problem, do have problems with substance abuse.

  The Integral Recovery program has a lot of structure in it, as Dupuy explained, which is beneficial for BPD. However, DBT, is more focused on "structure building techniques" themselves. 

  I would also like to mention an important distinction Wilber mentions about meditations and certain psychological "pathologies". And I am speaking from personal experience and cognitive understanding of this material.  People with a stage 2 pathology, such as Borderline Personality Disorder, can have an adverse reaction to "formless" types of meditations. Meditation without an object. The main practice of zen, as such. It's like taking what little "traction" is under the psychological "feet" of a BPD and pulling the rug out from under them. (sorry for mixing my metaphors).  It can send them reeling.  To reiterate, I know personally.    Meditation with an object is apprapo. And I'm very confident that they are handling this appropriately at "Integral Recovery".  It sounds like they are doing two separate one hour meditation sessions, with journaling (shadow module) afterward, followed by groups and cognitive therapy. I'm  assuming the "object" of the meditation is the "thoughts, feelings, memories, etc.. that are arising in the now sober consciousness. 

 I'm sure Dupuy is aware of this distinction from his dialouges with Integral.  It would be unfortunate if a person in early recovery were asked do meditation techniques that were not appropriate for their stage of development. That would be bad Integral Spirituality. 

  I invite critiques and criticism's if I am off the mark with my understanding and validations if right.

experientially,

dean