understanding and counseling the alcoholic by howard j ro

8/10/2019 Understanding and Counseling the Alcoholic by Howard J Ro

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Understanding and Counseling the Alcoholic by Howard J. Clinebell, Jr. nelegerea iConsiliere alcoolice de Howard J. Clinebell, Jr.

Howard J. Clinebell, Jr. Is Professor of Pastoral Counseling at the School of Theology at Claremont, California(1977).Howard J. Clinebell, Jr. este profesor de Consiliere pastoral la coala de Teologie la Claremont, California(1977).He is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors, and the AmericanAssociation of Pastoral Counselors.El este membru al Asociatiei Americane de casatorie si Familiei consilieri, i aAsociaiei Americane de pastoral Consilierilor.He is a licensed marriage, child and family counselor in the State ofCalifornia.El este o cstorie liceniat, copiilor i consilier de familie n statul California.His personal website ishttp://members.aol.com/clinebellh/index.htm, and his email address is [email protected] su personal estehttp://members.aol.com/clinebellh/index.htm, i adresa sa de e-mail este [email protected] book is theRevised and Enlarged Edition published by Abingdon Press, Nashville, 10th Printing, 1990.Aceasta carte esterevizuit i lrgit Edition publicate de Abingdon Press, Nashville, imprimare 10th, 1990.Used by permission.Folosit cu permisiune.This material ws prepared for Religion Online by Richard V. Kendall.Acest material a fost

pregtit pentru Cultul online de Richard V. Kendall.

Chapter 8 - Laying the Groundwork for Counseling

AlcoholicsCapitolul 8 - bazele de Consiliere alcoolicilor

How to understand the alcoholic and what can be done for him rank first and second in the list of

problems which prove most puzzling [to religious leaders]. Cum s neleag alcoolice i ceea cese poate face pentru el de prim rang i a doua n lista de probleme care se dovedesc cele maiaiuritoare [a liderilor religioi]. While religious influence in the deepest sense seems almostindispensable to the real cure of an addict, few seem to find this through conventional religiouschannels. n timp ce influena religioase n cel mai adnc sens pare aproape indispensabile pentrua vindeca real al unui dependent de droguri, puini par s gsii acest lucru prin canaleleconventionale religioase. Not all the reasons for this are clear; but the fact deserves furtherattention and study. Nu toate motivele pentru aceasta sunt clare, dar faptul merit o ateniesuplimentar i de studiu. Unless more light is thrown on this question, "therapeutic religion," orthe religion which heals, may be developed quite outside the church. 1.Cu excepia cazului nmai mult lumin este aruncat n aceast problem, "religie terapeutice,", sau religie, care

vindec, pot fi dezvoltate destul de afara bisericii.

1.

This paragraph was written in 1942 by Seward Hiltner, at that time head of the department ofpastoral services of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America. Acest paragraf a fostscris n 1942 de ctre Seward Hiltner, la acea dat ef al departamentului de servicii depastoral a Consiliului Federal al Bisericilor lui Hristos n America. Although well over twodecades have passed since it was written, it describes the need and challenge of the presentsituation, to a considerable degree. Cu toate c mai bine de dou decenii au trecut de cnda fost


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scris, ea descrie necesitatea i provocarea de situaia actual, ntr-o msur considerabil.

The Minister's Attitude Toward His Opportunity Ministrul a atitudinii fata de Oportunitate lui

In this day in which teams of scientists are devoting their skill to the problem of helping

alcoholics and AA has achieved such impressive success in leading thousands to sobriety, thepastor examines his own meager success in the field and wonders whether he should leave suchwork to the scientists and to AA. n aceast zi, n care echipe de oameni de tiin sunt dedicpriceperea lor la problema de a ajuta alcoolici si AA-a obtinut un succes, cum ar impresionant nmii care conduc la sobrietatea, pastorul examineaz succes propria sa slab n domeniu i sentreab dac el ar trebui s lase astfel de lucrri pentru a oameni de tiin i de a AA. Is there areal need any longer for him to be active and informed concerning alcoholism? Exist o nevoiereal nu mai pentru el s fie active i a informat cu privirela alcoolism? Can he expect to bereasonably effective if he is? Poate el se ateapt s fie suficient de eficiente n cazul n careeste? We will attempt to throw some light on these questions in the six chapters that lie ahead.Vom ncerca s arunce o lumin asupra acestor ntrebri n ase capitole, care i ateapt

rezolvarea. For one of the greatest needs of the minister is a definition of his role in the problemof alcoholism -- a clear picture of where he is needed and in what areas he can function mosteffectively. Pentru unul dintre cele mai mari nevoi de ministru este o definiie a rolului su nproblema de alcoolism - o imagine clar de unde este necesar i n ce domenii el poate funcionacel mai eficient.

One important element in this definition of his role is the recognition that dealing with alcoholicsin a constructive manner is a major opportunity as well as a major problem for the parishminister. Un element important n aceast definiie a rolului su este recunoaterea faptului c seocup de alcoolici ntr-un mod constructiv este o oportunitate major, precum i o problemmajor pentru ministrul parohie. Ministers who have had experience in a parish do not need to be

told that they will have opportunities to help alcoholics. Minitriicare au avut o experien ntr-oparohie nu trebuie s fi spus c acestea vor beneficia de oportuniti pentru a ajuta la alcoolici.Such opportunities -- a rather euphemistic term for some of the encounters a minister has withalcoholics -- are thrust upon him, whether or not he wants them or is prepared for them. Astfel deoportuniti - un termen destul de eufemistic pentru unele dintre ntlnete un ministru are cualcoolici - sunt mpingere asupra lui, dac are sau nu le vrea sau este pregtit pentru ei. Thequestion is not whether he will deal with alcoholics; the question is whether he will deal withthem in a more or less constructive manner. ntrebarea nu este dac el se va ocupa de alcoolici,ntrebarea este dac el se va ocupa cu ei ntr-un mod mai mult sau mai putin constructiv. But forthe young man just beginning his ministry and for the older minister who has just not had manyopportunities in this area, it is important to cite evidence that many ministers are active and

relatively successful in helping alcoholics. Dar pentru tnrul doar nceputul slujirea sa, precumi pentru ministrul n vrst care pur si simplu nu a avut multe posibiliti n acest domeniu, esteimportant s se citeaz dovezi de faptul c minitrii de multe sunt active i relativ succes n aajuta alcoolici.

A survey conducted by Yale University in cooperation with the National Council of Churchesrevealed that fifty to fifty-five thousand alcoholics a year are seen by ministers in the UnitedStates . 2.More significant than the mere number is the fact that the minister, so the survey


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showed, is often the first person seen for help, outside the family of the alcoholic. Un sondajrealizat de Universitatea Yale, n colaborare cu Consiliul National al Bisericilor a relevat faptulc cincizeci la cincizeci i cinci mii de alcoolici un an sunt vzute de minitri n Statele Unite. 2.Mai mare dect numrul de simpla este faptul c ministrul, astfel nct Studiul a artat, esteadesea prima persoan vzut pentru ajutor, n afara familiei de alcoolice. Other studies confirm

the fact that the average minister sees several alcoholics in the course of a given year. Alte studiiconfirm faptul c ministrul medie vede alcoolici mai multe, n cursul unui an dat. For example,a study made by the New York Academy of Medicine and reported in "A Survey of Facilities forthe Care and Treatment of Alcoholism in New York City" 3.showed a high number of referralsto clergymen. De exemplu, un studiu realizat de New York Academiei de Medicina si raportaten "Un studiu de faciliti pentru ngrijirea i tratamentul de alcoolism n New York City" 3.Aartat un numr mare a sesizrilor clerici. Another example is from a report of the NewHampshire Board for the Treatment of Inebriates which mailed a questionnaire to variousprofessional persons within the state. 4.The 91 clergymen who returned questionnaires reportedhaving counseled with a total of 353 alcoholics during that year. Un alt exemplu este dintr-unraport al New Hampshire Consiliul pentru tratamentul Inebriates care a trimis un chestionar la

diferite profesii n cadrul statului.

4.

91 clerici care a revenit de chestionare raportate au sftuit cuun total de 353 alcoolici n cursul acestui an. Interestingly enough, this was nearly double thenumber of cases reported by a group of 119 New Hampshire clergymen two years before. Destulde interesant, acest lucru a fost aproape dublu fa de numrul de cazuri raportate de ctre ungrup de 119 New Hampshire clerici cu doi ani nainte. During the same two-year period, AAgrew from 3 groups to 14 in the state. n timpul aceeai perioad de doi ani, AA a crescut de la 3grupuri de la 14 n stat. This suggests, although the samples are too small to be conclusive, thatan increase in the work of AA actually increases pastoral opportunities with alcoholics. Acestlucru sugereaz, cu toate c eantioanele sunt prea mici pentru a fi concludente, c o cretere nactivitatea de AA, de fapt, crete oportunitile pastorale cu alcoolici. If this is true, it isa mostconvincing answer to those who feared, as well as those who hoped, that AA would render the

church's ministry to alcoholics unnecessary. n cazul n care acest lucru este adevrat, acesta esteun rspuns cel mai convingtor pentru cei care se temeau, precum i cei care au sperat, c AA arface lucrarea bisericii de a alcoolici inutile.

With the financial help of Columbia University's interdepartmental seminar on religion andhealth, this writer conducted a survey of the 324 clergymen who had attended the Yale SummerSchool of Alcohol Studies during the first seven years of its existence (1943-1949). Cu ajutorulfinanciar al seminarului, Columbia University's interdepartamental de religie i de sntate, acestscriitor a realizat o anchet de 324 clerici care a participat la Yale Scoala de vara de Studii dealcool n cursul primelor apte ani de existen (1943-1949). Questionnaires designed toascertain their thinking and action concerning alcoholism were mailed to them; Chestionare

concepute pentru a stabili modul de gndire i de aciune n ceea ce privete alcoolismul s-autrimis prin pot la acestea;

-146 were completed and returned. -146 Au fost completate i returnate. Eighteendenominations, including all the major Protestant groups, were represented. Optsprezece culte,inclusiv toate grupurile majore protestante, au fost reprezentate. Geographically, the respondentsrepresented 37 states and Canada. Punct de vedere geografic, respondenii reprezentate 37 statei Canada. The work and thought of these 146 ministers are being cited as vivid and concrete


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examples of what a group of clergymen who are trained in the field are thinking and doing. Demunc i a crezut c aceste 146 minitri sunt citate ca exemple vii i concrete a ceea ce un grupde clerici care sunt instruii n acest domeniu sunt de gndire i fac. On the point underconsideration, it is significant that the 75 ministers who gave definite information in this area hadseen an average of 4.9 alcoholics per year since attending the Summer School. Pe punctul de luat

n considerare, este semnificativ faptul c celor 75 de minitri care au dat informaii clare n acestdomeniu a vazut o medie de 4,9 alcoolici pe an, deoarece participa la Scoala de Vara. Thisaverage includes sixteen men who had counseled with no alcoholics during this period. Aceastmedie include aisprezece oameni care au avut sftuit cu nici un alcoolic, n aceast perioad.Thus, the evidence from the various sources mentioned indicates that the pastor should expect tohave a number of opportunities each year to help alcoholics. Astfel, dovezile din diferite sursemenionat indic faptul c pastorul ar trebui s se ateapt s aib un numr de oportuniti nfiecare an pentru a ajuta la alcoolici. He has a job to do, and he must be prepared to do it well! Elare un loc de munc de a face, i el trebuie s fie pregtit s o fac bine!

Can a minister hope to be effective in dealing with alcoholics? Poate o speran ministru pentru a

fi eficiente n relaiile cu alcoolici? The feeling expressed by some AA members that "only analcoholic can help an alcoholic" has influenced the thinking of many ministers to the detrimentof their confidence in their own ability to really help the alcoholics who come to them. Sentimentexprimate de unii membri AA c "numai un alcoolic poate ajuta un alcoolic", a influenatgndirea a minitrilor de multe n detrimentul ncrederii acestora n capacitatea lor de a ajuta cuadevrat alcoolici, care vin la ei. Again, the experience of the 146 Yaleministers can be helpful.Din nou, experiena a 146 minitrilor Yale, poate fi de ajutor. How effective were they in dealingwith the alcoholics who came to them? Ct de eficiente au fost acestea n relaiile cu alcoolici,care a venit cu ei? The picture is encouraging. Imaginea este ncurajator. In general, those whohad had considerable opportunity to work with alcoholics showed a great deal of understandingand realism concerning the psychology and methods of such work. n general, cei care au avut

posibilitatea considerabile pentru a lucra cu alcoolici au artat o mare de nelegere i de realismn ceea ce privete psihologia i metode de astfel de lucrri. It is probably true that those who hadconsiderable insight and success in working with alcoholics tended to develop a reputation forsuccess in this area and therefore attracted more alcoholics to them. Este adevrat c, probabil,cei care au Insight considerabile i de succes in lucrul cu alcoolici au avut tendina de a dezvoltao reputaie de succes n acest domeniu i, prin urmare, alcoolici atras mai mult pentru ei. Severalof the ministers either mentioned or implied that they had acquired such a reputation and thatphysicians, court officials, or other clergymen had referred alcoholics to them f~or help. Maimulte dintre minitri, fie menionate sau implicite c acetia au dobndit o astfel de reputaia pecare i medici, funcionari instan, sau clerici au avut alti menionate alcoolici la ele f ~ sauajutor. In other words, the very fact that such a large proportion of the Yale ministers had worked

with a substantial number of alcoholics is ipso factoevidence that they were doing an effectivejob with them. Cu alte cuvinte, nsui faptul c o astfel de mare parte a minitrilor de la Yale alucrat cu un numr substanial de alcoolici este ipso factodovezi ca au facut un loc de munceficient cu ei.

The ministers were asked to give an evaluation of their success in dealing with alcoholics.Minitrii au fost rugai s dea o evaluare a succesului lor n relaiile cu alcoolici. Feeling towardthe value of their work ranged from that of one minister who reported: "I have never found a


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drunk who wasn't worth my time and attention and it meant a lot to them," to the man who wrote,"As far as my experience goes, it is a discouraging piece of work trying to help people who donot want it." Sentimentul fa de valoarea muncii lor a variat de la faptul c de un ministru careau raportat: "Nu am gsit un betiv care nu a fost n valoare de timpul meu i atenie i a nsemnatfoarte mult pentru ei," pentru omul care a scris, "n ceea ce ca experienta mea merge, este o

bucata de lucru descuraja ncercarea de a ajuta persoanele care nu doresc aceasta. " The generalfeeling was between these extremes, the majority closer to the first -- viz., work with alcoholicsinvolves many discouragements, but it is exceedingly important and worthwhile. Sentimentulgeneral a fost ntre aceste extreme, majoritatea mai aproape de primul - anume., Lucru cualcoolici implic discouragements de multe, dar este extrem de important i valoros. As oneminister put it, "Some cases have responded beautifully. In others, I have been able to do exactlynothing." Aa cum un ministru pus-o, "Unele cazuri au rspuns foarte bine. n altele, am fost nstare s fac exact nimic." Two thirds of the ministers reported 50 percent or better success indealing with alcoholics. Dou treimi din minitrii raportate 50 procente sau mai bine de succes nrelaiile cu alcoolici. Most of the ministers reported working closely with AA, and the majorityof them had a positive attitude toward the use of psychiatric referral with alcoholics when

needed. Cele mai multe dintre minitrii raportate n strns colaborare cu AA, iar majoritateadintre ei au avut o atitudine pozitiv fa de utilizarea de sesizare psihiatrice cu alcoolici, atuncicnd este nevoie. The overall impression derived from the questionnaires was one that shows thefallacy of the conception that only an alcoholic can help an alcoholic. Impresia de ansambluderivate din chestionare a fost una care arat eroare de concepie pe care numai un alcoolic poateajuta un alcoolic. The impression was this -- here is a group of individuals making a significantand continuing contribution to the work of helping individual alcoholics to sobriety. Impresia afost asta - aici este un grup de indivizi s aduc o contribuie semnificativ i continu s lucrezede a ajuta alcoolici individuale la sobrietate. It is likely that many of these men would have beenmaking a significant, though perhaps not as great, contribution even if they had not attended theYale Summer School. Este posibil ca muli dintre aceti oameni ar fi fost de a face o

semnificativ, dei poate nu la fel de mare, contribuia chiar dac nu ar fi participat la Scoala devara de la Yale. Their effectiveness is but a sample of the work with alcoholics that thousands ofministers over the country are actually doing. Eficacitatea lor este, ci o mostr de lucru cualcoolici c mii de minitri n ntreaga ar fac de fapt. There is no valid basis for the feeling ofany minister that he cannot make a significant contribution to helping alcoholics because he is aminister or isn't an alcoholic! Nu exist nici o baz valabil pentru sentimentul de orice ministruc nu poate avea o contribuie semnificativ de a ajuta alcoolicii pentru c el este un ministru saunu este un alcoolic!

However, realism demands that a minister face both his advantages and limitations in dealingwith alcoholics. Cu toate acestea, cere realismul faptul c un ministru de avantaje fata lui, ct i

limitri n relaiile cu alcoolici. The 146 Yale ministers were asked to list what they felt were aminister's chief advantages and limitations. 146 Yale, minitrii au fost rugati sa lista de ceea ce s-au simit au fost avantajele de ministru ef i limitri. The general feeling was that the ministerhas more advantages than limitations. Sentimentul general a fost c ministrul are mai multeavantaje dect limitri. The limitations most often mentioned could be divided into twocategories: the alcoholic's attitude toward the minister and the minister's attitude toward thealcoholic. Limitri cel mai des menionate ar putea fi mprite n dou categorii: atitudinea faalcoolice ministru i ministru de atitudinea fa de alcoolice. In the first category were the


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alcoholic's fear that the minister will censure him, the alcoholic's suspicion of the minister as aprofessional "do-gooder," the alcoholic's resentment of religion, and the difficulty of establishingrapport because the alcoholic may feel that the minister (not being an alcoholic) never quiteunderstands him. n prima categorie s-au alcoolic de team c ministrul va cenzur el, alcoolicsuspiciunea de ministru ca un profesionist "do-gooder," resentiment alcoolic de religie, precum

i dificultatea de a stabili rapport alcoolice, deoarece se pot simi c ministrul (a nu fi un alcoolicniciodat), destul de nelege el. One respondent wrote, "Most folks figure the minister has a setattitude toward alcoholics and will therefore not give him much opportunity except in 'hopeless'cases." Un respondent a scris: "Cei mai multi oameni buni cifra ministrul a stabilit o atitudinefa de alcoolici i, prin urmare, nu va da-i ocazia de mult, cu excepia, n" cazuri fara speranta"." In the second category of limitations were mentioned such matters as the minister's tendencyto moralize and to "preach at" rather than to "counsel with." n a doua categorie de limitri, aufost menionate aspecte, cum ar fi tendina ministru de a scoate o moral i de a "predica de la"mai degrab dect de a "cu avocat." Included in the advantages mentioned were the naturalentree to the family, confidentiality of relationship, the fact that there are no fees involved, thatmany people naturally take their problems to their pastor, and, most important, that the minister

has the dynamic of the Christian faith and fellowship available for helping the alcoholic. Inclusn avantajele menionate au fost naturale ENTREE familiei, confidenialitatea relaiei, faptul cnu exist taxe implicate, c multe persoane n mod natural s ia problemele lor de a pastoruluilor, i, cel mai important, c ministrul are dinamic al Christian Fellowship credin i disponibilepentru a ajuta alcoolice. One respondent summarized the feeling which several expressed: Unrespondent rezumat sentimentul pe care-a exprimat de mai multe:

"The only important limitation a minister has is the initial hesitancy of the alcoholic to approacha minister. Beyond that, it is an advantage to be a minister, provided you have the right attitudeand understanding." "Singura limitare importanta a unui ministru este de ezitare iniial aalcoolic de a aborda un ministru. Dincolo de acest lucru, este un avantaj de a fi un ministru, cu

condiia s aib dreptul de atitudine i nelegere."Discovering Opportunities to Help Oportunitati de Descoperind la Ajutor

One of the striking discoveries from the Yale ministers' responses was a wide range in thenumber of helping opportunities which the individual ministers had. Una dintre descoperirile

uimitoare de la rspunsurile minitrilor Yale "a fost o gam largn numrul de a ajutaoportunitile pe care minitrii individuale avut-o. Sixteen had had no opportunities. aisprezeceau avut nici o oportuniti. On the other hand, twenty-one men had been very active, sixteen of

these having seen an average of ten or more per year. Pe de alt parte, douzeci i unu de oameniau fost foarte active, aisprezece dintre acestea au nregistrat o medie de zece sau mai mult pe an.

Obviously, for the minister who is interested in rendering maximum service in this area, it isimportant to ascertain the factors which influence the number of opportunities a man has.Evident, pentru ministrul care este interesat n prestarea de servicii maxim n acest domeniu,

este important s se stabileasc factorii care influeneaz numrul deoportuniti de un om are.

The type of parish one serves is an important factor in this matter. Tipul de o parohie serveteeste un factor important n aceast problem. For instance, a pastor in a downtown church ismore likely to have a considerable number of transient alcoholics come to him than is a minister


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of a suburban church. De exemplu, un pastor ntr-o biseric centrul orasului este mult maiprobabil s aib un numr considerabil de alcoolici tranzitorie a venit la el dect este un ministrual unei biserici suburbane. Another factor is the minister's relationship with AA. Un alt factoreste relaia cu ministrul AA. A large proportion of those respondents having much higher thanaverage yearly figures were those having AA groups meeting in their church halls, or otherwise

having a close relationship with AA. O mare parte din cei intervievati au mult mai mari dectcifrele medii anuale au fost cele care au AA, grupuri de reuniunea de la sali de biserica, lor saucare au o relaie strns cu AA. Another factor is the denomination to which one belongs. Un altfactor este denumirea pe care o face parte. Although the picture is not clear from thequestionnaires, it seems probable that some alcoholics tend to shy away from ministers whobelong to denominations associated in the public mind with the militant temperance movement.Cu toate c imaginea nu este clar din chestionarele, se pare probabil c unii alcoolici tind pentrureticena fa de minitrii care aparin denumiri asociate n mintea publicului cu micareacumptare militante. Apparently some alcoholics do so without bothering to discover whether ornot the individual minister actually represents his denomination's position. Se pare c uniialcoolici fac acest lucru, fr a deranja pentru a descoperi dac sau nu ministrul individuale,

reprezint de fapt denumirea de poziia lui. However, in this regard, there is little doubt that thepersonality and approach to people of the individual minister are much more important factorsthan is his denomination. Cu toate acestea, n aceast privin, nu exist ndoial c factorii depersonalitate i de abordare a persoanelor al ministrului individuale sunt mult mai importantedect este denumirea lui.

A minister's general attitude toward alcohol, alcoholics, and alcoholism seems to have a directrelationship to the number of alcoholics who come to him for help. Un ministru atitudineageneral fa de alcool, alcoolici, alcoolismul i pare s aib o relaie direct cu numrul dealcoolici care vin la el pentru ajutor. The Yale ministers were asked what position they advocatedregarding prohibition and the use of alcohol. Minitrii Yale au fost ntrebai care au susinut

poziia n ceea ce privete interzicerea i consumul de alcool. Those who advocated totalabstinence and the return of prohibition had seen an average of 3.6 alcoholics per year. Cei careau susinut abstinena total i ntoarcerea de interdicie a vazut o medie de 3,6 alcoolicilor pe an.Those who advocated total abstinence but did not favor prohibition had seen an average of 3.9alcoholics per year. Cei care au pledat abstinena total, dar nu au favoarea interdicie a vazut omedie de 3,9 alcoolicilor pe an. Those who advocated moderation and opposed prohibition, incontrast to the first two groups, had seen an average of 6.5 alcoholics per year. Cei care aususinut moderaie i interzicerea s-au opus, spre deosebire de primele dou grupuri, a vzut omedie de 6,5 alcoolicilor pe an. Those who advocated no position but left the decision to theindividual had seen an average of 11.9 alcoholics per year. Cei care au susinut nici o poziie, dara lsat decizia de a individuale au vzut o medie de 11,9 alcoolicilor pe an. Significantly, all but

one of the sixteen ministers who had had no counseling opportunities were included in the firsttwo positions. n mod semnificativ, toate dar unul dintre minitrii de aisprezece, care nu a avutoportuniti de consiliere au fost incluse n primele dou poziii.

The Yale ministers were asked to indicate whether they considered alcoholism a sin or a sickness(or both) and what they considered the chief causes. Minitrii Yale au fost rugai s indice dacau considerat alcoolismul un pcat sau de o boal (sau ambele) i ceea ce au considerat cauze ef.For purposes of comparison, two extreme groups within the total group of respondents were


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studied. Din motive de comparaie, dou grupuri extreme n cadrul grupului total de respondeniau fost studiate. It was found that those who considered alcoholism primarily or entirely a matterof sickness had seen a yearly average of 9.3 alcoholics, whereas those ministers who consideredalcoholism primarily or entirely a matter of sin had seen a yearly average of only 2.3 alcoholics.Sa constatat c cei care au considerat alcoolism n principal sau n ntregime o chestiune de boal

a vzut o medie anual de 9,3 alcoolici, ntruct aceste minitri, care a considerat alcoolism nprincipal sau n ntregime o chestiune de pcat a vzut o medie anual de numai 2,3 alcoolici. Inother words, those ministers who accept the sickness conception of alcoholism had had overthree times the average yearly opportunities available to those who did not accept it. Cu altecuvinte, cei minitri care accepta concepia de boal a alcoolismului ar fi avut mai mult de treiori a posibilitilor de mediu anual disponibile pentru cei care nu au acceptat-o.

On the question of the causes of alcoholism, the Yale ministers were again divided intocategories. La ntrebarea a cauzelor de alcoolism, minitrii de la Yale au fost din nou mprit pecategorii. At the two extremes were (a) those who considered alcohol and drinking to be theprimary causes of alcoholism and (b) those who considered the socio-psychological and physical

factors to be the primary causes. La cele dou extreme s-au (a) cele care au considerat de alcooli de consum care urmeaz s fie cauzele primare ale alcoolismului i (b) cei care au luat nconsiderare factorii socio-psihologice i fizice care urmeaz s fie cauzele primare.Those in thefirst group, that is, those who fail to take cognizance of the modern scientific findings concerningalcoholism, had seen an average of only 1.9 alcoholics per year, while the other group had seenan average of 6.8 per year. Cei din prima grup, care este, cei care nu reuesc s ia cunotin deconcluziile moderne tiinifice privind alcoolism, a vzut o medie de doar 1,9 alcoolici pe an, ntimp ce alt grup au vzut o medie de 6,8 pe an.

From these figures it is apparent that a minister's general attitudes toward alcohol and alcoholismhave a great deal to do with whether or not he discovers the alcoholics who are potentially

available to be helped by him. Din aceste cifre, este evident c atitudinile de ministru generalfa de alcool i alcoolismul au o mare de a face cu dac are sau nu descoper alcoolicilor caresunt potenial disponibile pentru a fi ajutat de el. If Dac a minister is known as a militantadvocate of prohibition and temperance, and if he treats alcoholism in a moralistic fashion in hispublic pronouncements, it is likely that some alcoholics who might otherwise seek his help willgive him a wide margin. un ministru este cunoscut ca un sustinator militant de interdicie icumptare, iar dac el trateaz alcoolismul ntr-o manier moralizatoare, n declaraiile salepublice, este probabil ca unele alcoolici care ar putea cuta n caz contrar va ajuta sa-i dea omarj larg. The alcoholic does not come to him because he fears, with good reason in somecases, that he will meet censure rather than understanding. De alcool s nu vin la el pentru c else teme, pe bun dreptate, n unele cazuri, c el se va ntlni cenzur, mai degrab dect

nelegere. The decisive factor in this matter does not seem to be the minister's personalconvictions regarding the use of alcohol, but the way in which he chooses to present hisconvictions. Factorul decisiv n aceast chestiune nu pare a fi convingerile ministru personal nceea ce privete consumul de alcool, dar modul n care el alege sprezinte convingerile sale.Alcoholics are often hypersensitive to those they consider "bluenose" or "reformers" -- ie, thosewho condemn all drinking. Alcoolicii sunt adesea hipersensibil la cele pe care le consider"Bluenose" sau "reformatori" - adic, cei care condamn toate but. Therefore, a minister whoholds to the temperance view would seem to be in a position of having to choose whether he will


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make this a major emphasis or whether he wishes to counsel alcoholics. Prin urmare, un ministrucare deine pentru a vizualiza cumptare ar prea a fi n situaia de a alege dac el va face acestlucru un accent major sau dac acesta dorete s alcoolici avocat. It may be that there is no actualdecision involved in most cases since the man who has the inclination to do the one wouldprobably not be adept at the other. Se poate c nu exist nici o decizie reale implicate n cele mai

multe cazuri, deoarece omul care are nclinaia de a face o nu ar fi, probabil, adepii de alt parte.However, the personality of the minister, as we have said, is of primary importance in this wholequestion. Cu toate acestea, personalitatea ministru, aa cum am spus, este de prim importan naceast chestiune ntregi. This explains why there are some pastors who are outspokentemperance advocates and yet carry on effective counseling ministries with alcoholics. Aceastaexplic de ce exist unele pastori care sunt sincere, care pledeaz pentru cumptare i totuicontinua ministere de consiliere eficient cu alcoolici.

Let us look more closely at this personality factor, in the light of the problem of discoveringopportunities to help alcoholics. S ne uitm mai atent la acest factor de personalitate, avnd nvedere problema de a descoperi oportuniti pentru a ajuta la alcoolici. It is probable that a

majority of all alcoholics are of the "hidden" variety -- individuals who are having seriousproblems with alcohol but whose behavior is still enough within the bounds of social conformityto allow their alcoholism to be kept secret within the family. Este probabil ca o majoritate detoate alcoolici sunt de soiul "ascunse" - persoane care sunt probleme grave cu alcoolul, dar acror comportament este nc suficient n limitele de conformitate sociale, pentru a permitealcoolism lor s fie inute secrete n cadrul familiei. The interpersonal suffering and chaos causedby their social malignancy is assiduously kept from the outside world. Suferin interpersonale ihaos cauzat de tumori maligne social a acestora este asiduu pstrate din lumea exterioar. Thepastor wants to discover these situations within his parish, not only because the alcoholic and hisfamily need help which he may be able to give, but because help rendered at this stage of theillness may save them from years of suffering. Pastor vrea s descopere aceste situaii n termen

de parohia lui, nu numai pentru c alcoolice si familia sa au nevoie de ajutor de care el poate fi nmsur s dea, ci pentru c ajuta prestate n acest stadiu al bolii se poate salva de la ani desuferin.

The hiddenness of so much alcoholism constitutes the most baffling aspect of the problem fromthe standpoint of treatment. Hiddenness de alcoolism att de mult constituie aspectul cel maiderutant al problemei din punctul de vedere al tratamentului. It is ironic that in spite of the newhelping resources that are now available, the majority of alcoholics and their families continue tosuffer the ravages of the illness. Este ironic faptul c, n ciuda resurselor noi ajutnd care suntacum disponibile, marea majoritate a alcoolicilor i a familiilor lor continu s sufere ravagiilebolii. The major reason for this is simply that a hidden illness cannot be treated. Principalul

motiv pentru aceasta este pur i simplu c o boal ascunse nu pot fi tratate. One student of theproblem estimates that not over one million of the five million plus alcoholics in his country arenow or have been in treatment of any kind. Un student a problemei nu se estimeaz c peste unmilion din cele cinci milioane plus alcoolici n ara sa, sunt acum sau au fost n tratamentul deorice fel. It is essential that more effective ways be found of bringing the hidden alcoholics out ofhiding to be helped. Este esenial ca modaliti mai eficiente fi gsit de a aduce alcoolicilorascuns s ias din ascunztoare care urmeaz s fie ajutat. The minister has a significant role toperform in helping to solve this problem. Ministru are un rol important pentru a efectua n a ajuta


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la rezolvarea acestei probleme.

How does one encourage people in this sort of trouble to come to him and entrust their painfulproblems to his confidence? Cum se poate ncuraja oamenii, n acest tip de probleme de a veni lael i ncredineze problemele lor dureroase pentru ncrederea lui? We have seen how the

minister's attitudes toward alcohol and alcoholism influence his opportunities to help. Am vzutcum atitudinea ministrului fa de alcool i alcoolism influena oportunitile sale de a ajuta.Equally important, and somewhat related, is what the late Otis R. Rice, pioneer in pastoral workwith alcoholics, called "remote preparation for counseling of alcoholics." 5.By this he meant thepastor's general relationship with his people in his varied contacts with them. La fel de important,i oarecum conexe, este ceea ce trziu Otis R. Rice, pionier n activitatea pastoral cu alcoolici,numit "de pregtire la distan pentru consiliere a alcoolicilor." 5.Prin aceasta a vrut relaiepastorului general cu poporul su, n cadrul contactelor sale variate cuei. This is determined bythe pastor's personality structure. Acest lucru este determinat de structura de personalitatepastorului. Has he made his people feel that he is really interested in them as persons and not justas means of running a church machine? S-a fcut pe oameni sa se simt c el este cu adevarat

interesat de ei ca persoane i nu doar ca mijloc de a rula o masina biserica? Has he established arelationship with his people that has made them feel that they can be sure he will keep theirconfidence and that he will not be made uneasy by their recital of the grim facts of theirsituation? S-a stabilit o relaie cu poporul su, care a fcut s simt c pot fi sigur c va pstrancrederea lor i c el nu va fi fcut de ctre nelinitit considerentul lor cu privire la faptelesumbru al situaiei lor? Is he relatively shockproof? E relativ antioc? Can he be counted on toreally listen to them rather than to talk because what they are saying makes him anxious? Poate fiel a contat pe pentru a asculta cu adevrat pentru ei, mai degrab dect s vorbeasc pentru cceea ce spun ei l face nelinitit? Will he be withthem in feeling, or will he be sitting in judgmentas they pour out their hearts? Va fi el cuei n sentiment, sau va fi el sta n judecat n careacestea se toarn n inimile lor? Are his general attitudes moralistic, or do his sermons and talks

reveal a deeper understanding of human behavior? Sunt atitudinile sale generale moralizatoare,sau de a face predicile sale i discuiile dezvluie o nelegere mai profund a comportamentuluiuman? If a pastor's remote preparation is good, then people with painful problems, includingalcoholics, willcome to him seeking help. n cazul n care un pastor de pregtire la distan a luieste bun, atunci oamenii cu probleme de dureroase, inclusiv alcoolici, vaveni la el caut ajutor.

The clergyman is in a strategic position to attract the hidden alcoholic out of his dark closet offear and despair. Cleric este ntr-o poziie strategic pentru a atrage alcoolice ascunse din dulapsale ntunecate de team i disperare. There are at least three specific means of accomplishingthis: Exist cel puin trei mijloace specifice de a realiza acest lucru:

1.Educational seed planting.A productive way of creating greater openness to help is to dealwith alcoholism in a sermon or talk, and to do so in an understanding and accepting manner. 1.Educaionale plantarea seminelor.Un mod productiv de a crea o deschidere mai mare de a ajutaeste de a face cu alcoolismul ntr-o predic sau s vorbeasc, i s fac acest lucru ntr-o maniernelegere i de acceptare. If the minister reveals a non-moralistic, enlightened grasp of theproblem, the alcoholic or, more often, his spouse, may feel motivated to seek the pastor's help. ncazul n care ministrul relev un non-moralizatoare, apucai luminat al problemei, alcoolice sau,mai des, soia sa, se pot simi motivai s caute ajutor pastorului. An appreciative mention of AA


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and other treatment methods may awaken the person's hope that perhaps something canbe doneabout his problem. O meniune apreciativ de AA i a altor metode de tratament pot trezi sperana persoanei pe care, probabil, ceva ce sepoateface cu privire la problema lui. Mentioningalcoholism or AA in a sermon almost invariably results in at least one counseling opportunity.Mentionand alcoolismului sau AA ntr-o predic, aproape invariabil rezultate n posibilitatea de

consiliere cel puin unul. In most congregations there is at least one individual whohas apersonal but hidden interest in the problem. n cele mai multe congregaii exist cel puin opersoan care are un interes personal, dar sunt ascunse n problema. If that person senses that theminister has both insight and a nonjudgmental attitude toward his problem, it is likely that hewill muster his courage and ask for a personal conference. n cazul n care persoana simte cministrul are att intuiia i o atitudine non-judecatoare fa de problema lui, este probabil ca elva reuni curajul i s cear o conferin personale. In some cases, being introduced to the illnessconception and early symptoms of alcoholism will help to open the person's eyes to the nature ofhis problem and his need for help. n unele cazuri, a fi introduse n concepiaboala i simptomeleprecoce ale alcoolismului vor ajuta pentru a deschide ochii persoanei la natura problemei inevoia lui de ajutor. This is especially true of the spouse or other relative of the alcoholic who

has not recognized the illness. Acest lucru este valabil mai ales de so sau alte relativ a alcoolicecare nu a recunoscut boala.

By his own public statements and also through his role of helping to develop an alcoholismeducation emphasis for the youth and adults in his church school, the minister helps to plant theseeds ofunderstanding of the nature and treatment of alcoholism. Prin declaraiile sale publice,i, de asemenea, prin rolul su de a ajuta la dezvoltarea unei accentul alcoolism educaie pentrutineret i aduli, n coal biserica sa, ministrul ajut la semine de plante denelegere anaturii ide tratament ale alcoolismului. (The contents and methodology of alcoholism education will bediscussed in Chapters 12 and 13.) Some of these seeds will have a preventive effect. (Coninutuli metodologia de educaie alcoolism vor fi discutate n capitolele 12 i 13.) Unele dintre aceste

semine vor avea un efect preventiv. Others will flower subsequently in counseling and pastoralcare opportunities. Alii vor flori, ulterior, n consiliere i oportunitile de ngrijire pastoral.

2.Pre-counseling and pastoral care.In his normal pastoral functions, the clergyman has regularcontact with a network of families. 2.Pre-consiliere i de ngrijire pastoral.n funciile salenormale pastorale, cleric are contact regulat cu o reea de familii. Furthermore, unlike most otherprofessionals, he is expected to call in the homes of his people-without a special invitation. nplus, spre deosebire de majoritatea altor profesioniti, el este de ateptat pentru a apela n caselepoporului su, fr o invitaie special. These two facets of his professional role definition givethe minister a potential advantage over those in the other helping professions, so far as the earlyrecognition of distressedpersons is concerned. Aceste dou faete ale definiiei pentru rolul su

profesional da ministru ntr-un avantaj asupra celor din alte profesii ajuta, n msura nrecunoaterea timpurie a persoanelor sinistrate este n cauz. If his emotional radar is tuned to thewavelength of persons, the minister often will sense that a particular family is troubled (perhapsby hidden alcoholism), long before the crisis becomes full-blown and the family is forced by itspain to seek outside help. Dac radar lui emotionala este acordat la lungimea de und apersoanelor, ministrul de multe ori va sensul c o anumit familie este tulburat (probabil dealcoolism ascunse), cu mult timp nainte de criza devine plin floare, iar familia este forat dedurere su de a solicita ajutor din exterior . If a pastor suspects that a particular person or family


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may be showing the surface stress of a hidden problem, he should make himself easily availableto them psychologically, by frequent pastoral care contacts. n cazul n care un pastor s creadc o anumit persoan sau o familie poate fi afiat stresul suprafaa unei problem ascuns, el artrebui s se fac cu uurin la dispoziia acestora psihologic, prin contacte frecvente grijprinteasc. The process of building relationship bridges over which burdened people can bring

their hidden problems to the minister for help is a part of the process which Seward Hiltner calls"pre-counseling." Procesul de construire a relaiei poduri peste care mpovrai de persoane potaduce problemele lor ascunse fa de ministru pentru ajutor este o parte a procesului care SewardHiltner apeluri "pre-consiliere." Clergymen in those traditions in which hearing confessions is aregular function have an opportunity to identify hidden alcoholics. Clerici n acele tradiii n careconfesiuni a auzului este o funcie regulat au posibilitatea de a identifica alcoolici ascunse.Whether or not the opportunity is used depends on the minister's sensitivity to the problemswhich lurk behind surface disturbances and his ability to help his parishioner move from theconfessional to the counseling relationship. Indiferent dac este sau nu este folosit ocaziadepinde de sensibilitatea ministru la problemele care sta ascuns in spatele tulburri de suprafai de abilitatea lui de a ajuta la mutarea enoria de la confesionale relaiei de consiliere.

Some of the distress signals which may indicate the presence of hidden alcoholism and/or otherproblems are these: disturbed children, veiled antagonism between spouses, chronic financialproblems, repeated job losses for no apparent or convincing reason, drinking at inappropriatetimes, guilty avoidance of the clergyman or embarrassment when he calls, a radical change inbehavior such as an unexplained withdrawal from church participation. Unele dintre primejdiesemnale care pot indica prezena a alcoolismului ascunse i / sau alte probleme sunt urmatoarele:copii deranjat, antagonismul voalate ntre soi, cronic cu probleme financiare, pierderi repetatede locuri de munc pentru nici un motiv aparent sau convingtor, consumul de alcool la timpulnepotrivit, evitarea vinovat de cleric sau jena atunci cnd el numete, o schimbare radical decomportament, cum ar fi o retragere inexplicabil de la participarea biseric. Someof these

symptoms may be coded cries for help by individuals or families who cannot bring themselves toask for help openly. Unele dintre aceste simptome pot fi codificate strigtele de ajutor de ctrepersoane fizice sau familii care nu se pot aduce n sine pentru a cere ajutor n mod deschis.

Here is an illustration of the bridge-building function of pastoral care in creating counselingopportunities in cases of suspected alcoholism: Aici este o ilustrare a podului de consolidare nfuncie de ngrijirepastoral n crearea de oportuniti de consiliere n cazuri de alcoolismsuspecte:

A pastor had reason to suspect, because he had observed several of the above signs ofdisturbance, that one of his parishioners, Mr. L., was having serious trouble with alcohol. Un

pastor avea motive s suspecteze, pentru c el a observat mai multe semne de tulburri de maisus, c unul dintre enoriasii sai, domnul L., a fost probleme grave cu alcool. Yet neither Mr. L.nor his family had contacted him concerning the problem. Cu toate acestea, nici Dl L., nicifamilia sa a contactat-l n ceea ce privete problema. So, he made it his business to devote morethan average attention to L. and his family. Deci, el a fcut-o activitii sale s acorde o ateniemai mult dect media la L. i familiei sale. He called in their home for various reasons whichwere actually incidental to his main purpose. El a cerut, n casa lor din diverse motive, care aufost de fapt accesoriu n scopul su principal. After a number of pastoral contacts of this type, he


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received a phone call from Mrs. L. saying that she would like to talk with him about a problemconnected with the women's group in the church. Dup o serie de contacte pastorale de acest tip,el a primit un telefon de la doamna L. a spune c ea ar dori s vorbesc cu el despre o problem nlegtur cu grupul de femei n biseric. When she came to the pastor's study, Mrs. L. began bydiscussing this problem. Cnd a venit s studieze pastorului, d-na L. a nceput prin a discuta

aceast problem. Later in the interview she opened up concerning her husband's drinking. Maitrziu, n interviu ea a deschis cu privire la but soului ei. Through their discussion, the pastordiscovered that L. himself was apparently not ready to admit that alcohol was giving him trouble,and that he was not willing to talk with the pastor about his problems. Prin discuia lor, pastorul adescoperit c L. nsui a fost, aparent, nu gata s admit c alcoolul a fost oferindu-i probleme, ic el nu a fost dispus s discute cu pastorul despre problemele lui. So, the minister concentratedon helping Mrs. L. who was open to counseling help. Deci, ministrul concentrat pe sprijinirea D-na L., care a fost deschis pentru a ajuta la consiliere. He encouraged her to pour out her painful,pent-up feelings, and thus gain some relief from their pressure. El a ncurajat-o s toarne eidureroase, Pent-up sentimente, i, astfel, ctige unele scutiri de presiune lor. He discussed withher the nature of L.'s problem and the crucial importance of helping him move toward at least

minimal openness to outside treatment. El a discutat cu natura ei de L. "e problema, precum iimportana crucial de a ajuta-l mute spre cel puin o deschidere minim la tratament n afara.Furthermore, he offered Mrs. L. an ongoing supportive counseling relationship to assist her incoping constructively with her feelings and problems in her relationship with her husband andchildren. Mai mult, el a oferit d-na L.-o relaie de susinere n curs de desfurare de consilierepentru a ajuta ea face fa n mod constructiv cu sentimentele ei i probleme n relaia ei cu souli copiii.

This pastor utilized well his professional entre to the Ls' home. Acest pastor utilizate de bineentre sale profesionale acas ls '. When he called on them, he did not initiate a discussion of L.'sdrinking. Atunci cnd el a numit pe acestea, el nu a iniia o discuie de L. "e but. To have done

so probably would have defeated his purpose by putting L. and perhaps L.'s wife on thedefensive. Pentru a au fcut acest lucru, probabil, s-ar fi nvins scopul lui prin punerea L. i,probabil, L. "e soia n defensiv. Instead, he concentrated on strengthening a relationship of trustwith the Ls This eventually made it possible for Mrs. L. to confide in him. n schimb, el aconcentrat asupra consolidrii o relaie de ncredere cu Ls Acest lucru n cele din urm a fcutposibil ca D-na L., care se ncrede n el.

Under what circumstances should the minister take the initiative in raising the issue of excessivedrinking with a parishioner? n ce condiii ar trebui s-ministru ia iniiativa n ridicarea problemade consum excesiv cu un enoria? This will vary, depending on the clergyman's style of relatingand the circumstances in a particular case. Acest lucru va varia, n funcie de stilul de cleric

referitoare i circumstanele ntr-un caz special. In general, there are two guidelines which shouldbe followed. n general, exist dou orientri care ar trebui s fie urmate. First, take the initiativewhen it is reasonably clear that the person has a drinking problem, when the pastor-parishionerrelationship bridge is strong enough to survive the threat of such a confrontation and when theperson does not open up on his own, in spite of frequent opportunities. n primul rnd, s iainiiativa atunci cnd aceasta este suficient de clar c persoana are o problem de but, n cazul ncare pastorul-enoria relaie de pod este destul de puternic pentru a supravieui ameninarea uneiastfel de confruntare i atunci cnd persoana nu se deschide pn pe cont propriu, n pofida a


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posibilitilor de frecvente. Second, it may be essential to take the initiative, even if therelationship is not robust, when irreversible emotional or physical harm is being done to thechildren. n al doilea rnd, ea poate fi esenial s se ia iniiativa, chiar dac relaia nu este robust,atunci cnd prejudicii ireversibile emoionale sau fizice se face la copii. If the person is analcoholic, he will usually experience even the best-intentioned pastoral concern about his

drinking as an accusation and a threat. n cazul n care persoana n cauz este un alcoolic, el vaexperien de obicei, chiar si cele mai bune-ngrijorarea intenionat pastorale cu privire laconsumul su ca o acuzaie i o ameninare. Thus, taking the initiative is a calculated risk whichmay do more harm than good in the sense of solidifying the alcoholic's resistance to acceptinghelp. Astfel, lund iniiativa este un risc calculat, care poate face mai mult rau decat bine, nsensul de ntrind rezistena alcoolic de a accepta ajutor. For this reason, one usually is notjustified in taking the risk, except in emergencies or in cases in which the pastor has a sturdyrelationship with the person. Din acest motiv, un obicei, nu este justificat n a lua de risc, cuexcepia cazului n situaii de urgen sau n cazurile n care pastorul are o relaie robuste cupersoana. In some cases, the alcoholic may give subtle clues that he is on the verge of discussinghis problem and would like to do so, but is having trouble "breaking the ice." n unele cazuri,

alcoolice poate da indicii subtile c el este pe punctul de a discuta problema lui i ar dori s facacest lucru, dar are probleme "spargerea gheii". A gentleobservation or question by the pastormay help. O observaie blnd sau discuie de ctre pastorul poate ajuta. Here are some examplesof possible "openers": Aici sunt cteva exemple de posibile "openers":

I get the feeling that there's something that's worrying you, but it's not easy to talk about. I a luasentimentul c exist ceva care este ngrijortor tine, dar nu este uor s vorbim despre.

You seem to have a burden on your mind. Se pare ca au o povar pentru mintea ta. Can you tellme about it? Poti sa-mi spui despre asta?

Do I sense that you are wondering if your drinking might be moving toward becoming aproblem? Nu am sentimentul c v ntrebai dac este potabil dvs. ar putea fi n micare spre adeveni o problem?

You seem Se pare to be carrying a load of some kind. care urmeaz s fie transport o sarcin deun fel. Can I help? Te pot ajuta?

The important thing is to offer help and to raise if necessary the possibility of a drinking problemin such a way as to allow the person to reject the statement without rejecting the minister. Celmai important lucru este de a oferi ajutor i pentru a crete dac este necesar, posibilitatea de abea o problem n aa fel nct s permit persoanei de a respinge declaraia de respingere, fr

ministru. If the person is highly defensive, this is easier said than done, and the minister willsometimes miscalculate the degree of initiative he can take and achieve constructive results. ncazul n care persoana este foarte defensiv, aceasta este mai uor de zis dect de fcut, iarministrul va judeca greit, uneori, de gradul de iniiativ, el poate s ia i s obin rezultateconstructive.

3. 3. Counseling. Many people spontaneously turn to a clergyman when they are going through"deep water" of any kind. Consiliere. Muli oameni spontan rndul su, la un preot atunci cnd


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sunt trece printr-"de adncime" de orice fel. Among those seeking pastoral help are some whosedisturbance in living is associated with or caused by alcoholism which may be hidden fromthemselves, in that they do not recognize the compulsive quality of their drinking. Printre ceicare solicit ajutor pastorale sunt unele tulburri de a cror existen este asociat cu sau cauzatede alcoolism, care pot fi ascunse de la ei nii, n sensul c acestea nu recunosc calitatea

compulsiv potabile lor. Some who are dimly aware that their use of alcohol is out of control areafraid or ashamed to admit this fact to others. Unele care sunt slab contieni de faptul cutilizarea lor de alcool este de sub control se tem sau e ruine s recunosc acest fapt pentru aaltora. By being sensitive to the possible presence of hidden alcoholism behind marital and otherproblems, the pastor can help the person or the family identify the hidden problem and seekappropriate help. Prin fiind sensibile la posibila prezen a alcoolismului ascunse n spatele i aaltor probleme maritale, pastorul poate ajuta persoana sau familia identifica problema ascunse ide a solicita ajutor corespunztoare. Another group of alcoholics encountered in pastoralcounseling are those whose abnormal drinking is painfully obvious to the "significant others" intheir lives, but not to themselves. Un alt grup de alcoolici ntlnite n consiliere pastoral suntcelepotabile anormale ale cror este dureros de evident pentru ceilali "semnificativ" n viaa lor,

dar nu pentru ei. Such persons often resist help tenaciously. Aceste persoane deseori rezista ajutacu tenacitate. The various methods which have proved useful in motivating the resistantalcoholic will be discussed in the next chapter. Diverse metode care s-au dovedit a fi utile nmotivarea rezistente alcoolice vor fi discutate n capitolul urmtor.

Goals in Counseling Alcoholics Goluri n Consiliere alcoolicilor

What are the goals of counseling with alcoholics? Care sunt obiectivele de consiliere cualcoolici? A clear, realistic answer to this question is essential to effectiveness. Un clar, realist,rspunsul la aceast ntrebare este esenial pentru eficacitatea. Much of the lack of precision in

counseling procedures is a result of the counselor's confusion about goals or his striving for

unrealistic ones. O mare parte din lipsa de precizie n cadrul procedurilor de consiliere este unrezultat de confuzie consilier despre obiectivele sale sau a lupta pentru cele nerealiste.

The master goal of all pastoral counseling, including that which involves alcoholism, is to helpthe person grow toward hisfullpotential for personhood, constructive relationships, andproductive living. Scopul maestru al tuturor consiliere pastorale, inclusiv cea care implicalcoolism, este de a ajuta persoana s creasc fa de potenialul su deplinpentru personalitatea,relatii constructive, i de via productiv. When counseling with an alcoholic, another goal isimplicit in this master goal -- helping the person to achieveongoing abstinence from theuse ofbeverage alcohol.Stable abstinence is, for most alcoholics, a prerequisite for progress toward ahappier, more constructive life .[ In counseling with some chronic alcoholics, more limited goals

rove to be the only ones that are realistic or achievable.Cnd de consiliere cu un alcoolic, unalt obiectiv este implicit n acest scop maestru - ajutnd persoana pentru a realizan curs dedesfurare abstinena de la consumul de alcool butur.Abstinenta este stabila, pentru cele maimulte alcoolici, o condiie necesar pentru progresul spre o mai fericit, viata mai constructiv. [nde consiliere cu unele alcoolici cronice, mai multe obiective limitate se dovedesc a fi singurelecare sunt realiste sau realizabile.For example, a reduction in the number of binges,hospitalizations, days lost from work, arrests for drunkenness per year represent significantimprovement, even though the ideal goal of permanent abstinence is not achieved.De exemplu, o


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reducere a numrului de binges, spitalizari, zile pierdute de la locul de munc, arestri pentru

beie pe an reprezint o mbuntire semnificativ, chiar dac obiectivul ideal de abstinenermanente nu este atins.In an illness like alcoholism, any degree of improvement is valuable,

however short the ideal goal.ntr-o boal ca alcoolism, orice grad de mbuntire este valoros,cu toate acestea scurt obiectivul ideal.See Alcohol Problems, A Report to the Nation by Thomas

FA Plaut, p.A se vedea probleme cu alcoolul, un raport ctre naiune de Thomas FA Plaut, p.35.]35.]

The inability of the addicted drinker ever to drink again in controlled fashion was accepted asaxiomatic for many years by most lay and professional persons engaged in helping alcoholics.Incapacitatea de butor dependent niciodat s bea din nou, n mod controlat a fost acceptat caaxiomatic de mai muli ani de ctre cei mai stabili i persoane angajate profesional n ai ajuta pealcoolici. The axiom was summarized by a phrase often heard in AA -- "Once an alcoholic,always an alcoholic!" Axiom a fost rezumate de ctre o fraz a auzit de multe ori la AA -"Odat ce un alcoolic, mereu un alcoolic!" -- and by the statement frequently repeated by thosedoing therapy with alcoholics -- "Alcoholism can be arrested and treated, but not cured." - i de

declaraia frecvent repetate de ctre cei face terapie cu alcoolici - "Alcoolismul poate fi arestat itratate, dar nu a vindecat." This basic therapeutic assumption has been challenged in recent years.Aceast presupunere de baz terapeutice, a fost contestat n ultimii ani. Because so much is atstake in terms of counseling goals, it is necessary to review the new evidence. Deoarece att demult este n joc n termeni de obiective consilierii, este necesar s se reexamineze noile dovezi.

The challenge was initiated by the publication in 1962 of a report by a British physician, DLDavies, entitled "Normal Drinking in Recovered Alcohol Addicts." 6.He told of seven men, outof a group of ninety-three treated for alcohol addiction, who subsequently had been able to drinknormally for periods of seven to eleven years. The treatment consisted of Antabuse andindividual discussion with the patients during brief hospitalization, plus social work services for

their relatives. There was no systematic psychotherapy. On the advice of the hospital staff, fourof the seven moved from vulnerable occupations (with high exposure to drinking situations) tononvulnerable ones. Each of the seven, after periods of complete abstinence of up to a year,resumed drinking that remained within the limits regarded as normal by their groups. None ofthem had been drunk even once in the seven to eleven years. All kept their drinking at arelatively mild level. Two of the men, whose excessive drinking prior to their hospitalization wasbelieved to be symptomatic of chronic anxiety states, continued to be about as anxious as before,but their abnormal drinking patterns disappeared! In speculating on the meaning of his findings,Davies suggested that in some alcoholism it may be that treatable occupational and socialfactors, rather than irreversible biochemical or personality changes, are what tip the scalestoward addiction. After presenting his startling evidence, Davies stated: "It is not denied that the

majority of alcohol addicts are incapable of achieving 'normal drinking.' All patients should betold to aim at total abstinence."7.Earlier he had pointed out that the seven who became socialdrinkers had been advised by him to refrain from all drinking. They chose to ignore the advice.Sixteen physicians, all with wide experience in treating alcoholics, were invited by the editor ofthe journal which published the Davies report to comment on it. 8.These points stand out in theirdiscussion. Several suggested that the Davies study and other evidence in the literature indicatethe need to question and perhaps revise the widely held assumption that no alcoholic can everdrink again in controlled fashion. A number of long-experienced therapists challenged Davies'


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report. The possibility that his seven subjects were habitual heavy drinkers (Alpha alcoholics)but not "true addicts" was raised. Or perhaps they were "danglers" who sway around thedemarcation line between alcoholic and nonalcoholic patterns. Under favorable conditions theywere able to control their drinking; but under stress, a single drink might start a spree. Anotherrespondent suggested that every alcoholic may have a critical blood alcohol level which

reactivates his addiction. Davies' seven had apparently kept their blood alcohol below this level.However, most alcoholics would prefer abstinence to drinking that the person cannot "feel." Anumber of commentators said that, in many years of practice, they had never known an alcoholicwho was able to return to social drinking. Those therapists who had observed such cases agreedthat the occurrence is exceedingly rare and that no one can predict which patients may have thiscapacity. Most important, there was general agreement that the goal of total abstinence is theonly realistic and humane one in counseling with alcoholics. R. Gordon Bell, addiction specialistof Ontario, Canada, put it well:

For every alcohol addict who may succeed in reestablishing a pattern of controlled drinking,perhaps a dozen would kill themselves trying. Pentru fiecare dependent de alcool, care ar putea

reui n restabilirea un model de but controlate, poate c s-ar ucide o duzin de ei niincearc. At this stage of our knowledge and clinical orientation to the complex problems ofalcohol addiction the only policy likely to prolong life consistently and improve human capacityto function in an intelligent manner is one of total abstinence. n acest stadiu al cunostintelornoastre i orientarea clinice pentru a problemelor complexe de dependena de alcool singurapolitic care ar putea prelungi viaa n mod constant i mbuntirea capacitii umane de afunciona ntr-un mod inteligent este unul dintre abstinena total. It is possible that we mayeventually be in a position to pick out the small percentage of alcohol addicts who could begin anew moderate use of alcohol after a one or two year period of abstinence, provided that asatisfactory resolution of their personal and social problems had been achieved and the need foralcohol as a drug no longer exists. Este posibil ca am putea fi n cele din urm n poziia de a

alege mic procent de dependenti de alcool, care ar putea ncepe o nou utilizare a moderat dealcool, dup o perioad de un an sau doi de abstinen, cu condiia ca o rezoluie satisfctoare aproblemelor lor personale i sociale au fost atinse, precum i nevoia de alcool ca un drog nu maiexist. If this ever comes about, it will be the result of more comprehensive, prolonged clinicalstudy than has been undertaken to date. Until we are in a position to predict who may be able toresume moderate controlled drinking, clinical studies of this kind should be carried on with aminimum of publicity. Otherwise the health and safety of a great many people could be seriouslyjeopardized. 9.

The possibility that in rare cases recovered alcoholics may reestablish the ability to drink incontrolled fashion is largely an academic issue from the counselor's standpoint. Learning the

secret of controlled drinking is the frantic desire of many drinking and partially recoveredalcoholics. It is often their downfall! It would be utter folly, therefore, to suggest to an alcoholicthat he might recover his ability to drink socially. Even to imply that a rare alcoholic doesrecover this ability is to foster a dangerous, unrealistic hope for the vast majority of alcoholiccounselees, each of whom wants desperately to believe that he is that rare person who mayrecover control. The effect would be to strengthen the individual counselee's resistance to facingthe hard reality that he must learn to live without alcohol if he is to live at all. If an alcoholic incounseling mentions the Davies study or the more extreme views of Arthur H. Cain, [ There is a


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wide gulf between the views of the scientific community, as reflected in the above discussion, andthose of Arthur H. Cain in The Cured Alcoholic (New York: The John Day Company, 1964). Hemakes the extreme claim, based on a small number of cases, that it is possible for "any alcoholic,with the exception of alcoholic psychotics, to learn to drink normally" (p. 229). He asserts that19 alcoholics he has treated have recovered the ability to drink normally. Since most of them,

however, choose to abstain, their use as examples of reestablished control is open to seriousquestion. He does not state how long those who do drink have been able to do so in controlledashion. This is a crucial consideration since many alcoholics can control their intake for limitederiods. Cain's entire approach is highly questionable; its impact on drinking alcoholics could

be tragic.]the pastor should discover what meaning these have for the person and then movedecisively to help him face reality, including seeing the lethal dangers of building his hopes oneither the Davies or Cain studies. If an alcoholic seems to be using the Davies report as a defenseagainst facing reality, he should be confronted gently but firmly with what he is doing, andhelped to face three facts: (1) Most experts in the field of alcoholism agree that if controlleddrinking among genuine alcohol addicts actually occurs, its incidence is very rare; (2) in theDavies study, control was possible only after a period of complete abstinence; and (3) control

was possible only if the person kept his consumption at a non-intoxication level. It is wellestablished that many alcoholics have tried to drink socially, after a prolonged period ofabstinence, and have been unable to do so.

The long-range goal of counseling with alcoholics, then, is permanent abstinence leading to thedevelopment of potentialities for constructive living. Subsumed under this goal are fouroperational objectives which may be seen as overlapping stages of treatment: Helping thealcoholic (a) to accept the fact that his drinking is a problem with which he needshelp; (b) toobtain, medical treatment; (c) to interrupt the addictive cycle and keep it interrupted by learningto avoidthe first drink; (d)to achieve a re-synthesis of his life without alcohol. The pastor's roleand uses of community resources vary at each stage of the recovery process, and from one

alcoholic to another. The process and methods of achieving these goals will be described in thenext two chapters.

Alcoholism is a complex illness. The minister should view the achievement of the goals oftreatment as a team effort involving, as a minimum, a physician, an AA member, the alcoholic,and himself. Ministers who have attempted to "go it alone" in counseling alcoholics have foundtheir effectiveness to be doubled or even tripled when they learned to utilize all of theircommunity's helping resources to the hilt. The pastor should think of himself as a team memberwith important functions with respect to all four operational goals. He should see himself as thecoordinator of the team in providing help for those alcoholics who come to him, unless there issome other persons or agency which can fulfill this function more efficiently. The minister can

maximize help to the alcoholic by adding to his own unique resources the specialized services ofsuch resources as AA, Al-Anon, medicine, the alcoholic clinic or inpatient treatment facility,family services, etc. Most alcoholics seen by the minister require one or more of these forms ofspecialized help, in addition to pastoral counseling, in order to recover. Skill in relating thealcoholic to the particular helping resources he needs is an essential aspect of effectiveness inhelping alcoholics.

Most clergymen are happy to refer alcoholics to those agencies and groups specifically designed


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to meet their problems. They recognize that AA, for instance, is tailor-made to meet the stressesand strains of alcoholism, and they accept the fact that alcoholism, as Harry Emerson Fosdickhas put it, is like a stained-glass window in that it can best be seen and understood from theinside. They have accepted as their starting point a fact which has been well stated by MartyMann:

The pastor will also have discovered that he, himself, cannot do an AA job on the alcoholic. Hewill see with his own eyes at meetings and at interviews he may witness that the man or womanwho has actually been through the appalling experience of alcoholism has an edge on him that nosubstitute knowledge can replace. For one thing, the sober AA member is the embodiment ofhope. He is the living promise that it can be done. He makes faith in the possibility of recovery athing that can be seen and touched and heard -- himself. And, step by step, he can tell not how itcan be done, but howhe did it. 10.

Most pastors rejoice in the increasing availability of specialized agencies and groups to treatalcoholism. They say, in effect, "Thank God for AA." They realize that when they have made an

effective referral of an alcoholic, they have actually made a great contribution to his eventualsobriety. Representative of the many alcoholics who have found their way to AA and happysobriety through the help of their clergymen is Bob P., who has been sober in AA for severalyears. He recalls:

I was at the end of my rope. I used to joke about not going to church, saying that the last time Iwent was when I got married and I've never forgiven the church for that. But in despair I went tochurch. After the service I got the minister aside and told him I wanted to stop and couldn't. Hesaid, "I'll get in touch with a fellow who can help you." That's how I got in touch with AA. 11.

Some ministers tend to be too eager to refer the alcoholic. Out of the frustration of repeated

failure, they are strongly motivated to shift responsibility to someone else. As any insightfulminister knows, "referral" may be another way of saying, "Let George do it." The danger is thatthis attitude will be communicated to the alcoholic with whom it registers as rejection.Furthermore, by "passing the buck," the minister misses his opportunity to help the alcoholic inthose unique ways of which he is capable. However, if the minister thinks of referral to aspecialized agency, not as a shifting but as a sharing of responsibility, this tendency will beminimized.

Even if a minister were completely self-sufficient in his adequacy to help alcoholics, theprohibitive time element involved in counseling alcoholics is a practical limitation. Anexperienced pastoral counselor of alcoholics states: "Ordinarily one must see an alcoholic three

or four times a week for the first few weeks, and then a couple of times a week for a month ortwo more, and then once a week for a considerable length of time." 12Most ministers, though notas busy as they sometimes give the impression of being, work under heavy schedules. Intensivecounseling with even a few alcoholics may involve time which the minister can find only byneglecting other important aspects of his work. Intensive counseling of alcoholics involves aconsiderable amount of frustration and emotional drain. A pastor has to be an unusually matureand secure person to take this in his stride.


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For one or more of these reasons, most pastors are glad to make maximum use of communityresources. This is true even of those who in the past have been effective working alone. One ofthe Yale ministers wrote: "Before 1949 I worked with alcoholics myself with a rather gooddegree of success. Since then I have found that it takes too much time and the clinic which hasbeen established here is better. I either go with them to the clinic or feel certain they will go on

their own."

Preparation for Counseling Alcoholics

In order to counsel alcoholics with any degree of effectiveness, one must have a basicunderstanding of alcoholism and of AA. He should have assimilated the kind of informationpresented in Parts I and II of this book and in Marty Mann'sNewPrimer on Alcoholism. Heshould understand the nature of the sickness so that he can interpret it to the alcoholic and hisfamily. And, very important, he must have some insight concerning the psychological attributesof alcoholics. These attributes provide the starting point of his approach to alcoholics. (Ideally,such basic knowledge about alcoholism and counseling alcoholics should be acquired by every

minister during his seminary education.) So far as AA is concerned, every pastor ought to readand digest the contents of Alcoholics Anonymous, the "Big Book" (Alcoholics AnonymousPublishing, 1955), which can be obtained through any local AA group. He ought also to befamiliar with some of the basic AA pamphlets such as "Alcoholics Anonymous in YourCommunity," "Medicine Looks at Alcoholics Anonymous," "AA, 44 Questions and AnswersAbout the Program of Recovery from Alcoholism," "Is AA for You?" "A Clergyman Asks AboutAlcoholics Anonymous," "This is AA," "AA for the Woman," and "Young People and AA."Two additional AA books will help to broaden and deepen the minister's understanding of thisfellowship:Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age(New York: Harper & Bros., 1957) and TheAA Way of Life, Selected Writings of AA's Co-Founder(New York: AA World Service, 1967).Both books reflect the insights of Bill W.

Second, preparation for counseling alcoholics should involve training in the general principlesand techniques of counseling. Training in pastoral counseling should include not only intensivestudy of the literature and case seminars, but also clinical training in a hospital under a trainedsupervisor. (The Georgian Clinic in Atlanta has a clinical-training program for clergymen, whichfocuses on the treatment of alcoholism.) Equally valuable is a "training analysis" or a period ofintensive counseling in which the pastor or pastor-to-be has an opportunity to resolve some of hisown emotional problems with the help of a trained psychotherapist. The reason why this can beso valuable becomes apparent when one recognizes that many of the mistakes and lack ofeffectiveness in counseling are due, not to a lack of intellectual understanding of techniques, butto problems of interpersonal relationship. These problems stem from the pastor's own emotional

quirks and blind-spots.An invaluable form of training which is available to almost any minister who is motivated tosharpen his counseling tools is supervision of his counseling relationships. 'What is required isthe availability of a well-trained counselor or psychotherapist (pastoral counselor, chaplainsupervisor, social worker, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist) who can be engaged to provide thesupervision. Arrangements should be made for weekly meetings with the supervisor, continuingover at least a year and preferably two. The focus of the sessions is on case material, tape


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recordings, or verbatim reports which the minister brings from his counseling relationships.Groups of three to six clergymen sometimes arrange to meet as a group with a supervisor toreduce the cost to each participant. Ongoing supervision is one of the most effective ways ofenhancing a minister's counseling skills.

From a practical standpoint it is impossible for many pastors to have either clinical training or apersonal analysis. It is important, as well as comforting, to recall that Giorgio Lolli has said thatindividuals who are relatively free from basic anxieties can have a beneficial influence onalcoholics, regardless of training. 13Many pastors have done and are doing good counseling withalcoholics without having the advantages of the specialized training now available to someseminarians. This should not, however, cause us to forget that counseling alcoholics is difficultcounseling in which the better one's preparation, the greater one's chances of effectiveness. Eventhose with good training have many, many failures in this field. For this reason, supervision ofone's counseling should be regarded as essential preparation for counseling with alcoholics.

The third type of preparation for counseling alcoholics is an acquaintance with the insights

contained in the literature dealing specifically with this kind of counseling. There is a growingamount of this literature. Almost any issue of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcoholcontains an article dealing with the subject written by a psychologist or psychiatrist. Fortunatelyfor the minister, there are several helpful discussions of pastoral counseling with alcoholicsavailable. Thomas J. Shipp, a Methodist minister with wide experience in helping alcoholics, hasproduced a practical book entitled Helping the Alcoholic andHis Family.14.Another usefulvolume is John E. Keller'sMinistering to Alcoholics. 15.Keller, a Lutheran minister with longexperience in counseling with alcoholics, has served on the faculty of the Rutgers SummerSchool of Alcohol Studies. Both Shipp and Keller have been profoundly influenced by thephilosophy and approach of AA.Alcoholism,A Source Book for Priests16.provides someunderstanding of the Roman Catholic approach to alcoholism. Clifford J. Earle's book,Howto

Help an Alcoholic

17.

and Seward Hiltner's pamphlet, "Helping Alcoholics, A Guide for Pastorsin Counseling Relationships with Alcoholics and Their Families," 18.though somewhat olderthan the Shipp and Keller books, are still useful resources for the pastoral counselor. Anexcellent general discussion of helping alcoholics is found in Marty Mann's New Primer onAlcoholism, 19.entitled "What to Do About an Alcoholic." Two other useful books are:Alcoholism, A Guide for the Clergyby Joseph L. Kellermann (published by The NationalCouncil on Alcoholism, 1963) and The Alcoholicby Fred B. Ford (published by AndoverNewton Theological School, 1958). There is considerable overlapping among these books withrespect to methods of counseling alcoholics. Nevertheless, since each writer brings his ownunique experience and personality to the helping encounter, there are insights in each book thatcan contribute to the minister's total preparation for counseling alcoholics.

Fourth, if a minister is especially interested in counseling alcoholics, he should attend one of thesummer schools of alcohol studies. The majority last for a week, are held at state universities,and are cosponsored by the state alcoholism programs and the universities. The largest suchschool, held at the University of Utah, attracts over four hundred students from many of thewestern states. An international school, held at the University of North Dakota, involves thecooperation of several state and provincial (Canadian) alcoholism programs. The curricula ofsuch schools is designed to be of particular usefulness to teachers, physicians, clergymen, social


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workers, law enforcement and probation officers, industrial leaders, directors of alcoholismprograms, and other persons interested in alcoholism education, research, and rehabilitation.Advanced training is available at the Rutgers Summer School of Alcohol Studies, a three-weeksprogram of seminars and lectures. This was the first summer school of alcohol studies; some fivethousand students from all over the world have attended since 1943 when it began at Yale. This

school is one part of the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies, an interdisciplinary project whichengages in wide-ranging research, publishes the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol as wellas a variety of books and articles, and maintains the "Classified Abstract Archives of the AlcoholLiterature" with over 10,000 entries on punch cards for automatic retrieval by topic. Researcherscan quickly obtain abstracts as well as a bibliography on any topic which has been discussed inthe scientific alcohol literature of the world. 20.

A fifth type of preparation for counseling alcoholics consists of becoming closely related toseveral AA members and to an AA group. In many ways this is the most important single formof preparation. Fortunately, since AA groups are now established in almost every center ofpopulation in this country, this form of preparatory experience is easily available to most

ministers. All that is required is for the minister to make the effort to attend "open" meetings ofAA with some regularity and thus to establish close relationships with key AA members.Attending AA meetings and talking with experienced members can allow the clergyman to learnmany of the things about alcoholism and alcoholics which he needs to know in order to counseleffectively with alcoholics. (Attending Al-Anon meetings can serve in the same way, withreference to counseling with the spouses of alcoholics.) Since the minister's relationship with AAis so crucial to his counseling effectiveness, it will be discussed in more detail in the sectionwhich follows.

Getting Acquainted with the Available Resources

One of the most important aspects of preparation for pastoral counseling of alcoholics is that ofdetermining what resources are available for referral in one's community, and of acquiringfirsthand knowledge of these resources. Obviously it is desirable, though not always possible, toacquire this knowledge in advance of the need for it. A pastor may want to use a checklist suchas the following:

REFERRAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN MY COMMUNITY

Alcoholics Anonymous.

Al-Anon group.

Alateen group.

A physician who has an enlightened approach to the physiological side of

alcoholism.


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Hospitalization facilities. Where and how available to alcoholics.

A psychotherapist (psychiatrist or consulting psychologist) who understands

alcoholism and is sympathetic toward AA.

A Skid Row treatment center.

An enlightened Salvation Army installation, or rescue mission.

A Local Council on Alcoholism affiliated with the National Council on

Alcoholism.

An Alcoholic Information Center sponsored by the Local Council.

An Outpatient Alcoholism Clinic sponsored by a public or private agency.

An inpatient alcoholic rehabilitation center with a sound program of therapy, including AA andgroup therapy. (10 percent of state mental hospitals now have special alcoholism wards orprograms.)

A rest-farm or similar institution which accepts alcoholics and is run on sound principles.

A half-way house for alcoholics.

Obviously, few ministers will have the time to do the research necessary to utilize such a

checklist in full. It is presented here to suggest the range of possible resources. Actually, thelocal AA group or, where one exists, the local Alcoholic Information Center are the practicalsources of reliable information concerning community resources. Seasoned members of AA willusually know such things as the practices of local hospitals, where to house homeless alcoholicssatisfactorily, and which physicians or psychotherapists are effective in treating alcoholics.

How does one establish contact with the local AA group? It is usually listed in the telephonedirectory under "Alcoholics Anonymous." A phone call will put one in touch with the groupsecretary, the local AA clubhouse, or, in larger communities, the intergroup office. The personwho answers can give information about meetings or make arrangements for the minister tocome to the AA office for a discussion about AA in general or a particular alcoholic whom he is

trying to help. AA groups welcome such professional inquiries. If AA is not listed in thetelephone directory, one can get information concerning it from other clergymen or from localcivic officials, especially the judge of the local court. If this fails, one can write the AA GeneralService Office, 305 East 45th Street, New York, New York 10017. This office will send thedesired information, including the location of the nearest group. If there is no group nearby, hemay wish to contact the office for assistance in helping to start a group. Twelve of the Yaleministers reported having been instrumental in helping to start one or more AA groups. A usefulAA pamphlet is entitled "The AA Group, an Informal Handbook on How the Group Functions


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and How to Get One Started."

A practical discussion of how a pastor

understanding and counseling the alcoholic by howard j ro

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