A Substance Abuse Counselor’s Unique Approach to Recovery: S
October 21, 2024
Hosted by Ron Roel
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Guest Information
Episode Description
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to host Asher Rabinowitz, a clinical social worker and credentialed counselor as a guest on 45 Forward. Asher, who has worked in the field of alcohol and substance abuse treatment for the past 28 years, has helped thousands of individuals with what he calls a “simple, but not easy” approach, which he calls, aptly, the “ABCs of Recovery”—the letters representing Awareness, Boundaries and Consequences. What makes Asher’s treatment system so distinctive is his approach to engaging people, motivating them to action, through stories that offers life lessons. In today’s episode, we’ll follow up with a closer look at storytelling as an unusually effective therapeutic tool. These stories are told in Asher’s newly released book, which includes a far-flung assortment over time and cultures, ranging from a 2nd Century B.C. collection called the Panchatantra, to 17th Zen Master Bankei Yotaku, to contemporary American storyteller Heather Forest. They are powerful tools, not only for those facing recovery, but for the rest of us seeking ways to manage life’s many challenges as we age.
45 Forward
Monday at 12 Noon Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
Thanks to advances in medicine and health, most of us are just at half-life when we reach our mid-40s, with many potentially productive years ahead. But there’s no road map to prepare us for this period. That’s where 45 Forward comes in.
My show provides you with strategies to shift the traditional waiting-for-retirement model to a journey of compelling life chapters. Each show tackles an aspect of health, finance, family and friends, housing, work and personal pursuits as part of an integrated plan. Experts discuss topics like revitalizing relationships, creating mini-retirements, managing the maze of technology, finding your next homestead and caring for aging parents.
The show instills confidence, and hopefully some comfort, amid the stresses permeating today’s society. Fear of the future is not knowing how to prepare for it. 45 Forward does not proffer prefabricated answers, but helps you shape your life amid the daily anxieties of our time.
Ron Roel
I’m a veteran journalist who spent a wide-ranging career covering business, politics and social issues, the last two decades focusing on the blend of diverse life skills I call successful aging.
I have written extensively on aging topics, spoken at conferences, radio and TV shows, and launched several entrepreneurial ventures, discovering along the way that the path to aging well also requires an unexpected entrepreneurial vision. I spent 20 years as a writer and editor at Long Island’s daily newspaper, Newsday, helping to found Act 2, a weekly section for 50-plus readers. I created Roelresources.com, a website offering practical advice and inspirational essays for people ages 40 and above. I have been a volunteer and consultant to AARP Long Island, writing articles, advocating for seniors, and developing action plans for the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative.
I am active in programs and organizations that support seniors, such as the National Aging In Place Council and the Senior Umbrella Network. I have developed a special expertise in family caregiving, as one of four brothers who took care of their mother for almost 25 years. I regularly collaborate with many professionals who provide services and support for older Americans, and I am completing a book for caregivers on Long Island, “The Caregiving Navigator/How to Plan, What to do, and Where to Turn When Caring for you Aging Loved Ones. And Yourself,” scheduled for publication in early 2021.