Fighting for Joy During the Holiday Season: Our interview with Dr. John McClanahan

This year has been one for the books! Like many of you, we’re reflecting and taking inventory on all the things we’ve experienced in 2020. Most notably, the loss we’ve collectively experienced during the pandemic. In many ways, this loss reminds us of the loss our community members and their families feel when the onset of a mental illness begins. It affects everyone involved.

This time of year heightens other losses experienced throughout the year as well –  estrangement of family, losing employment, taking a leave of absence or having to drop out of school, postponing weddings and other milestone celebrations, or even something intangible things like how we thought life was going to be.

This month we connected with Dr. John McClanahan, a well known clinician and speaker in the Metro DC community that brings incredible insight into grief from the 12 Step Recovery perspective. Dr. McClanahan is the Principal and Senior Provider at McClanahan and Associates in Annapolis, Maryland and has been an educator in substance abuse for 40 years and a treatment provider for over thirty-six years.

During our conversation we discuss the many similarities between how recovery works, the complexity involved in choosing to address an addiction, and how his life’s work can be applied to the SMI community.

We invite you to watch/listen to our conversation with Dr. McClanahan on our YouTube channel over this holiday break. The content is relatable and rich in takeaways no matter your walk in life. 

Remember, fighting for joy means actively seeking out connection. It takes work. 

Here are our top 4 tips to help you fight for joy this season.

  1. Give yourself permission and remind yourself that you deserve joy. 
  2. Remember that quality breeds quantity. The quality of the effort impacts the quality and quantity of the results.
  3. Remember it only takes two to create connection.
  4. Create a list with your support network of things you can do to foster connection.

Memorable Soundbites

  • [3:19] Similarities in the recovery process
  • [8:09] Grief is normal and unique to each person
  • [19:19] Community creates connection but also accountability 
  • [20:22] How the pandemic has increased empathy for the SMI community
  • [27:39] Fighting for Joy

Guest Bio

Dr. John J. McClanahan, PhD, CCDC, LCADC, is the Principal and Senior Provider at McClanahan and Associates in Annapolis, Maryland. Dr McClanahan has been an educator in substance abuse for 40 years and a treatment provider for over thirty-six years. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Counseling and is a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Currently, John McClanahan is a visiting lecturer at Ashley Addiction Treatment and several other internationally recognized treatment facilities.

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