For example, examine the strengths of a recovering addict. What are they good at? Say they are excellent speakers and can connect emotionally with others through their speeches. In this case, guiding the addict to chair 12 step meetings and take them into institutions to carry the message is optimal. On the other hand, say you have a recovering addict who is not so great at speaking in groups but can really connect well with people in a one-on-one setting. In this case, you might encourage the recovering addict to sponsor newcomers and talk with folks after meetings who are in need of extra help. In other words, you take their natural strengths and capitalize on them in order to reach out and help others in recovery. This is a technique of empowerment because it takes the existing strengths and talents of someone and simply amplifies them. Much growth and development can come from this technique.



Looking at our various strengths starts to reveal opportunities for us in recovery. When we capitalize on our strengths we can start to grow in a healthy and proactive manner. This is crucial for long term success in recovery. You're either working on your recovery or you are working on a relapse. It is not enough to slag our way through recovery without pushing ourselves to grow and to change. We have to get proactive and take real action if we are to make in in the long run. Looking at our strengths and then capitalizing on them is the first step in answer to the question of "how should we grow in recovery?" The answer is that we should grow where we are already excelling; to take our good points and make them even better. To really shine in recovery we emphasize what we are good at and use it to help others.

Another way to help addicts is to examine their weaknesses. In most cases, these are the things that will most likely trip them up and cause them relapse eventually if it is not addressed. For example, say someone has a tendency to get into dangerous relationships in early recovery that distract them from staying clean and sober. This is a huge weakness and needs to be dealt with in order to maintain long term sobriety from drugs and alcohol. Most people do not realize how something like this or other weaknesses could sabotage their recovery but it is actually one of the biggest causes of relapse. Exploring different weaknesses such as this one can reveal a number of potential threats to a person's recovery. These must be dealt with actively instead of just being pushed off to the side as being an "outside issue." They are actually critical issues and not dealing with them will eventually cause relapse in the future.

Looking at both strengths and weaknesses gives us a glimpse into the holistic approach that is crucial for real growth in recovery. It is not enough to grow in one area, but we must look at our whole life and attempt to grow in all areas. This is the holistic approach. This is what makes for a powerful experience in recovery. Looking at our strengths and weaknesses and then getting creative in how to handle them is a key point in accelerating our growth.