Testimonials
Please note that due to confidential and private nature of Dr. Kern’s sessions with his clients, many of the following testimonials are anonymous.Results of Steve's Bridging Session
"One more week, not a single drink. Not even a social beer. Things are going very well. Having the weekend back has made me considerably more productive too. I have the refilled prescription, but after a month of this, I can see maybe a few more months where I might need the meds before I'm pretty confident to suspend use unless needed.There's a lot to be said for abstinence in terms of breaking the cycle, as I'm finding--now Thursday--that I'm not even concerned about weekend drinking, nor do I feel even marginally inclined. I will still continue with the naltrexone (medication that helps with alcohol cravings)--cycling on this evening. After a number of weekends, I expect that the triggers will have muted--they seem to have done so already, but I just want to be on the safe side.
Now the goal is just to remain alcohol free for as long as possible. All in all, it feels like it did before I ever drank at all--that's going back away.
We're still on for mid-July, but I would count this as one case to put into your success column. Thanks for all the help."
Steve W., Nevada
Results of Brad's Bridging Session
"I am finding the Naltrexone very effective. I haven't had a binge drinking episode since I began. It is exactly what I needed. Much like we spoke of before, there were certain triggers that compelled the behavior...I have had a few drinks with friends during the week and that has been a very good experience too. The reason is that I generally stop at one drink now. It's much more interesting than stopping cold turkey with weak will power. Drinking one drink with Naltrexone leaves my social circle confounded, because they are more used to seeing me have two or three drinks. On a business trip last week, I had a Rolling Rock with my colleagues; then, I switched to iced tea. My co-worker said, 'I've never seen that before. Are you giving up already?'...
It's a lot like you said: Everyone else's expectations will have to change, too. It seems cold turkey is much more difficult initially for social reasons. The naltrexone gives me a lot of confidence now. It is no longer just confidence in my goal setting abilities and drive. I have a month with no binge drinking, and even social drinking is exceedingly light now -- enough to make people comment.
I think I can progress from here to more or less total abstinence, as people are seeing the shift in my behavior away from excessive alcohol consumption, but without any of the immediate social discomfort of absolute, rigid abstinence. I think that's also part of what turns people away from AA, is the sort of religiosity of absolute sobriety. People feel as if they are being judged when you don't drink at all. However, having a single beer takes that fear of judgment away, and the Naltrexone makes it feasible to refuse.
If I have any regret, it's that I didn't pick up the phone (to call Dr. Kern) a lot sooner."
Brad S., California
Results of Elizabeth's HALO version of Bridging Session
"A month and a half ago I called you for a phone appointment (Bridging Session-HALO session) about how I could cope with my boyfriend's pot addiction. I am happy to report that he quit smoking pot that week and (to my knowledge anyway) hasn't gotten high since.He also surrendered a burden that had been obsessing all his thoughts, and he had been using pot to numb his discouragement rather than face it. So finally he wrote a letter that said everything and sent it off to the corporate CEO. He pissed a few people off, but I don't think anybody is going to die.
The outcome for Jim is not what anyone was going to do with that information, though there may be some fallout, but it freed him from being complicit. It was a totally liberating and transformative process for Jim and ultimately it saved our relationship. You had said to me, "So it's really not so much about the marijunana, what you really want is for Jim to be free." And I said, "Yes, that's it, I want him to be free."
Now I have back the person that I'm in love with. And he is able to give so much back to me now. I am very happy. He is helping me so much in little, yet important, ways that mean a lot to me, things I wouldn't have asked him to do for me, by taking an interest in the appearance of our home, helping me get a new, used car and helping me fix it up. He even came with me to do biological surveys in the desert where we hiked and went mountain bike riding, and we had a great time. Last week, we went mountain bike riding again here in San Diego.
He is affectionate in a way that shows he's proud to be my partner. He's not obsessing with other women or TV. He fixes meals at least half the time. He's going out and surfing and having fun with his friends again. We are planning to go on a cruise in the Caribbean next January to celebrate my 50th birthday.
You're probably wondering, "So what did my counseling do to effect this change?" Well, of course, timing had something to do with it. He had been whining about getting that letter written for months, and I was wondering if that would turn into years. Basically, I knew that if he didn't write that letter, nothing would change, and if he did write it, then I needed to see a change.
That's why I came to you. So, a few days after we talked, I told Jim that I was going to counseling about how to cope with his addiction. At that point, he had quit smoking but he knew he couldn't say, "Well you just wasted your money because I quit smoking." Because, I would just say, "Prove it." And he also knows that when a partner goes to counseling about her partner's habit, that is the foreshadowing of a breakup. So when I told him I was going to a counselor, he just nodded, letting his actions speak in his behalf.
I want to thank you for being there to help. It removed the adversarial role I had in trying to "get him to quit". And he could focus on what he wanted instead -- a loving relationship and personal freedom."
Elizabeth, California
"After decades of alcohol abuse I had lost all interest and motivation toward accomplishment. My only goal was to see the sun go down so I could begin my nightly drinking. Dr. Kern saved my life!"
"Dr. Kern and I have collaborated for several years in the field of substance abuse prevention and treatment. He is a hard working, creative, and highly skilled professional. I regard his book, Take Control, Now!: A Do-it-Yourself Blueprint for Positive Lifestyle Success as a very insightful, practical guide to overcoming addictive behaviors. I referred a distraught mother and her drug-using adolescent to Dr. Kern after little progress was made with another therapist. After a few visits, she told me how very grateful she was for the referral--her son was finally making a noticeable turnaround! Dr. Kern's community workshops are equally inspiring as his teaching abilities are topnotch."
Robert H. Coombs, Ph.D., Professor of Bio-Behavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine
"Dr. Kern gave me back my life. He does not urge you to seek divine intervention nor does he encourage therapeutic dependency by telling you that you are possessed by forces which you cannot control. Dr. Kern's tools are experience, insight, concern and humor. Rather than viewing the client as helpless and weak, he believes that intelligent people can regain control of their lives."
"I contacted Dr. Marc F. Kern with a feeling of helplessness concerning my son. I believed that he was on a destructive path, and my effort to communicate this only caused division. The term "life management skills" took on real meaning during that session. Dr. Kern gave me the insight to approach the whole person and to relate to my son that taking control of the issues that are in our power leads us to the strength we all need to manage our lives. His approach has direction, and it is my pleasure to relate this positive experience to others."
M.R.B.
"Just as a physical therapist directs your body's activity to increase its strength and agility, Dr. Kern directs your cognitive ability toward regaining rational, productive skills and life and living that have atrophied due to your long association with some form of addiction. I assure you that, with Dr. Kern's guidance and your sincere effort, these skills can be recovered!"
Sam Hanson, Research Scientist
"I have now become an abstinent human being who refuses to identify myself primarily as an alcoholic, thanks to your eye-opening web site. There is much more to me now than that identity. I applaud you for furnishing other alternatives to A.A. "treatment."
"I am thrilled to find so many resources that not only strengthen my resolve to stay abstinent for the rest of my life, but that enabled me to feel empowered for the first time in years."
"I saw the show on 20/20 (Dr. Kern was a guest on it.) a few months back and have been thinking about it a lot. It is comforting to know that I am not alone in my thoughts. My boyfriend who has refused to stop his drinking.....has changed his mind set. he wants to moderate his intake. That's a start."
"When I first heard of Addiction Alternatives, I thought you were evil and destructive, too. You aren't. You're saying that the emperor has no clothes. You're saying the truth. Some of us, indeed, can drink moderately or take medication - even highly addictive medication - without relapsing into a condition that's totally out of control. I don't even 'control' my intake. I simply don't think about it because it's a non-issue. I thank you for what you are doing. There are so many for whom A.A. just doesn't do it and the chokehold of being forced to use the A.A. model for recovery is loosening finally. If you ever have surveys or something else I can help with, please let me know."
"I'm currently a student at Edinboro University enrolled in a Master's program for counseling. I was so excited to hear about your program aired on 20/20. I have believed for years that the disease model for alcoholic was and is misguided."
"I watched your interview on 20/20, and I totally agree with you..."
"I saw your appearance on 20/20 last night and was compelled to email you my story. I'm sure there are many in the world who have had similar experiences, but until last night I had never heard of them! ... I do not regret the time I spent in A.A., there were many issues I worked through while doing the steps, which allowed me at the time and under the circumstances to put my life back together. I think I was a better candidate for an alternative program, and I am glad to see they are available for others. In the end, I was not afraid to step out of the box and test the water, what a difference it made! I have never emailed anyone with such personal information, especially that I don't know, but you spoke to my heart last night. If my story can in any way help other find solutions to their addiction problems I will be happy to share it again."
"I was compelled by your story that aired on 20/20 last night. I am currently the Assistant Director for an International Fraternity and your story of how your addiction habits started as a fraternity member yourself peaked my interest. I don't know if you speak to groups normally, but your story of how your bad habits as a Fraternity member lead to more trouble down the road would really impact this group. And to give these guys other options to present to members of their chapters that are facing addiction problems."
"I have no doubt you are receiving hundreds and maybe thousands of emails since your appearance on 20/20. I, as I'm sure you continue to hear, related tremendously to your experience. Thank you for your courage in speaking out!"
"I was able to watch only a few minutes of the 20/20 segment tonight. However, I was absolutely beside myself when I heard you speak. I tried to get people to listen to me for years about alternative ways to deal with drinking too much. I am a firm believer in alcoholism being an addiction not a "DISEASE". Drinking for me was a cover up of bad things going on in and around my life... Again, I can't tell you how wonderful it was to hear your story. I thought I had to be the only one."
"I am a certified addiction counselor in Illinois, and I watched the 20/20 broadcast with great interest. I'm interested in alternatives to traditional treatment, but in the state of Illinois, one must be licensed to provide substance abuse treatment, and the treatment license requires using traditional means of diagnosis (DSM IV), placement (ASAM) and treatment records are subject to scrutiny to insure compliance. While mostly not enforced, unlicensed practitioners are subject to legal penalties if they treat substance abuse without a license. Illinois has a private certification organization, and to become certified one must pass a test which is heavily biased toward disease concept and 12 step recovery. Are you aware of any resources that might help one to offer alternative treatments without the state shutting one's door?"
Contemporary Addiction Recovery Guidance and Treatment