Claudia Black — An Evening of Sharing

Experience, Strength and Hope

Speaker:  Claudia Black

Friday, November 22, 2002, 7:00 to 9:00 PM

The workshop is held at

St. Francis DeSales new parish hall, Maria Drive, Colonie,

between Sand Creek Road and Albany Shaker Road.

Share an evening of honesty and openness with Claudia Black.  In the first half of the evening, Claudia will share her personal recovery story and look back on the pain and confusion she often felt growing up in an alcoholic home.  Her story also conveys a message of hope about how incorporating Al-Anon and the 12 Steps in her life provided healing, forgiveness and a pathway to serenity.

In the second half of the evening, Dr. Black will discuss material she has professionally written on the influence of abandonment in the creation of shame and on the consequences of living in a shame bound family system.  She will discuss how shame is at the core of such self-defeating behaviors as control, victimization, procrastination and relapse.  She is well known for her engaging style and her insights into alcoholic family dynamics related to “don’t talk”, “don’t feel” and “don’t trust” beliefs that children of alcoholics so often grow up with.

Claudia Black, an internationally recognized author and trainer, has worked in the field of young and adult children of alcoholics and the treatment of co-existing addictive disorders and mental illness for more than 20 years.  She has an MSW from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Columbia Pacific University.  She has authored many books, including, It Will Never Happen to Me, Relapse Tool Kit and Changing Course. She currently lives in the state of Washington and is coming to Albany the day after her keynote presentation to the Canadian Parliament related to the 50 year anniversary of Al-Anon in Canada.

Claudia will be available to autograph her books and other educational materials that will be available for sale.  These are excellent recovery resources and the Anonymous Foundation will make them available with a 40% discount off their usual cost.

As always, these workshops are free of charge and refreshments will be provided.  There is no need to register, just show up on the 22^nd.  Please share this announcement with anyone who might benefit from the workshop.  And, feel free to bring others.