| Part 2 - Personal Issues -
involves reconciling spiritual experience and a lifestyle free of
addictions. Addictions are broadly defined and can include
relationships, love of money, pornography, or anything that binds us
and keeps us from being all we should be. There are many things
that hinder us, and drugs and alcohol are only but a few. This
study explores some of these. There are two study areas for Personal Issues: "Insight" and "Free to Grow". The "Insight" class meets for 9 sessions and "Free to Grow" for 12. "Insight" has been used for many years, "Free to Grow" was published in 2006. All sessions are two hours in length. |
| All throughout history people have
sought for ideals greater than themselves. The ancients worshiped
gods and goddesses that were enshrined in buildings called temples.
These temples contained images that were worshiped. The
early Hebrews were instructed to construct a tent which would be moved
from place to place. God would dwell in the "thick darkness".
Later King David proposed the idea of a permanent-dwelling temple
for the one true God. David was not permitted to do this, but his
son Solomon was. With the advent of Christ, the new temple became
each believer's body, and the teaching was clear that no other god was
to share the place of the one true God. To do so was to commit
the sin of idolatry. Our program is designed to rehabilitate by
removing spiritual idolatry and replacing it with God's presence and
His ways.
The luring and attractive influences that negatively impacted the
inmate are replaced by the influences of faith. Our discipleship
program systematically assists in this transformation. The idea of reaching beyond ourselves to attain a higher and better level of living is not limited to organized religion. Psychotherapist Victor Frankl, for example, proposed in his Logotherapy that spiritual health is a prerequisite for both emotional and physical health. It represents a higher level need than either the emotional or physical. Maslow likewise saw ultimate functioning in terms of "actualization", a spiritual level that most people never reach. The idea of the spiritual is also rooted in recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Our approach is that the need to reduce idolatry and replace it with purposeful living is universal. The principles advocated for prisoners are the same as those used for the development of our parishioners. This is not proselytizing. Our entire program is interdenominational and participation is voluntary. Our program also incorporates common social science knowledge in areas such as addictions, loss and grief, trust, feelings, defenses, interpersonal relationships, group interaction, and educational psychology. We seek to work hand-in-hand with the institution, its chaplaincy, the helping professionals, and other prison ministries. Progress takes time. Inmate problems are long-standing and complex and will require a great deal of patience. That is why we believe our 100-hour program will make a difference. It is short enough to implement statewide and staff with volunteers yet rich enough to have an impact. |
| Groups for Part 2 (Personal Issues) are limited to 10 inmates plus a trained facilitator and a co-facilitator. After the first meeting groups are closed to new members until the group has finished its course. Experience has shown that trust and confidentiality has to be developed before substantial progress can be made. Too large a group hinders this and also limits the personal input that is so essential to recovery. |
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The starting Personal Issues
module is
the landmark Insight course developed by Jimmy Ray Lee. This
approaches some of life's greatest and most elusive problems with
gentle directing and lots of interaction. With the proper
environment of love and support in the group and group leaders, group
members can indeed better understand themselves, how they have become
what they have become, how they can change things for the better, and
use their faith as a focus for reaching toward God and becoming all
that He would have them to be. The printed materials include a Facilitator Guide and a Group Member Guide. These are available in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian. Each inmate should be given his/her own copy (no copies, this material is copyrighted!) and should write in it as in a journal. They are not to be handed down from group to group. |
| Sample Questions | Session Topics |
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| The purpose of this group study is to help people overcome
disappointments
and setbacks that have arrested or are presently hindering their
emotional and
spiritual development. The group will help participants understand how
to be
set free so that they can grow and become all that God has designed
them to be. This is a natural sequel to "Insight" and focuses on
transitioning from being captive to being free. This emphasis is
central to helping inmates look to the future with hope and
understanding to be better equipped to function once released.
Like "Insight", this is intensely personal and requires trust and
sharing. Groups are again limited to 10 inmates plus facilitator
and co-facilitator and are closed to newcomers after the first session.
Listed below are the twelve sessions included in this study: |
| Sample Questions | Session Topics |
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