Can you be in recovery without God? What is a ”higher power”? Addiction recovery, holistic healing, and the history of AA with Dr. Peg O’Conner Ph.D. [Episode 94]

<p>Dr. Peg O'Conner Ph.D is interviewed by Paul Krauss MA LPC about the addiction recovery community, the difficulties with the Christian-centric God that is a part of many Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, how to participate in recovery and understand the concept of a "higher power," etc. Dr. Peg also discusses her personal journey in recovery as well.</p> <p><a href='https://pegoconnorauthor.com/'>Dr. Peg O'Conner's</a> book Higher and Friendly Powers (Wildhouse Publications / September 1, 2022) is a comprehensive alternative for people who have had trouble with the "higher power" of AA's 12-step program. It delivers a feeling of human decency, moral principles, and even a better version of oneself.</p> <p>Peg O'Connor, PhD, speaks to those in recovery who have battled with the Christian-centered God at the center of Alcoholics Anonymous in Higher and Friendly Powers. She draws our attention to a little-known fact: William James, a philosopher, psychologist, and intellectual titan of the early 20th century, created the phrase "higher power," a touchstone in Alcoholics Anonymous' twelve steps.</p> <p>Peg O’Connor, Ph.D., is a Professor of Philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Her training is in moral philosophy, feminist philosophy, addiction studies, and the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein. She believes that philosophy helped her to get and remain sober. Avoiding Alcoholics Anonymous for the first 20 years of her sobriety because of the concept of a “higher power,” she is focused on using some of the great canonical thinkers in western philosophy to illuminate dimensions of addiction.  She further shares this in her new book, <a href='https://bookshop.org/books/higher-and-friendly-powers-transforming-addiction-and-suffering/9781736075067'>Higher and Friendly Powers: Transforming Addiction and Suffering </a>(Wildhouse Publications, 2022). </p> <p> </p> <ul><li><a href='https://www.udemy.com/course/for-parents-of-young-adults/'>Preview an On-Demand Online Video Course for the Parents of Young