“Wonder Woman” Lynda Carter to Inspire and Entertain with Her Heroic Story of Personal Recovery from Addiction

The Council on Recovery will feature beloved All-American celebrity Lynda Carter as keynote speaker at the Waggoners Foundation Speaker Series’ 2016 Fall Luncheon, presented by the Wayne Duddlesten Foundation.  The Luncheon takes place Friday, October 28, 2016, at the Hilton Americas – Houston Hotel.

Known to millions as Wonder Woman, actress Lynda Carter also produced and starred in five highly-rated network television specials, several of which were Emmy-nominated. She launched an equally successful singing career, performing for sell-out crowds, earning rave reviews, and appearing on stage with entertainment legends, including Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, and Bob Hope. Lynda continues to share her success with people in need as a committed community volunteer and philanthropist. She served as Grand Marshall for the DC AIDS Walk and generously supports many charitable organizations.

Most importantly, Lynda Carter is committed to her recovery from alcoholism and addiction. Her recovery story, and its message of hope, is directed to every member of the family. It’s a strong reminder that family support can make a huge difference to a recovering addict or alcoholic.   Lynda credits her husband’s intervention for her ultimate acceptance of personal powerlessness over alcoholism: “After 18 years of recovery, I live every day with immense gratitude. I am forever thankful for my family and friends who stood by me and encouraged me… and for those who helped me heal.” Through her inspiring story, Lynda reveals the power and grace of vulnerability, faith, and surrender that nourish lasting recovery.

Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear Lynda Carter’s story at our Fall Luncheon, October 28th!

**SPECIAL OFFER**  Sponsor a Luncheon table at the Benefactor or Platinum Partner level and receive 2 passes to the Green Room to meet Lynda Carter in person (with a great photo opp)! Sponsor a table at the Event Super Star level and receive 4 Green Room passes. Click here reserve your table!

Why Family Matters…for Healing & Wholeness

Many families assume that once their addicted loved one has begun treatment, the rest of the family is just along for the ride, but this shows a major misunderstanding of treatment and recovery.

During treatment the client experiences tremendous growth. They learn to face feelings, use a new language to express them self, and find healthy ways to cope with changes and challenges. But while the client changes, the family may stay stuck in its old roles, following outdated rules. This maintains the painful system of suffering in silence, which allows addiction to thrive.

To get better, everyone needs to be involved in changing the rules of the game, so addiction isn’t dictating the rules any more. To help facilitate this growth–for everyone–the Center for Recovering Families’ treatment team invites the family into the recovery process. Along with their loved one, family members develop new skills for focusing on growth, discussing differences, and coping in healthy ways. When a family does this, research shows greatly increased success for long-lasting recovery.

Oddly enough, a lot of the healing takes place when family members are not in the same therapy sessions as their loved one in treatment. Starting in separate groups allows everyone to speak freely without worrying about following the old rules and roles of engagement. At the same time, families have the chance to connect with other families who are experiencing similar feelings and processes. This provides a safe place to learn empowering recovery language, establish goals for the future, and overcome the pain of the past.

Celebrating Recovery Together

A Message from Mel Taylor
President & CEO, The Council on Recovery
National Recovery Month has arrived–with one of our favorite themes: “Join the Voices for Recovery: Our Families, Our Stories, Our Recovery!” highlights the importance of families, communities, and individuals sharing stories of recovery. Unity in the family and community is an important part of The Council’s mission to “keep our community healthy, productive and safe…” In fact, the Center for Recovering Families focuses on family healing as a crucial path to reaching the “wholeness” that comes with true, lifelong recovery.

One of the clearest analogies for family healing is a mobile, like those attached to a baby’s crib. All the pieces need to be balanced and weighted evenly in order for the mobile to work properly. Similarly, a family functions more fully when all family members develop skills for facing their feelings and expressing themselves in healthy ways that lead to balance and wholeness.

Achieving this balance, as an individual or a family, is not as simple as fixing a child’s mobile. It is a long-term process where the journey is as important as the outcome. And looking back, one often sees that each step along the path is what the journey is truly about.

We encourage all of you to participate in Addicted to Comedy, the Run for Recovery or any of the many celebrations this month that will bring individuals, families, and organizations together in support of recovery. Join us in celebrating the joy, freedom, peace and healing that accompany the process of recovery from addiction.