Blog Category: Reviews

An ancient Roman philosopher, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” With no forethought of my own, my earlier life experiences had prepared me for an opportunity that appeared a few years ago when I met Denise Lescano. According to a recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 8.5 percent of adults in the United States meet the criteria for alcoholism, and another 2 percent meet the criteria for drug addiction. In other words, at least one in every ten Americans has a serious problem with drugs or alcohol. Clearly, these are problems of universal proportions that are affecting the entire human race. Ever since we began to recognize alcoholism and addictions as treatable illnesses, we’ve made great strides in the areas of medicine, science, and psychology that have contributed significantly to the rehabilitation of millions of people. However, even the most advanced therapies can only go so far, and, in spite of our best efforts, long-term recovery rates are abysmally small. Successful rehabilitation takes place at physical, mental, and psychological levels. But, we often fail to address another vital aspect of recovery. The critical missing element is “spiritual.” The eminent Swiss psychiatrist, Dr. Carl Jung, wrote: You see, “alcohol” in Latin is “spiritus” and you use the same word for the highest Religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. Experience with the realm of the spirit may be essential to the process of overcoming addictions. Recovery from alcoholism and other addictive disorders is a complex, dynamic process, and in this effort we should not hesitate to use every available tool. Therefore, when I became aware that Denise Lescano was interested in using her psychic gifts to help people to more fully recover from drug addiction and alcoholism, I contacted several friends, and we began to work with her. Our early efforts in recovery were a necessary preparation for what we later learned from Denise. She brought us important messages from “the other side” of life, and we connected to spirit guides who helped us to focus on areas that we needed to work on. For some, it was about healing past trauma or getting honest about current life situations or challenges. She told others about the precise things they needed to do to take better care of their health through dietary and exercise changes. Denise painstakingly addressed each person’s particular recovery needs. Over the years I have worked with hundreds of people in recovery, and I have learned firsthand what the attrition rates are like. A full fifty percent of those making an initial attempt at sobriety will not still be sober ninety days later, and many more drop by the wayside over the next few months. By the end of the first year, with perhaps a single exception, every graduate of a twenty-eight day treatment program will have relapsed. I know because I was such an exception, and twenty years later the statistics have not improved. Most people simply do not recover, and those of us who do remain abstinent continue to defy the odds on a day-to-day basis. Initially, I contacted about a dozen men and women that I knew in recovery to see who might be willing to participate in “gallery” type readings with Denise. Eight people have volunteered to come at various times. Some have visited with Denise on two or more occasions, and some only attended a single session. They represented various lengths of sobriety ranging from six months to over thirty years, with an average of nine to ten years of recovery. Seven of the eight have remained continuously clean and sober during this two year period, and one who relapsed on pain medication is now back in recovery. Do I think that Denise’s talent for bringing information through from the spirit side of life was totally responsible for this statistical miracle? No, not totally, there were many other factors to consider. However, I am entirely satisfied that the information presented to each individual contributed significantly to their self-awareness and gave them additional insights and tools to assist them and enhance the quality of their recoveries. Typically, Denise would offer certain knowledge that “validated” the information being received. For example, she provided C.H. with insights that assured her that she was indeed in contact with her deceased husband. Once that was accomplished, she was given information that was specifically addressed to her, such as the fact that the co-dependency and enabling patterns that she was experiencing with her stepson were mirroring the same issues that she had previously encountered with her late husband, and, if she didn’t get a handle on those issues, they could possibly lead her into relapse. He also assured her that he would be assisting her from spirit and that it would be essential for her to stay closely involved with her recovery groups if she was to remain sober. Finally, he tried to encourage her to not give up “before the miracle happens.” Similarly, Denise gave C.O. validating information from her deceased mother regarding the rabbits her mother had given to her when she was still in the physical body. Once the validation was accepted, her mother went on to discuss a life-threatening illness that C.O. was battling. Her mother told her that the cancer she was currently receiving treatment for was a big part of the cleansing and purging processes that were necessary for her to be able to release her addictions, and other issues, in this lifetime. M.L.’s maternal grandmother discussed with her the details of the recent traumatic break-up of a romantic relationship and then talked specifically about her recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Her grandmother assured her that she had successfully overcome the larger issues of her addictive behaviors and that all that would be necessary for her to maintain her sobriety would be for her to “stick with the program.” Denise brought forth specific validating information for each individual in attempts to enhance their recovery efforts. Not once did she offer generic platitudes or repeat information from one person to the next. She provided each person with exactly what they specifically needed to hear that would be of maximum benefit to them as individuals. This was the most therapeutic “counseling” that I have ever witnessed. There was catharsis, healing, and hope for everyone who joined us in these sessions. Undoubtedly, some will dismiss the possibility of this kind of spiritual assistance; if I hadn’t seen it and benefited from it personally, I might have been one of them. But, to those who may be open to it, I see this as pioneering work with the possibility of greatly enhancing our understanding of the root causes and conditions surrounding the diseases of addiction. It may also increase the probability of many additional recoveries from destructive habits and disorders. No one has ever attempted to use spirit communication to enhance recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction before, and it is exciting to witness these ground-breaking discoveries in rehabilitation. I consider myself fortunate indeed to be able to share this unique opportunity with someone that, unbeknownst to me, I was previously prepared to work with.

Very truly yours

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