Keune, K: Ritual Journey Towards Change

Addiction to alcohol is a common problem, detrimental to the affected and their social environments. It is a highly ritualized addiction and can be triggered by trauma in life. This book addresses the hypothesis that substitution of this ritual with aesthetic expression has transformative potential. It does so by examining a sixteen-week experiment in ritually focused group therapy led by the author at a rehabilitation center for women addicts in San Diego, California. The results of this work suggest that sessions combining ritually framed art making and theater in conjunction with more formally staged aesthetic rituals can be an effective vehicle for authentic self-exploration. A supportive community developed in which group members appearedmore willing to take risks thus widening their range of play. The expressive opportunities afforded by liminoid and liminal elements in the group‘s rituals helped participants to see themselves in more open, less addiction-bound terms. This book is written for people working with or affected by substance abuse. It is also intended for people who are interested in growth and transformation.