La Hacienda

HI! Meet John Royer. He is the evening supervisor and has been here 5 years.

I am in recovery and my sobriety date is 2/11/90. I will be celebrating 22 years this year. So attending meetings, sponsoring, etc. are a big part of my life. I graduated from the University of Texas in SA with a Bachelors in Business Administration, emphasis on accounting.

I love watching sports—college basketball, the NBA, and professional football. The San Antonio Spurs are my NBA team and the Dallas Cowboys are my boys in professional football even though they are in a drought. My college team is the University of Texas which you may have guessed considering it’s my alma mater. I also enjoy watching movies (about all genres are good for me), playing with my 3 year old (cutest baby in the world), music (live and just listening) and playing with my dogs. Riding my Harley is also one of my favorite pastimes and I love connecting with the other Harley riding patients!

This is Hunt’s 100th year and they are celebrating May 19th with a parade and other activities.   This poster is one that is highlighting La Hacienda. La Ha is celebrating 40 years this year!

www.hunt2012.net

Bucket List

Sobriety isn’t boring! Think about what you want in your life, write it down, and see your Higher Power work in your life. When you first got into the program, you might have heard that if you wrote everything down you wanted in your life, you would probably sell yourself short. As life changes, change your list, put the impossible on there! What is on your bucket list?

Somewhat to our surprise, staying sober turns out not to be the grim, wet-blanket experience we had expected! …But for most members of AA, living sober is really living — a joyous experience. We much prefer it to the troubles we had with drinking.

- Living Sober, Preface

Here are some words of wisdom from Clayton Sponhaltz, LCDC.  He has been with La Hacienda for 3 1/2 years and works with our male collegiate patients.  They love him, he rocks (no pun intended).

Truth Rock

Addiction takes many faces and carries many unwelcomed burdens. However, one of the most glaring and sometimes invisible factors may be dishonesty. In working with collegiate men looking towards beginning a life in recovery, many extreme and delusional thoughts are entertained vs. taking the needed action to move forward.

Therefore, let me introduce you to the ‘truth rock’. The exact origins of the truth rock are somewhat mysterious. It is known that this volcanic rock was given to a previous Collegiate case manager at La Hacienda well over 10 years ago. I was glad to inherit it along with its superficial power to allow the opportunity for others to get honest. There is a practice used with this ‘truth rock’ every now and then which, on the surface, is just another mechanism in group. I will explain that the only essential factor needing to be implemented while holding the ‘truth rock’ is to be rigorously honest with one’s self and the group. I then place the rock back down on the table and allow for the group to determine whether they have anything they need to share. I have been fortunate to watch a number of young men open up to the process of recovery by getting honest with themselves and others. Somehow, while group patients know this is just a rock, it can break the barrier well constructed over years of addictive thinking/behavior. It’s pretty cool—a simple reminder of how often we can benefit from somebody or something guiding  us in the direction of getting transparent with others about how we are doing and what we are thinking.

“We can only clear the ground a bit. If our testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourages you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on the Broad Highway. With this attitude you cannot fail. The consciousness of your belief is sure to come to you.”  BB pg. 55