Why would we want you to leave? Has someone said that to you? I would like you to stay:-)

I don't have a problem with you here. Most of us here are sharing our experiences. I'm not saying that I don't believe you are a mental health counselor, but does anyone really know who we are talking to online? I guess the difference is that some of us learned the hard way and some of us went to school for it. :0)

No one asked me to leave, I just wanted to honor AA type expectations of privacy.

And as far as proving my credentials, I don't have a clue as to how to do it online! ;-) The only thing I can even think of is to take pics of my framed diploma with my real name on it. But, hey, that can be just as fake as anything else. There is one person who can vouch for me. School taught me a lot, having an alcoholic brother taught me more. Again, that could be fake too, lol! That's the internet, gotta love it!

Thanks to both of you for accepting me. It means a lot.

A few months ago someone came on here sharing his credentials and basically offering free services, I was offended by that and I let him know it.

Having said that, you say you have loved ones who are alcoholic, there are plenty of people here in that boat. I might be uncomfortable if you were offering advice based on what came out of a textbook; but if you're here to offer advice based on experience, that's perfectly acceptable to me.

I haven't practiced in over 12 years and would never offer services over the internet. Some of my experience comes from a text book, but that was the physiology and neurochemical aspects of addictions. My experience includes my brother and his addictions and not becoming an enabler. My professional experiences will not be shared because I respect their confidentiality.

I will ask people questions, but that has nothing to do with Counseling, it is just me.

Welcome, I think anyone who has concern in ths area should be here. to set the record straight, this isn't an AA web site. However, I'm sober 19 mpnths by the grace of God and the program of AA

Thanks for your response, patty43. Congratulations on your 19 months!

I've found AA to be a program that respects its participants and it works for a lot of people. I wanted to show the same respect for others who post here.

its an alcohol SUPPORT site if i read the tittle correctly..if you are here to give support..then its still support..stay as long as you want too..welcome!!

Hi

were all mental health counsellors on here, trained or other wise, so welcome I say

Trickey

Please, please stay we are all here to share our varied experiences. I cannot access AA due to remoteness of my home and will welcome your advice as well as that of all the friends I have made on DS. We need each other. Welcome. Mairi.

Thank you all for your kind welcome. Please feel free to tell me if I slide into "counselor mode." I actually started out in Journalism and Radio, taught child birth, did a support program for new moms and babies, got divorced, and the judge made my ex support me while I got my MA.

Since being disabled, I sculpt and carve wood, read, surf the net, and my favorite: ride my motorcycle!

But, I still struggle with too many health problems. And I worry about my brother and my Mom.

This is an Alcoholism Discussion, welcome! This is not AA. Thankfully the AA meetings I attend are open to anyone, in AA literature I believe it says, at open meetings if non-alcoholics attend they go as observers not to share (it depends on the meetings here, where I go it is almost always acceptable for anyone for non-alcoholics to share, it's requested they share on the subject of alcoholism). Closed AA meetings are for alcoholics only (I prefer open meetings :) ) I had to do some research about this for some controversy at my home AA meeting and found it in some literature on AA groups I believe.
Welcome and thanks for being here

The more the merrier!

Honey, I welcome all advice, be it from a textbook, experience, trained or untrained. What you give will be taken a needed by those who wish to hear it. If someone disagrees with you 'style' then they themselves have free will to ignore it. Just as individuals have different personalities, we each have relational difference as well. I think the unwritten code of DS is to respect those differences. I welcome you & your expertise to our community, maglet.

Welcome to ds