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GSBH will perform a free Family Intervention for families who choose to use our GSBH treatment center. Please call for details.

The founder of Gentle Spirit, Bob Atkins tells his story.

When I entered recovery almost 12 years ago I had no idea what humility was or what spirituality meant. I was raised in a Jewish home in the 50’s and was taught that if I sinned, I would go to nothingness (the Jewish faith does not believe in hell per say). This is very much the same way by best friend, Tommy Diamond was raided except he was Catholic. One day I asked my mom if I could go to St. Timothy’s School with my friend Tommy and she said “No, you can’t go with him, you are Jewish and he is Catholic. You must go to your school and he must go to his.” I thought how strange this is; my mother said there is only one God, yet we can’t go to the same school or pray at the same place. That is how many of us where raised. Then when we get older, we can’t figure out how our thinking and attitudes became so clouded.

When I got to Narcotics Anonymous they told me I needed to find a spiritual path. But like many who enter recovery, they have been jaded by their upbringing right or wrong. When I had about 18 months clean I went to listen to a Native American spiritual teacher. He started discussing Native American spirituality and it seemed to me that they coincided perfectly with the 12-steps. That day I went to my first sweat lodge and even though the temperature was only 34 degrees with snow on the ground I never felt so centered in my entire life. This is where I began to learn the difference between religion and spirituality. A person can be of any religious belief to participate in our spiritual program without compromising their religious beliefs. Since then I have attended hundreds of sweat lodges and have even Sun Danced for many years. A Sun Dance is an annual ceremony held in the summer where many come to pray and honor the Creator for four days.

I have built a sweat lodge on my property near our treatment center and hold ceremonies several times each month. A sweat lodge is a small structure made of canvas and long pieces of willow. It looks like an igloo. Stones are heated in a fire and brought into the lodge. The door is closed and we sing songs and pray to Creator. After the lodge we have a feast and continue to fellowship. This is only one of the ways in which we use Native American spirituality. Clients are encouraged to participate but it is not mandatory. If a client does not want to participate, we will encourage and help the client find another spiritual path of their choosing.

“We at GSBH follow the principles and beliefs of Native American Spirituality. We believe that without spirituality, lasting recovery is not possible – while we will not force anyone to adopt our beliefs, we encourage our clients to join us on the Red Road and find the peace and serenity true recovery can offer."

The White Bison organization promotes Wellbriety (recovery, sobriety, wellness) among Native Americans and other people desiring to find a new way to live.. We at GSBH use this program as part of our spiritual and 12-step recovery program. White Bison has taken the original 12 steps from AA and NA and developed them to coincide with spiritual growth.

The Four Laws of Change

1. Change comes from within.
2. In order for development to occur, it must be preceded by a vision.
3. A great learning must occur.
4. You must create a healing forest.

What does Native American Spirituality consist of?

Native American spirituality consists of one major premise: “We are all related” also referred to as Mitakuye Oyasin. We are not only related to each other as human beings…we are related to the plants, animals, water, sky, and everything the Creator created. Once clients understand this they are able to relate to other people in a true and humble way. If I had to describe the one reason that I have been able to remain clean for the last 11 ½ years, I would have to say it is because I learned how to become a “humble human being.” Mitakuye Oyasin teaches us on to be humble.

The core of the disease of all addictions is self centeredness and self obsession. The opposite response to self centeredness is humility. A person cannot become humble by reading about it or watching a movie; it can only be learned by practicing a spiritual way of life. Native American spirituality is not the only way to learn humility, but thousands of people around the world have used this form of spirituality to put their lives in order. It is a loving and caring way to learn life’s lessons.