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Show i ; - - - - : j ' L.-. i .... L A. 1A Moab volunteers, interested in implementing the educational program of the Cottage, are shown here after taking part in a role-playing skit. They will aid substance abuse counselor Michaelene Pendleton in educating the community about alcoholism. Standing, from left, are Larry Bray, Fr. Ken Kaisch, Ernie Lisonbee, and Leila Ball. Kneeling, from left, are Susan Lisonbee, Michaelene Pendleton, Pat Copass and Laurel Lesmeister, Four Corners Mental Health outreach worker. Madge Warde was missing from the picture. Photo by Beth Heggeness Alcohol workshop provides skills It takes at least two people to make an alcoholic, and by the same token, it takes people to make people well. These two philosophies, basic to the Cottage Program, were stressed to Moab volunteers volun-teers taking part in a three-day three-day workshop last weekend at the Ramada Inn. The workshop work-shop was sponsored by Four Corners Community Mental Health and the Cottage, an organization that educates people about alcoholism. The Cottage Program is a private, non profit group that has been working since 1972 to raise public awareness of the problem of alcoholism. Their basic premise is that the people who can most benefit from education about alcoholism alcohol-ism are not the alcoholics themselves, but the people affected by the alcoholic's behavior. Michaelene Pendleton, substance sub-stance abuse counselor at Four Corners Mental Health in Moab was partially responsible respon-sible for bringing the Cottage people to Moab for the workshop. work-shop. She feels that the community com-munity in general needs to be educated about alcoholism and that the Cottage Program is an effective teaching program prog-ram to use. The Cottage Program is carried out in a community by volunteers who have been trained in its philosophy. Workshop activities included includ-ed formal presentations by two Salt Lake Cottage volunteers, volun-teers, Jim Tyrner and Kay Edgar. The Moab volunteers then learned about and practiced prac-ticed some listening, observing observ-ing and attending skills, discussed dis-cussed how to talk to people, and were given some helpful pointers about how to speak before groups. Role-playing skits were also part of the workshop activities so that attitudes could be discussed and identified. Identification of alcoholism is one of the basic skills taught by the Cottage Program. Once it is recognized, the Cottage stresses that efforts must immediately be made to change the behavior of the family, friends, and community communi-ty of the alcoholic before he himself is able to cure his illness. The Cottage seeks to remove the stigma and fear of alcoholism that leads to family and friends covering up for the alcoholic instead of truly helping him by removing environmental en-vironmental causes of his illness. This emphasis on the persons per-sons surrounding alcoholism is placed by Cottage because all too often it is stress from family, friends, and job that leads to alcoholic problems. The Cottage has found that through simple re-education, the environment may be changed enough so that drinking drink-ing behavior is no longer so strongly reinforced. Here in Moab, Ms. Pendleton Pendle-ton is planning to implement Cottage methods with community com-munity volunteers in combination combi-nation with the traditional alcohol therapy that she does as substance abuse counselor. She also hopes to soon begin regular Cottage meetings that community volunteers can attend. at-tend. With the core group of volunteers who attended the workshop this weekend, Ms. Pendleton wants to start working with people who would like to have a Cottage meeting in their home, or have a presentation in schools and at community club and group meetings. Michaelene said that she felt the workshop to be very worthwhile in getting the Moab group off to a start and thanked the Ramada Inn for donating the use of their conference room. Anyone interested in-terested in learning more about the Cottage Program should contact Michaelene Pendleton at Four Corners Mental Health, 259 6131. |