We were lucky to catch up with Christopher Mack recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christopher, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me is to help me find the action of commitment. I had a philosophy of who I thought I was. And yet, I never understood commitment. It wasn’t until I met a very special person who challenged me to practice commitment in a way that I had never experienced, that I found what true commitment felt like. Thirty days she said, “Give it 30 days!” it was in that thirty days i found myself living a life beyond my wildest dream ,dreams which i never had. It was that act of kindness that someone took the time to direct me to do something more than from a philosophy that didn’t work half the time. I went from a 30-day boyfriend to a devoted partner for 13 1/2 years.

Christopher, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The Dynamics of Recovery started in the year 2003 when I started recovery meetings in downtown Los Angeles. I was 3 years sober and was ready to share my experience, strength, and hope. I noticed a dynamic in the room when participants were able to let go of judgements about themselves and to share their inhibitions and fears. We created a safe environment in the room and I noticed the shift in people over time. It evolved into writing two books to help people gain insights into their recovery process. We have a YouTube channel with videos and a website, www.dynamicsofrecovery.com where you can buy the books and download a free chapter of our first book, The Journey Within. We piloted the program for 2 years in the Skid Row area of LosAngeles to great success. It can be a self-study program or we can deliver to large crowds of individuals seeking a sense of well-being in their lives. We firmly believe that addiction is a behavior problem rather than a substance issue. We provide tools and skills to overcome many of the obsessive traits observed in addiction.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I believe it is about having compassion and being able to leave a person with their dignity. knowing that the greatest characteristic of the individual is resilience. the key to activating that resilience is helping him to see that his activity is not himself but to access his own potential

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have always struggled with my emotions. I was always crying when I was younger because of internal pain from my existence. I was teased by my brothers and sisters for this; they called me a crybaby. By going through the personal inventory of my life, I was able to let go of the negative narrative and abject criticism that I had received growing up. I still find myself constantly evolving when those feelings arise. I found myself unable to identify feelings for years as an adult, but the minute I let go of the judgment about crying, I was able to allow myself to drop my tears which created a healthy experience for me. Before that, my crying was in desperation , fear , worry and fatalism. Now I see that crying is just another way to release negative emotions. I feel calmer and less stressed afterwards. I feel that this understanding created a greater resilience within me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dynamicsofrecovery.com
• Instagram: dynamic_of_recovery
• Youtube: The Journey Within with Christopher Mack