Don, born in Louisiana to Shamanic-descendant Native Americans (matriarchal side), pursued theology after growing up on a farm with three siblings. He later specialised in addiction studies in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, achieving an M.Div and additional studies in Management, Administration, and Counselling. With a background in Philosophy, he found his calling as a priest, offering support to Step 5s in local treatment centres.
For over 40 years, Don has dedicated himself to addiction and psychiatric behavioural health, working internationally at esteemed centres like Sierra Tucson, Cottonwood, and The Priory, Europe, and the Middle East. He excelled in “family systems work” in the addiction field.
Beyond his professional achievements, Don assisted in pioneering equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) in the US (1990s) and the UK since 2002. The author of the book “Equine Utilized Psychotherapy: Dance With Those That Run With Laughter,” (circa 2006) explains simply why and how it works. He gained media recognition, including appearances on shows like ‘The Trisha Show’ and a feature in The Daily Telegraph.
In the early 2000s, Don and his wife, Meena, established Camino Recovery in Spain. For over a decade and a half, they have been providing tailored and diverse addiction treatment programs with a focus on helping people find a happier way of life.
Besides his work at Camino Recovery, Don enjoys travelling with Meena, spending time with family and working on DIY projects.
National Recovery Month, a highly anticipated annual event, is stronger than ever after thirty-five years. The event celebrates those in recovery, highlights the importance of recovery practices, raises awareness, and advocates for greater access to cutting-edge therapies and treatments.
Generational trauma is the psychological and emotional load passed down by descendants who have experienced significant trauma. This trauma might have originated from a variety of sources, including war, systemic oppression, slavery, genocide, child abuse, domestic violence, alcohol and drug addiction, and neglect.
Recognising your attachment style enables you to cultivate healthy relationships and address any underlying issues that may arise from your early attachment experiences, such as substance abuse and other addictive tendencies.
In their efforts to maintain stability or manage stress, many family members adopt dysfunctional and co-dependent coping mechanisms and behavioural patterns, which can exacerbate the situation.
If you’re dating or considering dating someone in recovery, it’s important to remember that recovery is a life-long process requiring diligence, hard work, and humility. While the journey can be difficult, living a healthy, sober life is highly rewarding.
An individual who feels powerless may believe they are unable to stop or change their addictive behaviours or patterns even though they have made many genuine attempts to do so.
This sense of inadequacy can fuel the cycle of addiction by undermining an individual’s sense of self, confidence and motivation for change and recovery.
Being trauma-informed means that your therapist approaches treatment with a deep understanding and sensitivity of the impact that your traumatic experiences may have on your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
Today, Camino Recovery has evolved into one of Europe’s premier trauma centres—a recognition we are proud of. Clients come to Camino from all over the world. Few are locals—most travel overseas to arrive at our magical, transformative centre for healing.
In this article, we’ll explore Camino Recovery – a leading residential retreat on the southern coast of Spain – to help you narrow your search for the perfect destination for deep healing and lasting recovery this winter.