A Cultural Understanding of Addiction

Sponsored by a collaboration between Dawn Mountain, the Institute for Spirituality and Health, and the Council on Recovery, Deana Bodnar, Ph.D., will present a two-part seminar, Bridging Neurobiological and Buddhist Views on Craving, Addiction and Recovery, from 9 a.m. to noon , July 15 and 22, online.

At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will have gained increased awareness of how neurological and Buddhist views on craving can inform the treatment and experience of substance use disorders; the neurobiological and philosophical underpinnings of Buddhist contemplative practice as they relate to craving, addiction and recovery; and strategies based in neurobiology, experience gained in the recovery community and Buddhist belief and practices that help address substance use disorders.

Treatment of substance use disorders requires a multimodal, interdisciplinary approach that tends to the biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of personhood. Perspectives and practices grounded in world religious traditions are valuable resources that can complement evidence-based approaches in recovery.

The concept of craving is key in scholarship relating to addiction and recovery, as well as in Buddhist frameworks relating to suffering. This seminar explores craving, addiction and recovery by putting contemporary neuroscientific understandings in conversation with Buddhist beliefs and practices. The audience includes professionals in the field of addiction and recovery that want to expand their understanding of these dynamics and individuals in recovery that can benefit from perspectives and practices that address the challenges of craving and addiction.

To register (required) visit Tinyurl.com/CravingSeminar. This event is also recorded for later viewing. Six CEU available for LPC, LMFT and LMSW. For more information, visit DawnMountain.org.

Here Comes the Bride

The 39th biannual Bridal Extravaganza Show, the largest bridal planning showcase in the U.S., will take place rom 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 15, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., July 16, at the George R. Brown Convention Center featuring fashion shows, cakes, gowns, and more than 160 local vendors.

The event draws marriage-bound couples from all over Texas and beyond to find invaluable resources to plan the perfect wedding and to register to win major prizes such as romantic honeymoons, shopping sprees, 10 bachelorette giveaways and a weekend escape at Deer Lake Lodge.

Highlights include cake samples, décor, flowers, fashion shows, a gown gallery of more than 200 wedding dresses, multiple Instagram walls for selfies, speaker presentations on the latest bridal fashion and trends, and entertainment from Houston’s top wedding professionals.

Couples will leave the event with a digital list of all of their favorite vendors with the BrideScan app, which allows engaged couples to connect with wedding professionals via a QR code.

General admission is $15 online and $25 at the door, VIP admission is $49. Location: 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston. For tickets, visit Tinyurl.com/BridalExtravaganza.