Beyond the Twelve Insider (07.27.25)

In progress book, a future website, a growing movement

Behind the Scenes

As part of gearing up to write my first book, I realized that I may not be well-read enough to write a book. So, I’ve been consuming every audiobook I can get my ears on, and I’ve passed over 100 books—of all genres imaginable—consumed since March 1, 2025. (I listen on 2x speed, so that my mind does not wander.) This week was no exception. As I’ve been conducting interviews, I’ve received several book recommendations, and one I received several times, and therefore prioritized, was ‘The Recovering’ by said to Leslie Jamison. This week, I consumed the audiobook on the Libby app.

Couple of notes:

1. this book wonderfully highlights the crucial role AA has played in not only her own recovery, but also those of so many famous authors—nothing against any of their lived experiences

2. the “other methods” of recovery, including harm reduction, medication assisted treatment, and non-12-step recovery programs are relegated to an author’s note at the end of the book, along with some of the less favorable aspects of the 12-step programs

3. I realized that my book is the antithesis to that book—the story of how so many people recovery ‘Beyond the Twelve’

Anyways, worthy of a read, just know that it is a specific flavor of recovery, and unfortunately, it represents as so many recovery memoirs do, just the most popular flavor of recovery.

Here’s my weekly update for the week of 07/21-27/25:

• Total Time Invested: Over 251 Hours

• Primary Twelve (extensive 3+ hours each) Interviews: 11/12 Fully Completed

  • This week I finished one of these interviews!

• Background (briefer context-based) Interviews: 18 Completed

• Subject Matter Expert (average 60 minutes) Interviews: 12 Completed

  • This week I chatted with Mark Sobell, one of the leading researchers on controlled drinking treatment using behavioral therapies

• Current Counts:

  • Pages of Handwritten Interview Notes: 257

  • Words Written in Manuscript: 21,589 (not all fully coherent)

  • Current Newsletter (Substack) Count: 87 (+18 since last week!)

As I’m looking to wind down the ‘Research Phase’ of this project, I will begin to focus on organizing the interview transcriptions and pulling out the relevant quotes and stories that will eventually be woven together to make the Just Cause of this project a reality:

"That everyone seeking recovery from addictive behavior be informed about the full diversity of recovery options available and allowed to choose freely amongst them."

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Featured ‘Beyond the Twelve’ Voice

For this week’s Featured Voice, I thought I would talk about one of the Twelve featured addiction professionals in the book.

Meet Chris Allende:

• in recovery since 12/05/2005

• working as an addiction professional in various capacities since 2010

• started as an addiction professional in Guatemala

• is a 1st generation Cuban-American who parents fled persecution in Cuba

• identifies his Christian faith as the cornerstone of his recovery

• awards include:

  • “Mission Champion” award from the Wellbeing Initiative

  • “Phil Herring Team Player of the Year” award from CenterPointe

Here is a brief quote from our time together, while talking about his recovery journey:

“When I did make the decision that I wanted to go on my recovery journey, I was very intentional in seeking out a faith-based process and a faith-based pathway to recovery.”

One aspect that many 12-steppers don’t understand is how problematic the “God, as we understood Him” can be for people of devout faith.

Further, when talking about the last 12-step meeting he went to, he shared this:

“I started noticing my body reacting a specific way, and as I was processing what that was, I was noticing that it was a trauma response, if you will.”

I have never heard it put so eloquently, but that trauma response is very real for so many people that have not been able to find a home in 12-step groups.

So appreciative of what Chris was willing to share with me during our interviews, and look forward to sharing more of his story with you in ‘Beyond the Twelve’!

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What I’m Working on This Upcoming Week

Three goals for this week:

1. Finish cleaning up the transcripts for all of the interviews that have been completed to date:

   • Each interview transcript takes up to an hour to “clean up” prior to a more thorough confirmation of what was said

   • I have cleaned up 6 of the 41 interviews to-date

2. Begin interview with the last of the primary twelve participants

3. Spread the word about the project

   • I will be sharing on my only social media channel (LinkedIn)

   • I would like each of YOU to consider sharing about the project, to the extent you feel motivated to share!