Bold & Fearless Prevention Program
The "Bold & Fearless Prevention Program" is a 13-week, self-help drug prevention program. It combines music, journal writing, specific daily and weekly goals, and workbook assignments to help individuals gain the desire to never use alcohol or drugs. This program is designed for any age group, including parents and children who work on this program together as a family.
I was already planning to revise my first book, Wings of Glory: The Story behind the Songs, to include more information about recovery and self-esteem principles when I received a telephone call from my son Ben. He said, “I was sitting in church today and the idea came to me that we need to use our Wings of Glory Album for drug prevention.”
His idea to use these songs for prevention made perfect sense. I decided to revise my book further and not only add more information about recovery and self-esteem, but also add a few chapters about drug prevention. It was becoming clear to me that high self-esteem was an essential ingredient not only for recovery, but also to prevent addiction in the first place.
As I contemplated a name to call this prevention program, a memory of my son, Jonathan, came back to me. He had something he wanted to do but was feeling a little bit scared to do it. As he was talking to me about his insecurities, he suddenly stopped, looked me in the eye, and said, “I just have to be bold and fearless.” Then he went and did it. Jonathan’s words have always stayed with me. To live a drug-free life in a drug-filled world you must be “bold and fearless.” You must be strong enough to stand alone when necessary and also be a leader in recruiting others to fight for the right to live your life happily in a world filled with love and peace.
Yes, you must be “bold and fearless.”
The “Bold & Fearless” Prevention Program is designed for children, teenagers, and adults to use. Parents and their children can participate in this program together and use this opportunity to talk openly in a safe environment about the dangers and consequences of drug addiction.
To better understand and/or teach the facts about tobacco, alcohol, and drug addictions, please read and discuss the books, Saying No Is Not Enough by Robert Schwebel, Ph.D., Just Say Know by Cynthia Kuhn, Ph.D., Scott Swartzwelder, Ph.D., and Wilkie Wilson, Ph.D., and The Big Book from Alcoholics Anonymous. Reading these real-life stories of people with addictions will serve as a strong reminder to never take that first drink or use that first drug.
I also highly recommend two other great resources for parents who want to teach their children how to be bold and fearless. 1) “Strengthening Families Program” Home Use DVD, created by Dr. Karol Kumpfer and produced by Jaynie Brown, who is my sister. 2) Positive Action Family Kit by Carol Gerber Allred, Ph.D.
Using the Wings of Glory Album for Prevention
The album, Wings of Glory: Songs of Hope and Healing from Addiction, is a much-needed tool of prevention with messages that are profound and persuasive. Through the power of this music you can gain a greater understanding of the harsh reality and enduring agony of life as an addict. You will also come to feel the love of God in your life and your own great individual worth.
The purpose of this music is to help you live your life happily without drugs or other artificial highs. After feeling its inspiration, you will never see drugs and alcohol the same way again. You will begin to desire the “natural high” from God’s love that never lets you down.
After listening to this album, you will begin to understand the consequences of drug addiction and gain an inner strength and resolve to never even experiment with drugs. Your ability to always resist negative peer pressure will increase. High self-esteem will naturally grow as develop faith in God, gain a desire to avoid all addictions, be accountable for making and achieving goals, build strong family relationships, and find true friends.
By listening to the Wings of Glory songs and reading the stories behind the songs, opportunities for discussions about the consequences of drug addiction will naturally develop. Within an atmosphere of love and understanding, you can discuss the drama of these real-life experiences with your family and friends.
The Wings of Glory album has strengthened our family tremendously. I know it can strengthen you, too. As you share its message with those around you, your home and community will be a stronger, safer, and happier place to live.
A Prevention Fence?
As you read the following poem, reflect on your own personal feelings about preventing alcohol and drug abuse. If you were asked to vote on “building a fence” or continuing to pay for an “ambulance” to solve the addiction problems in your community, what would you choose? This poem, attributed to Joseph Malin (1895) expresses the great importance of building strong fences for prevention.
The Ambulance Down in the Valley
‘Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant,
But over its terrible edge there had slipped,
A duke and full many a peasant.
So the people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally.
Some said, "Put a fence around the edge of the cliff,"
Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."
But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,
For it spread through the neighboring city,
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became moved with pity,
For those who slipped over that dangerous cliff;
And the dwellers on highway and alley
Gave pounds and gave pence not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.
Then an old sage remarked, "it’s a marvel to me
That people give far more attention
To repairing the results than to stopping the cause,
When they’d much better aim at prevention.
"Let us stop at its source all this hurt," cried he.
"Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally.
If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense
With the ambulance down in the valley.
Five Elements of Prevention
I know the pain that echoes sorrowfully in the hearts and souls of everyone who has ever had to deal with the crisis of addiction. The initial stage of drug experimentation needs to be prevented. The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” has never been more true than when it comes to preventing the devastation of drug abuse.
I heard the “The Ambulance Down in the Valley” poem in church when I was a teenager, and the message of this analogy always stayed with me: “It’s better to build a fence at the top of the cliff than to send an ambulance to the valley.” The vicious valley of addiction is full of good people who have made bad decisions. These people went after the thrill of climbing onto the dangerous cliffs of experimenting with drug and alcohol, but their fate was doomed from the start. With little or no warning, they suddenly fell off the cliffs of experimentation down into the valley of addiction, where they often continue suffering for years. Ambulances get paid to pick them up, but the problem is never solved. Our communities need to build strong fences of alcohol and drug prevention.
Because of what our family has had to endure while dealing with the issues of addiction, I have pondered a great deal about how to teach the subject of prevention. I came to understand that the five elements needed for recovery could also be modified and used proactively for prevention.
The Five Elements of Prevention can be used to help people avoid the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. If you implement these five elements into your life when you are young, you will grow up with a strong, internal fence to keep you far away from the dangerous cliffs of drug and alcohol use.
1. Faith in God
Everyone needs to believe that there is a real purpose to life and that you are not alone in this world. There is a spiritual power that you can tap into each day as you turn to God during your personal trials. As you learn to pray, study the scriptures, listen to songs about Jesus Christ, and write your feelings in a journal, you will receive the spiritual guidance that you need to deal with the challenges in your life.
2. Desire for Change
Assume full responsibility for all your choices by avoiding people, places, and things that could lead to addiction. Read and discuss books about drug prevention with your family and friends, and take time to enjoy life’s natural highs. Get help from others when dealing with the stresses and pressures around you instead of substituting a quick, temporary, addictive relief that always brings you down in the end.
3. Accountability
The best way to keep free of all addictions is to be completely involved in other worthwhile activities that you really enjoy doing. Counsel with a mentor, who can be a trusted family member, reliable friend, or professional advisor to set personal goals and report back on your progress to someone who can help you achieve your goals in life.
4. Family Love
A family is made up of imperfect people bound together with fragile strings of love. Be sensitive to each other’s feelings. Everyone needs to feel a sense of belonging and know that they are accepted and appreciated for who they are. Help each family member feel needed, cared for, and cherished so family bonding can grow and deepen.
5. Friends with Integrity
Friends who are strong and loyal are important because everyone likes feeling included in a good group. Friends who share similar interests and moral values will help you keep your commitments to yourself. If you have concerns about some of your friends, talk to someone you can trust and figure out a way to leave bad friends behind as you find good friends you can trust and make a fresh start in life.
The Program
The Bold & Fearless Prevention Program uses the album Wings of Glory: Songs of Hope and Healing from Addiction, the book, Wings of Glory: The Story behind the Songs, and the Living Drug-free Workbook to teach correct principles about living a life free from all addictions.
This program is designed to be simple. The only hard part about this program is being consistent. But, consistency will gradually come over time as you commit yourself to the program. Please read the Thoughts to Ponder each week. These thoughts focus on how to live a drug-free life, discover high self-esteem, and make good friends.
After completing this prevention program, it will be important to begin the 13 Choices Happy Life Program, which follows the same format as the prevention program. It will help you discover true happiness and high self-esteem and maintain an addiction-free life.
Additional information about using this program successfully is available in my booklet, Explanation of Self-Help Programs. For more information about drug prevention, please read my book, Wings of Glory: Addiction, Recovery, and High Self-esteem and the memoir I wrote about my son, Jonathan, Freedom from Addiction—A Mother’s Story of Hope.