A few years ago, I was reading from my book, 49 Tips and Insights for Understanding Addiction at a book store when two women were waiting for me to finish signing books. They were a teacher and a principal at a charter school in Albuquerque for at-risk kids. They weren’t there for the addiction book, rather, they somehow stumbled upon Journey to Aztlan and were using it within their curriculum. Turns out, it’s one of the few books the students will read. Over the years, I’ve presented and read several times at this school (I was even the keynote speaker for their commencement two years ago). It occurred to me that, even though I am a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, it may even be better for me to be licensed to teach/counsel within the schools. So I applied for and received my school counseling license.
What’s more, I’ve been writing children’s books that center on themes that have been shown to prevent substance abuse. In these books, I focus on topics like empowerment, respect for self/others, and other protective factors. I use these themes and topics as vehicles to teach children that they have all they need inside themselves to reach their potential. It’s my fundamental belief: We all have what we need to face the challenges within our own lives. This core belief drives all that I do and I know its true both for individuals and for organizations. All too often, people tend to think that something or someone else can solve their problems when in reality, all it takes is a shift towards trusting what’s already in them. Once that shift happens, reliance on external things (like religion) or people (like parents/consultants) diminishes.
I don’t know how to publish my children’s books but that’s less of an issue than my goal of teaching kids that like a seed, they have all they need to grow and develop and they should. They just need the right soil, water, and light and they can become what they’re meant to become. I hope that through my licensure and my books, I can be a part of those elements.
