Wendy Dossett is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Chester and Principal Investigator of the Higher Power Project. Wulf wrote the section relating to Wendy on her Recovery Voices People page:
‘Professor Wendy Dossett and I share a love Eryri [Snowdonia], and its beaches, valleys and mountains where we both live. Yet despite this proximity, our relationship began in other overlapping spaces of academia and wider recovery communities. Wendy’s generosity and warmth stood out. Over the last decade, we have increasingly translated this acquaintance into some shared working collaboration.
As reflected in our conversation, it becomes rapidly clear that Wendy has so much to offer to, and insight on, the process of recovery. She is honest and thoughtful in reflections on her own recovery journey. Rich and insightful in her understanding of the 12-Step Fellowship and particularly the role that spirituality plays in recovery. Finally, Wendy has an abundance of wisdom that comes from many years of navigating the obstacles within systems and supporting meaningful actions and change.
In the films below, edited from our interview, Wendy describes reaching out for help 18 years ago at a time when she was in absolute agony due to her drinking problem. She has not had a drink of alcohol since that time. In our conversation, we cover a wide range of topics, including the nature of addiction, a wide variety of aspects related to the 12-Step Fellowship, foundations of recovery, grassroots community, recovery advocacy and the system, and recovery friendly universities.’
Wendy’s interview was edited into 17 films, totalling over 88 minutes, as well as a Film Teaser, for her Recovery Voices People section. A variety of other films were edited for our Stories and Themes sections. Here are three of my favourite Wendy clips taken from our YouTube Theme channel.
In Absolute Agony
‘My life was unravelling. I was having a lot of suicidal ideation, and I was attempting suicide.’ [1′ 45″]
Power of Community
‘People together, they are more than the sum of their parts…. They can do more together…. We hear these phrases that “Recovery is contagious”, and it is. So you need a community in which that contagion can happen, in which it can be seeded and passed on.’ [1′ 54″]
Group of Drunks
‘These people in this meeting who used to drink to really destructive levels are now abstinent, that’s a power, that’s a force that a newcomer can tap into. It’s the power of example, the power of community, the power of friendship.’ [2′ 09″]