Felicia Dickson, PhD, CARC
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Felicia Dickson been on the "front lines" of drug and behavioral addiction treatment, for over two decades, but she sees "substance abuse" as just one point in the larger constellation of trauma recovery. Furthermore, she views "trauma", itself (at its most broad definition) as a largely universal experience that is quite simply a natural portion of the intense, emotional journey that we call "being human". Here specialization includes recovery from all overt and covert forms of abuse, including "substance abuse", as well as verbal, psychological, emotional, physical, sexual, social and spiritual; however, the information that she imparts and the tools that she teaches can help anyone who wants to change any "sticky" behavior pattern.
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Felicia is, herself, a survivor of narcissistic parents, sexual abuse and domestic violence, and her own transformative journey has taught her that we have all of the internal wisdom that we need, to heal --- we must only "tap in". Drawing from an eclectic array of disciplines, Dr. Dickson teaches you how to release the accumulated layers of false shame that have blocked you from accessing your innate "Source, within".
She rejects labels and believes in treating the entire individual, interacting with her clients as collaborative partners in the healing process. She operates from a strength-based perspective, recognizing clients as highly gifted people, who must learn to channel their sensitivities in an empowering context.
Dr. Dickson completed her social work and counseling degree internships at ARCS, facilitating supervised group workshops and individual sessions. In 2000 she founded A Safe Place Halfway Houses, a comprehensive program for homeless and addicted trauma survivors, replete with individual and family counseling, recovery education groups, life skills groups, personal accountability groups, community-building activities and aftercare resources.
It had long been recognized by colleagues, that Felicia is an exceptionally gifted communicator; thus, in 2003, she was offered and accepted the position of National Speaking Director for ARCS, even as she simultaneously remained Program Director of A Safe Place. She is known for a speaking style that is both educational and entertaining. Felicia insists that, "You can't teach anything to anyone, unless you can first make them laugh and nod with the recognition that we are all members of the same tribe, with similar desires and frailties. One of the foremost requirements of being an effective motivational speaker is the ability to expose your own humanity."
In 2010 Dr. Dickson left A Safe Place to become the Training and Development Director for ARCS, where she develops new workshops and teaches online coaching certification classes. Her first love remains working with clients, so she consistently keeps time open in her dynamic schedule for new client consultations, assessments, interventions and sessions.
Dr. Dickson's philosophy has contributed greatly to the ARCS endeavor and can best be summarized in her own words, during a recent radio interview: "Healing is not about resisting destructive or otherwise unwanted behaviors... It's about making them obsolete. Once you acquire coping techniques that are far more effective than disabling your consciousness or minimizing your power ever was, you will never want to return. Once you know who you are and like yourself - once you are actually dedicated to yourself and draw foremost loyalty to yourself - you will find those patterns that used to seem impossible to overcome just 'sloughing off', naturally... You simply won't need them, anymore.
As inconceivable as this may seem, you'll wake up one day and, as a complete afterthought, you will realize, 'Wow, I don't do that, anymore... And, I don't even want to do that, anymore... It's just not who I am, anymore.', whether it is drugs, overeating, picking unavailable partners, anxiously obsessing... whatever the behavior was. And, that is true change. It's not a surface event... It's something elemental and mystical.
Yes, we must learn the effective tools for living, and we must practice them, yet something happens beyond that to accomplish real change. For example, we can plant a seed, nurture it, feed it and water it. We are responsible to acquire the gardening know-how and to take the necessary actions; however, so long as we do these things, when it comes to that seed actually taking root and sprouting... we are all rendered humble witnesses. It has a process and a wisdom, all its own. And, a large part of the recovery journey - of the human journey - is learning to trust this internal process and to accept our small but vital role, within it."