By: Marilyn L. Davis, founder, and Editor-in-Chief at From Addict 2 Advocate
The Benefits of Collaborating with other Writers
For many years, I’ve talked, preached, and promoted the concept of collaborating with other writers to reach a wider audience. To me, it just makes sense. And here at From Addict 2 Advocate, strong writers are sharing their message of hope and recovery.
I also like quotes that reinforce a belief, and this one says it all.
“That’s why I’m a proponent of collaboration. It’s not because working together feels good. If it felt good and the results were mediocre, then collaboration wouldn’t be worth the effort. Collaboration is valuable because it helps us transcend our individual limits and create something greater than ourselves.” ― Bob Sullo
That’s the beauty of collaborative writing – various voices, styles, and tones. We learn so much more about how recovery works, from different perspectives.
The following Contributing Writers at From Addict 2 Advocate add their struggles, experiences, and encouragement, which means that our readers have information to help them recover, and we all benefit.
When you’re ready to contribute a guest post to From Addict 2 Advocate, here are the submission guidelines.
Bio: Whitney McKendree Moore
Voice and pen became Whitney’s personal ways to be heard. After she married in 1971, she published an article every year as she pursued her professional career and she continued to “sing constantly.”
A turning point for Whitney came in 1989, when she found her way into Twelve-Step recovery.
There, people were sharing “dirty laundry” and seeking God’s guidance to overcome. Now her writing is focused on encouraging others that God is still in the miracle-making business.
Whitney’s posts on From Addict 2 Advocate
To Connect with Whitney:
Websites: Recovery in the Bible BSBusters
Craig W. Stratton MS, ASCAS
Combining his passions with a purpose is one of his goals. He has worked to help marginalized populations understand their addictions and introduce them to the benefits of recovery, as a Case Manager for the homeless, and those in Drug Treatment Court. 
He has also counseled adolescents, adults and couples over the last 14 years in various agencies, and worked extensively on Alternatives to Incarceration, to offer treatment and not incarceration for nonviolent offenders.
Craig is an Adjunct Professor at Hudson Valley Community College, where he brings his personal experience of 17 years in recovery as well as his education to his students, ensuring that the next generation of substance abuse counselors understand knowledge of addiction, but more importantly, know a representative of the addicted population.
Bringing this human element to his classes, advocates for recovery and will help remove the stigmas and myths associated with faceless addicts. His unique perspective to various aspects of recovery besides not using is another of Craig’s strengths.
For more posts that will positively influence your recovery, here’s a link to Craig’s blog.
Noelle Sterne
Academic mentor, editor and coach, with the Ph.D. from Columbia University, she helps doctoral students wrestling with their dissertations and publishes articles in several blogs for dissertation writers. Noelle has delivered requested presentations on academic writing at several universities and is a regular contributor to Abstract, the blog of the Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA). She also contributes pieces to other national and international publications, on dissertation issues and writing. In July and August 2018 she was one of six webinar presenters for its “Writing Gym.” Her topic: “Get Started, Continue Your Draft, and Finish.”
Eons ago, she published a children’s book of original (groan worthy) dinosaur riddles, Tyrannosaurus Wrecks (What do you get when dinosaurs crash their cars?). Riddles from the book appear in several elementary school language arts texts, and the book was featured on PBS’s Reading Rainbow.
A Chicken Soup for the Soul podcast (May 16, 2017) featured her story “Time to Say Goodbye” from a 2013 volume: https://chickensoup.podbean.com/e/tip-tuesday-why-you-should-remove-toxic-people-from-your-life-and-how-to-do-it/_
Noelle’s book Trust Your Life: Forgive Yourself and Go After Your Dreams (Unity Books, 2011) contains examples from her practice, writing, and other aspects of life to help readers release regrets, relabel their past, and reach lifelong yearnings.
Her book Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation: Coping With the Emotional, Interpersonal, and Spiritual Struggles (Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2015) further aids doctoral candidates to award of their degrees.
As part of pursuing her writing Dream, Noelle’s mission is to help other writers reach theirs and create the lives they truly desire. Taking her own advice (hard as it may be), she is completing her first novel.
Noelle’s books:
Catherine Townsend-Lyon
Catherine is a former columnist for In Recovery Magazine’s “The Author’s Cafe,” a recovery coach, and ghostwriter.
She runs “Cat Lyon’s Reading & Writing Den” helping authors market their books throughout social media.
Catherine advocates and has shared her story on Addictionland.com, Facing Addiction.org and Heroes in Recovery.com.
Catherine was invited to be in media articles by The University of Columbia, Nautil.us, and Time.com.
She seeks platforms to raise awareness, inform, and educated others about gambling addiction and recovery. She resides in Arizona and So. Oregon. Catherine’s Social Media: Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn.
She is the author of “Addicted to Dimes, Confessions of a Liar and a Cheat” published by The Kodel Empire Group and available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, BAM, Walmart books online, and InReocvery.com bookstand.
Donnie Huffman
Donnie Huffman is an aspiring writer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Struggling with trauma, mental illness, and addiction, he spent substantial segments of his adolescence in and out of hospitals, treatment centers, halfway houses, and jail.
After a suicide attempt, he got sober at age 29 through the 12-Steps and therapy.
Clean, refocused, and rekindling a passion for writing, he is also working on his autobiography. He now has a full-time job in the healthcare field, and credits his daily practice of meditation and writing for helping him stay in recovery.
Christine Campbell BSW,
MS
I am so humbled and grateful for my sobriety, my peaceful life, and for all my ‘spiritual family’. Many men and women saw one wounded woman crawl into the rooms and couple decades ago. I am so grateful for all I have and for all that I don’t have.
I have come a long way from life in the fast lane, struggling to find myself, be a mother, and stand proud and discover what really matters.
My story is raw and honest-painfully shared-but a story about the ability to live life to the fullest and pass on what was so freely given to me, no matter what life brings you.
Retiring as a mental health practitioner, I celebrated 25 years last January and live a peaceful life in Northern Michigan. I write, blog, and stay connected with the wonderful people in recovery.
Link for book, With Vigilance-a woman in long-term recovery
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/442608
Aaron Lebold
I have been in the recovery field for over seven years, where I find a great deal of purpose by helping others, and I have great passion for recovery. I work as a Recovery Coach with Brad McLeod Recovery, and do my best to support people struggling with addiction over the internet.
I am really enjoying the experience, and reflecting on my past has been very beneficial for me, even after nearly nine years of recovery.
If you would like to learn more about me, I have written out my life story on Medium (https://medium.com/@aaronleboldbmr)
Rev. Dr. Kevin T. Coughlin Ph.D., DCC, DDVA, DLC, DD, NCIP, NCAMP, IMAC
Rev Dr. Coughlin is a Founder and the Director of New Beginning Ministry, Inc. a grassroots evidence based, twelve-step residential addiction recovery program for adults that is accredited by the A.A.C.T. Most call him RevKev.
RevKev is also a Nationally Certified Recovery Coach and Anger Management Specialist, a Nationally Certified Family Recovery Coach, a Nationally Certified Christian Recovery Coach and Family Recovery Coach, and a Nationally Certified Gambling Addiction Coach, Nationally Certified Case Manager, Life Coach, an International Master Addictions Coach, Sexual Addiction Coach, Life Recovery Coach and Trainer.
Dr. Coughlin has helped thousands of people to change their lives over the past seventeen plus years. He is an Addiction Expert, Blogger/Writer at Addicted Minds and VIP Interventions, and a Professional Associate member at Gemini Behavioral Health, Addict2Advocate, The Addictions Academy, Sober Services, and hundreds of small press magazines and newspapers. He is a two-time World Champion and nine time National Champion and State and National Record holder power lifter, a gentle giant who has championed many in his career. His also writes poetry on addiction and Christian subjects, with over 500 published to date.
RevKev’s accomplishments do not stop here; so connect with RevKev on LinkedIn
Aaron Lebold
Christine Campbell
Craig Stratton
Donnie Huffman
marilynldavis