Brainwave entrainment, also known as brainwave synchronization or neural entrainment, is a phenomenon where the brain's electrical activity naturally synchronizes to the rhythm of an external stimulus, such as flickering lights, sound, or electromagnetic fields. This occurs due to the brain's tendency to match its dominant brainwave frequencies to the frequency of the external stimulus, a process called the Frequency Following Response (FFR).  

The underlying theory is rooted in physics and complex systems theory, where coupled oscillators tend to synchronize their rhythms. Just as pendulum clocks placed near each other will eventually swing in unison, brainwaves, which are the brain's natural electrical oscillations, can be influenced to align with external rhythmic stimuli.
Different brainwave frequencies are associated with different mental states:  

• Delta (0.5-4 Hz): Deep sleep, relaxation, unconsciousness.  
  
• Theta (4-8 Hz): Drowsiness, light sleep, deep relaxation, meditation, creativity.
  
• Alpha (8-12 Hz): Relaxed wakefulness, calmness, meditation, focus.  
  
• Beta (12-30 Hz): Alertness, focus, active thinking, problem-solving.  
  
• Gamma (30-100 Hz): Higher mental activity, learning, information processing, attention.  
  

• Delivery: Isochronic tones can be effectively delivered through speakers or headphones. Headphones are often recommended to minimize external distractions.  
  
• Nature of Sound: They sound like a rhythmic pulsing or clicking. This can be embedded within music or nature sounds to make them more pleasant to listen to.  
  
• Applications: Isochronic tones are used for a variety of purposes, including:
  • Relaxation and Stress Reduction (Alpha frequencies): The distinct pulses can guide the brain into a calmer state.  
    
  • Improved Focus and Concentration (Beta and Gamma frequencies): Higher frequency pulses may enhance alertness and cognitive processing.  
    
  • Sleep Enhancement (Delta and Theta frequencies): Lower frequencies can promote drowsiness and deeper sleep states.  
    
  • Meditation (Alpha and Theta frequencies): Facilitating entry into meditative states.  
    
  • Mood Enhancement: By influencing brainwave patterns associated with positive emotions.  
    

• Delivery: Binaural beats require the use of headphones because the two different frequencies must be delivered separately to each ear for the effect to occur. Speakers will cause the tones to mix, and the binaural beat will not be perceived.  
  
• Nature of Sound: The listener typically hears two continuous tones with a subtle pulsing or beating sensation that is the binaural beat frequency.
  
• Applications: Similar to isochronic tones, binaural beats are used for various purposes related to altering mental states:
  • Relaxation and Anxiety Reduction (Alpha and Theta frequencies): Lower frequency binaural beats are popular for inducing calm and reducing stress.  
    
  • Meditation (Theta frequencies): Facilitating deeper meditative states.  
    
  • Improved Sleep (Delta and Theta frequencies): Encouraging the brain to shift towards sleep-related frequencies.
    
  • Enhanced Focus and Cognitive Function (Beta and Gamma frequencies): Higher frequency beats are sometimes used to promote alertness and concentration.  
    
  • Pain Management: Some research suggests potential benefits for pain perception.  
    
   
  

• Mechanism: Isochronic tones provide a direct auditory stimulus with clear on/off pulses, while binaural beats are a perceived auditory illusion created by the brain's processing of two different tones.  
  
• Delivery: Isochronic tones can be effective with speakers or headphones, whereas binaural beats require headphones for the separate delivery of frequencies to each ear.  
  
• Effectiveness: Some anecdotal evidence and limited research suggest that isochronic tones might produce a stronger entrainment effect due to the more direct stimulation. However, individual responses can vary.
  
• Perception: Some individuals find the sharp pulsing of isochronic tones less pleasant than the continuous tones with a subtle beat of binaural beats. Embedding the tones in music or nature sounds can mitigate this.  
  
• Research: While research on brainwave entrainment is ongoing, the evidence for its effectiveness varies. Some studies show promising results for specific applications, while others are inconclusive or have methodological limitations. More rigorous and large-scale research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and mechanisms of action for both isochronic tones and binaural beats.  
  

• Brainwave entrainment is generally considered safe for most people when used at reasonable listening levels.
  
• Individuals with epilepsy or a history of seizures should exercise caution and consult with a healthcare professional before using brainwave entrainment, as certain frequencies of light or sound can potentially trigger seizures.
  
• Brainwave entrainment should not be considered a substitute for medical or psychological treatment.
  
• The effectiveness of brainwave entrainment can vary significantly between individuals. Factors such as individual brainwave patterns, listening habits, and the quality of the audio can play a role.
  

From base to peak:

Grace - the good fortune of becoming ready for change and discovering a path to get there.

Faith - the courage to believe in oneself, one's Higher Source, or whatever fosters strength in time of need.

Truth - the ongoing process of insight into oneself, one's issues and addictions, and the world.

Peace - the Serenity that comes from Sobriety and the journey leading us toward it.

Light - the power to inspire, guide, teach, and mentor others on the path to liberation.

Greed - prevents Kindness.
Anger - loss of Patience.
Pride (ego) - lack of Humility.
Sloth - failure of Tenacity. Laziness, giving up.

"Keep the Vows and Mind the GAPS, and you'll rarely go wrong."

Five concepts supporting successful recovery:

Acceptance - becoming OK with the reality of ourselves and our lives, even when things are rough.
Betterment - recognizing that change is possible, desirable, and achievable.
Compassion - treating others with empathy, kindness, respect, and genuine concern for their struggles.
Discipline - doing the work - having a program and making it our number one priority.
Excellence - avoiding half-hearted efforts and double-minded doubts. Doing our VERY BEST.

Not yet, as the program just launched, but we do encourage anyone interested in setting up in-person or Zoom meetings to do so if they feel inspired to. Volunteer service is a great way to both help others and safeguard our own sobriety.

As soon as such meetings are established, they will be listed here and on our homepage.

If you'd like to volunteer to organize a meeting, please let us know. There will be a brief quiz to ensure that you understand the program, and you will be provided some readings to open and close each meeting.

No.

We do not believe that unqualified, untrained individuals should be granted special power over our lives, including personal issues that may be only loosely related to our goal of ending addiction.

SoberLogic is peer-based recovery. It can be done alone or in groups (meetings). In either case, there are no power differentials involved. We are all equals in our struggles and victories.

While peers are encouraged to support and mentor each other as they wish, there is no formal tradition of sponsorship in the program, and this is another critical area where we differ from AA.

Why did I create a new recovery program when there are already plenty available?

Well, for starters, there really aren't a lot of alternatives to the half-dozen or so major established programs, and that leaves a whole lot of people out in the cold, struggling alone against addiction with nowhere to turn.

But we'll get back to that soon.

I suffer from a dual-diagnosis substance use disorder - namely Alcohol Use Disorder, which some programs refer to as "alcoholism" or "their disease." I won't debate the issue of labels here, I'll just tell you my own experience.

For over 30 years, I have used alcohol excessively in spite of mounting problems of an increasingly serious nature. I've lost friends and family, suffered serious physical, mental, and emotional injuries, been arrested multiple times (totaling three long years in jail), become homeless, and reached several points where I seriously considered suicide.

During that entire time, I had been in and out of AA, but for many personal reasons, it just wasn't a good fit for me. Some will say I didn't work the program, or that I was "constitutionally incapable of honesty," and so on. I never found this sort of shaming and shunning to be helpful in my recovery.

Court-mandated treatments did nothing for me, either. If a person is forced into recovery, their odds of success are less than average. Motivation for true change has to come from *within* - not from any external authority.

I also got into SMART Recovery, even going so far as training to be a meeting facilitator, but ultimately it felt too much like a hodge-podge of trendy tools than a complete, comprehensive program. Of course, "your mileage may vary."

So I moved on to Dharma Recovery, which I love and continue to study, but its specifically Buddhist flavor doesn't resonate with me the way I need it to. I'm a product of American culture and need something that speaks to that.

And I even did AVRT - the now-defunct "Rational Recovery" method by Jack Trimpey. I got a year sober out of it, which was great, but ultimately I found it to be a one-trick pony, and when the pony got tired, the booze came back. Even so, we use an adaptation of AVRT which we call SAVE in this program - we just don't use it as our only answer for everything. As a supplemental tool within the overall program, SAVE can work wonders.

However, despite somehow putting together a few years sober here and there over three decades, it seems that in order to reach the point of being inspired to create this program, I had some more "field research" to do in the ugly matter of being a mean, rotten, falling-down drunk. Maybe your problem isn't drinking, but I bet you know what I mean anyway.

Eventually, not so long ago, and after another disastrous relapse, I realized that if any program was going to work for me, I'd just have to go ahead and create it myself. I had just turned 50 and I was "sick and tired of being sick and tired of being sick and tired." I repeated the phrase an extra time so you can get a sense for how desperate I was to get off this roller coaster that had taken nearly everything from me, and would next take my life.

So, while broke and homeless, I used an overly large chunk of what little money I had to buy a domain and a hosting plan, and I got to work. What you see here is the result of that work - 30+ years of lived experience in battling the toughest enemy I'd ever faced.

I wanted to include a "tribute version" of the 12 Steps because of their proven effectiveness in helping many people in their recovery journeys - but I also realized it's not 1935 any more, and the language needed updating to make it more inclusive, less heavy-handed about God and religion, and more oriented to today's ongoing research in the substance use disorder field. There's been a lot of change in those 90 years, and change is what recovery is all about.

So I did that. Not everyone will agree with all of the revisions and additions I made, and that's OK. Just like the original 12 Steps, these are intended as "a suggested path of recovery." You can modify my modifications, if it works better for you. Be sure to tell us your experience with these revised steps, so we can work together to build a better program.

Finally, I added some of the best tools I took from SMART Recovery, CBT and DBT therapy, mindfulness, and other treatment modalities that have established their own track records of success for many people. But this program isn't just a mish-mash of "recovery stuff," it is a carefully-designed holistic approach that offers enough options that participants can successfully "take what works and leave the rest."

There are no sponsors. There are no group leaders. Nobody tells you what to do but yourself. There is no requirement for membership other than a desire to end your addiction(s). There are no fees, dues, or costs, besides the time and energy you'll need to put into the program to make it work for you.

Today, I'm still homeless. I'm still facing legal problems. And guess what? I'm still SOBER - thanks to applying the steps and techniques I'm giving you here.

My goal is not to oppose AA or other programs, nor to lure away their membership. If it's working for you, keep doing it. But if, like me, you've found yourself struggling with working the existing programs and suffered because of it, this may finally be your solution.

I hope and pray this will save other lives in addition to my own.