I was reading a couple of thoughts out of a book by Bill W. today. One of them had to do with the psychiatrist, Dr. Harry Tiebout, an early on friend of AA. The other had to do with Dr. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, who helped the young man we read about in the chapter in the BB There Is A Solution. Bill was very impressed by both these men and their effect on the alcoholic.
In Tiebout’s case, it began with a copy of the BB before it was even printed. Tiebout, who was not all that impressed at first with what the book said, let two of his patients read it. The result was that both of them got sober. That began to change the doctor’s mind about how to deal with and treat alcoholics, which carried over for years after, often helping to allow Bill himself to present the program to psychiatrists. The result was a growing respect among these men for the program and its success.
In Jung’s part in all of this it was like he had a hand in helping this program to begin. In a way that is true. His suggestion to the young alcoholic Rowland H. that he seek a spiritual experience to free him of alcohol was to become part of the goal of this program. Plus the fact that Rowland knew the young alcoholic Ebby T. He rescued him from his arrest and the court and brought him into the Oxford Group which he belonged to. Through him Ebby picked up what had worked for him and then brought it to Bill W., who was still drinking. From that Bill was eventually able to get sober himself and it was after that he was able to help Dr. Bob and so the program.
Tiebout also served on the Board guiding this program back in the early years. And I always remember how he dealt with the alcoholic ego. He was the one who originally said that the the alcoholic needed ego deflation in depth. How true that is I can say from my own experiences.
On the other hand Jung was a very spiritual man, who had to be very careful in his profession back in his day. So his directions to Rowland had to be put in such a way that he could follow them, but not be one to spread the word around from whom he had received them. I always remember that Rowland, when he was told to seek a spiritual experience, said that he was a very religious man. Jung told him that wasn’t enough.
The reason all this struck me today was that we were talking to a couple of new men today at the meeting. When I got home, for some reason, these two prominent doctor’s came to mind and I went and reread what Bill had written. That’s because over the years I am aware of just how much an effect both of these men had on the program, which have helped alcoholics like me. I often think about both of them.
Anyway it is just another day to think about staying sober. Part of that is how much I have gained by growing in knowledge about the history of this program and the people who have aided us. Makes me grateful for these men and so many others. Especially the spiritual aspect of this program. My Higher Power and all those others in here, who have helped me to stay sober.