Welcome back NFL!  As I was watched the Professional Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies last night, this post came to mind (and thank you Hall of Famer Charles Haley for encouraging teammates to get help when they need it!):

Vince Lombardi was probably one of the greatest Head Football Coaches in the history of the National Football League. It has been said that Coach Lombardi, winner of the first 2 Super Bowl trophies and whose namesake is on the coveted Super Bowl trophy, used to tell the story that his team would make no secrets about the plays that they would run in the all important Sunday game. Nor, would Lombardi install elaborate “razzle-dazzle” plays in an attempt to fool the opposing team.

Coach Lombardi simply said of his offense: “we are going to run six plays, however, we are going to execute them so well that we will score on each play.” Coach Lombardi’s philosophy about the importance of teamwork and the role that each team member had to fulfill made believers and winners with the men that he coached to championships. By the way, please think about what your six “go to” plays or strategies are that could help you to be successful.

As we look at being victorious with our addictive behavior, we are encouraged to take a page or two from Coach Lombardi’s “playbook.”

First, if Lombardi’s teams were going to win, they had to realize the value of the team. No one person wins the game, rather it is a combination of the joint effort of eleven men on offense, and eleven men of defense, and the overall effort of the 53 man squad and the coaches and his staff.

As we look at sexual compulsivity or any other addictive behavior, it is important for us to realize that we cannot win the game over our addiction alone. Our God never intended for us to block cravings, tackle out of control thoughts and pass over “slippery places” by ourselves and yet sometimes we approach the “game” of trying to achieve progress with our addiction this way. In every life situation our Higher Power desires for us to take a “team” approach toward the alluring problems that challenge us (James 5:16; Matthew 18:20; 1 Corinthians 4:16 – listed below).

Second, Coach Lombardi’s philosophy emphasized that each person on the team has a role to fulfill and that in order for the team to succeed each person must perform his role to the fullest if the team is to experience success.  So who are the other teammates and what roles do they fulfill in helping you to experience success with your addiction? Glad you asked!

The person who has struggled with out of control addictive behavior has been told to “pray more,” “think good thoughts” or “read more scripture” without utilizing the other powerful “teammates” such as clinical psychotherapy and/or pastoral counseling, a therapist-led psychotherapy group or attendance in a 12 group and finally evidence based relapse prevention strategies or even medicine to treat their addiction.

Don’t get me wrong, prayer, scripture and healthy thoughts are strong role-players to enlist as we endeavor to be successful with addictive behaviors however a multifaceted and multi-systemic total effort is also necessary, which usually involves all of the necessary “strong players” to ensure maximum effectiveness and breakthroughs. Remember, our goal is to champion our addiction and the strategy to be employed in this battle will hopefully be team-driven, because the team works!

In Hall of Fame Insight To Overcome Addiction (Part 2 of 2) we will look at strategic questions that serve as “plays” for you to implement with your teammates as you work to experience progress in overcoming your addictive behaviors.  These questions will fall under the acrostic “T – E – A – M,” as we are simply encouraged to examine our…

T: Thinking

E: Emotions

A: Actions

M: Morals and Mentors

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” – James 5:16 (TNIV)

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” – Matthew 18:20 (TNIV)

“Therefore I urge you to imitate me” – 1 Corinthians 4:16 (TNIV)

Thanks for visiting and please visit the other blogs written by Dr Ken McGill: Daily Bread for Life and “3 – 2 – 5 – 4 – 24″ for additional information that could be helpful. I welcome your comments below or via email and your favorites, your retweets and your “+1’s” if you have a brief moment and find the information helpful. Again, it is my desire to provide the very best info for your consideration.

TeleHealth/Video counseling sessions are available for those who prefer to meet online – Dr. McGill