JOHN DILLON is an accomplished singer-songwriter, guitaris-maker, author, and producer. He began his journey of recovery in 1992 at Marworth Treatment Center in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He is recognized for his work as producer and co-host (along with his wife Vivian Nesbitt) of Art of the Song a one-hour program about songwriting and creativity heard across America on over 100 public radio stations. His book The 20-20 Creativity Solution gives readers a step-by-step process to enhance their creativity. As a luthier, John has built over 80 custom acoustic guitars for the likes of Hank Williams, Jr., Trisha Yearwood, the Mavericks, Tish Hinojosa and Steve Earle. In 2022, he released his fourth studio album HOPE ROAD - from Addiction to Recovery. The 12 songs trace his journey from 1960s traveling hippie to full-blown substance use disorder, and finally to sobriety and spiritual growth through inner work, gratitude, and service. After releasing the album, John was invited to join the Creative Recovery Group, an online group that uses creative writing to enhance the recovery process. They meet weekly on Zoom where they've been collaborating on a series of songs that make up this album. John has developed this collaborative songwriting process into a workshop for people in treatment and recovery centers. Through a series of writing exercises, they choose a topic and begin writing lyrics. John takes their writings home and distills them into a song, which is later recorded and sent back to the participants. He makes monthly visits to R. E. Blaisdell Treatment Center in Rockland County, NY, where each month he performs a recovery concert and facilitates a writing workshop with the patients there. John lives on an upstate New York farm with his wife Vivian, his mother-in-law, two dogs and two horses. ERIC KREUTER, Ph.D., CASAC-t is the facilitator of the Creative Recovery Group- a program that is in its third year. This group is an offshoot of his creative writing workshop at St. Christopher's Inn where he is a weekend counselor. Dr. Kreuter completed his full-time 44-year career as a forensic accountant where he was a managing director with CBIZ. He now holds a full-time counseling position at Cornerstone Treatment Center in Rhinebeck, NY, while continuing to work one day per week at St. Christopher's Inn in Garrison, NY. In 2021, Dr. Kreuter published an academic book titled: Effective Use of Creative Writing in the Treatment of Chemical Addiction - Nova Science Publishers.
"""What a collaboration! People beginning to captain their recovery voyage, a clinician to guide the vessel of creative writing, and a musician in long-term recovery to set their stories to sail through song."" - Theresa M. Knorr, CARC RCP/f, Senior Director of Recovery Education and Training at Friends of Recovery - New York; Owner: BALANCE Recovery Consultation, and creator of Tai Chi 4 Recovery ""...a prime example of how the collaborative songwriting process can help, heal, and inspire hope in the world of addiction and recovery. Listen to these songs. Read the lyrics and the stories of how the songs were created. Feel for yourself the healing power in a song."" - Mary Gauthier, Singer/songwriter, Author: Saved by a Song - The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting ""This project reflects a new generation of creative works that are simultaneously acts of self-healing and acts of service--sources of profound hope and inspiration..."" - William White, Author: Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment & Recovery in America ""...offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from people as they speak of the dark days of active addiction... Music that will help people to begin to rewrite the soundtrack of their lives in their journey of recovery from addiction, building a new life a day at a time."" - Robert J. Lindsey, Retired ED - International Doctors in AA; Former CEO - Friends of Recovery NY; Past CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence; Past Chair - St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment & Recovery Centers ""Creativity. Spirituality. Recovery. These words, and what they represent, are profoundly important to creative and performing artists in recovery from an addiction... a wonderful resource for anyone in recovery or contemplating recovery. Beautiful music, loving words--this is highly recommended!"" - Eric Maisel, Author: Coaching the Artist Within and Creative Recovery: A Complete Addiction Treatment Program That Uses Your Natural Creativity"