Episode 264: Ian Morgan Cron

This is a fantastic conversation with Ian Morgan Cron about his new book The Fix and the transformative power of the 12 steps. Ian makes the case that the 12 steps offer a path of healing and recovery not just for addicts, but for anyone struggling with that universal human condition of feeling "not at home" in this world. The key, as Ian explains it, is starting with that crucial admission of powerlessness - that we can't fix ourselves through willpower alone. And that opens the door to surrendering to a higher power and allowing God to do for us what we can't do for ourselves. Ian gets incredibly personal, sharing his own journey of addiction and recovery, and how practices like centering prayer have helped him develop the capacity to truly bear and receive love. Ian argues the 12 steps can address the root spiritual issues underlying all kinds of compulsive behaviors and addictions, not just drugs and alcohol. He makes a compelling case that this path of transformation is available to everyone, whether you identify as an addict or not. The 12 steps offer a "program for living" that can lead to deep healing and freedom. This was a rich, nuanced, and grace-filled conversation that I think will really resonate with a lot of people struggling with that sense of not being at home in themselves or the world. Ian brings such vulnerability and wisdom to these timeless questions of how we find our way back to wholeness. It's the kind of conversation that stays with you. So join us as we find our way back home.

Ian Morgan Cron is a bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, Episcopal priest, and the host of the popular podcast Typology (over 20 million downloads). His books include the Enneagram primer The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery, which has sold over one million copies; the novel Chasing Francis; the spiritual memoir Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me; and The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self.

Ian's Book:
The Fix

Ian's Recommendations:
Build the Life You Want
From Strength to Strength
Say Nothing