John and Elaine Leadem
2013 Mental Health Hero Cartoon-A-Thon
Drawing by Chato Stewart
John & Elaine Leadem are trailblazers in the field of couples counseling. Having entered the 12-step communities at a relatively young age they originally incorporated into their marriage a traditional 12-step philosophy that taught them to “stay out of each others program.” In this model they continued to hide behind personal recovery in ways that undermined intimacy and eventually led to more heartache and betrayal.
Having recognized the inherent flaws in working “parallel” or separate programs of recovery, John and Elaine took their collective success at using 12 step principles and began to apply these principles into their own relationship. Thus began their journey of working recovery and intimacy with each other as a team and the results were more powerful than anything they could have predicted. Their relationship was elevated to a new level of intimacy based on shared vulnerability, a level of love that others in recovery had said was not possible. It was indeed possible.
So John and Elaine took their success and introduced to their clients what has endearingly become referred to by those clients as working a “Shared Program of Recovery”. Not worrying about challenging a tradition that did not work for them, John & Elaine continue to bring hope and strength to the multitudes of couples they see and help daily.
Together they have authored a meditation book for recovering couples, “One in the Spirit”, which is based on the couples work they have developed as a therapeutic model for increasing emotional intimacy in relationships. Since then they have also published “Surveying the Wreckage” which is a comprehensive guide to the Fourth Step of the 12 steps and “Clearing Away the Wreckage of the Past” which is a task oriented step guide for completing Steps Four through Seven of the 12 steps.
In addition, John and Elaine are in the final stages of publishing their latest two masterpieces: “Raising the Bottoms” which is a new breakthrough guide to training professional family interventionists, and “Awakening To Your Soul Mate: A decision to be IN Love” which is a comprehensive guide for both couples themselves as well as family therapists in the core tenets needed for treating couples recovering from addiction.
Today, John and Elaine co-own and co-supervise clinical operations at Leadem Counseling and Consulting Services, a professional corporation with offices in Toms River, NJ and East Brunswick, NJ bringing hope back to individuals and couples one family at a time. They supervise a growing staff of expert clinicians who work in unison at integrating the concepts of shared intimacy and vulnerability into the fabric of traditional therapy and counseling. You can reach either John or Elaine in person at 732-797-1444 or you can email them at lccs@leademcounseling.com
Chato’s Notes:
When I got their photo I at once knew my theme would be the King and I. 
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Mentalympians is a mental health community development initiative to raise awareness of mental health recovery, inspire hope, reduce self-stigma, foster recovery and also connect individuals who are interested in campaigning for mental health reform.
I would like to thank Enzymedica’s Tom Bohager for his support. Enzymedica is Florida-based founded in 1998 to offer consumers targeted digestive enzymes products. Considered America’s #1 selling enzyme brand sold by health food store retailers. They also offer a FREE Digestive Enzyme interactive education program that is very helpful in learning the benefits enzymes have on our over all health.
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Thanks to my wife Joan Winifred for her care, compassion and being my partner in wellness for the past 21 years. The Family Stew is about our family
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View previous Newsletters.Bonus My kids’ Drawings:
LP 14*Coming Soon
Sweet Pea 11 * Sweet Pea 11
I also gained a ton of weight due to the meds and my lack of activity. I still want to go back and earn my 2nd degree. 3rd degree would be awesome to obtain along with a degree in Okinawan weapons. All 3 of my children earned their Jr. Black Belt and my youngest is still in it.
They were all good though. Right now I see a psychiatrist who also does my therapy. I think that, along with decent med combo, has made a big difference. He is my hero! I’d nominate him if I had a pic!! He isn’t in too good of health right now. He needs a heart transplant. You would never know it though. I pray for him everyday.
Mary Ann Widenhouse, mother of four and grandmother of seven worked in obstetrics and taught child birthing class during her career has experiences on all fronts both personal and public of mental healthcare advocacy. Currently from Otto, North Carolina in Macon County she serves regionally on the Community and Family Advisory Council (CFAC).
