Former Rocker Leads off Drug-Alcohol Summit
Daniel Choi
Issue date: 10/14/09 Section: News
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For the first ever Alcohol and Drug Studies Informational Summit, held on Sept. 30 at the Student Center, former "Canned Heat" band member Dr. Frank Clayman-Cook and Father Jack Kearney gave a lecture on alcohol, drugs and addiction.
Before the lecture commenced, attendees introduced themselves to each other while snacking on catered sandwiches and coffee. While the audience mainly consisted of students from the Alcohol and Drug Studies Department aspiring to be drug and alcohol counselors, friends and family members also attended.
"A friend of mine is in the school program studying and so she brought me along here today," said Ruby Wert, a recovering alcoholic. "I'm interested in furthering my knowledge."
Once everyone settled into their seats, Orlando Rivera, an instructor in GCC's Alcohol and Drug Studies Department, introduced Clayman-Cook as the first speaker.
Clayman-Cook, a senior faculty member at the New Center of Psychoanalysis and a private practitioner in West Los Angeles, has stayed sober for 30 years.
Before becoming a psychoanalyst/psychologist, Clayman-Cook played drums for the band Canned Heat during the '60s. Three of its members died from substance and alcohol abuse. He started his career as a psychoanalyst and psychologist at the age of 37, shortly after making a vow to quit drinking.
"I started as an older student … I was older than most of my professors who gave me B's, which was a lesson in humility," said Clayman-Cook as he addressed the audience. "I certainly see a number of older students here and I congratulate you for starting out on a new career because I believe what keeps people youthful is the ability to change. My hats are off to you."
To define alcoholism, he referred to the first step in AA's 12-step program. According to its fact file, the first step is "we admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable."
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