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The Atebion EPOC programme

CULTIVATING FUTURES BEYOND ADVERSITY

EPOC stands for Eight Principles Of Change. It has been developed by Rich Price, with the Insights of people who have overcome their adversity. The EPOC Programme empowers individuals, not only to make the transformation from addiction and adversity to recovery, but also to become aware of what has shaped their past, whilst simultaneously identifying possibilities for growth and success.

Born from observations of needless painful relapses and stagnant recovery, the EPOC Programme aims to build on existing skills, talents, and assets to encourage perpetual sustainable growth.

Each session of the EPOC Programme encourages a regulatory process, reflection, and opportunity to explore potential for future development. The sessions are both educational and interactive.

Why principles? Having strong principles helps us to align our values and stay focused as we move forward in our recovery. They help us to create stability in a somewhat chaotic world, where we learn to respond rather than react.

Unlike rules, principles are relational and reflective. We will inevitably stray from our moral compass from time to time, so having a set of principles that we can lean in to with the assistance of our peers, helps us to learn from the mistakes we make and avoid them in the future.

The more we learn, the more we progress, and the greater the probability is of us overcoming times of adversity without the temptation of relapse.

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The Eight Principles of Change are:

  1. Awareness is the foundation for change. It involves learning to observe one’s thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and surroundings with clarity, understanding, and compassion. Awareness encourages individuals to become more conscious of their inner self, the outside world, and how they interact with one another. In doing so, it lays the groundwork for all future growth.

  1. Identification helps individuals to realise what they have experienced and how it has shaped them. Identification is about honest recognition—not just of challenges and behaviours, but also of positive strengths, values, and strategies that have assisted our ability to begin the journey of recovery. It enables a shift from generalised distress to specific insight. As a result, we begin to author a new chapter in our transformation, one where we begin to see the real potential within ourselves and the road ahead.

  1. Authenticity invites individuals to step into, and express, who they truly are, not who they were expected to be, or who they became in response to false perception. This principle encourages the letting go of masks and defences that may have once provided safety, but now limit growth. It fosters courage, self-expression, and alignment between inner truth and outer life. Authenticity is liberating. It provides a platform from which we can step forward with clarity and pride.

  1. Hope isn’t a case of wishful thinking. It is gaining belief that change is possible and worth pursuing. It is a dynamic force that grows through action, evidence, and mutual support. This principle encourages people to look beyond their present situation and work toward a better future without fear of what is uncertain, gaining faith in our ability to continue with our path towards success.

  1. Integrity is the alignment between one’s actions and one’s values—a continuation of doing the ‘right thing’, even when no one is watching. It’s about being consistent and reliable, so you can trust yourself and others can trust you. Integrity is an invitation to define core values and abide by them, recognising that mistakes in recovery life are inevitable, but it’s how we respond to them that matters.

  1. Gratitude is a way of seeing in a world that recognises what is present rather than what is lacking, even when things don’t seem perfect. It’s about appreciating the small gains when our desires demand for more. Gratitude in recovery changes our perspective on life, and helps us realise that fortune isn’t just financial or materialistic gain. It is a proactive step which encourages continued monitoring to establish equilibrium as we progress on our journey.

  1. Fortitude is the inner strength to continue—especially when growth feels slow, difficult, or painful. It involves perseverance, resilience, emotional regulation, and a commitment to moving forward despite inevitable setbacks. Fortitude keeps you standing in the storm even when the wind is against you, drawing on the previous learned principles to stay rooted in your core values and continue with your vision, regardless of the setbacks we encounter along the way.

  1. Humility is the quiet confidence that comes from understanding our strengths and limitations, whilst remaining open to learning. It is understanding how we utilise the power we have transformed from past pain, by moving beyond ego-driven patterns and into mutual respect, service, and shared humanity. Humility creates space for wisdom, grace, and continued evolution.