Dr. Benjamin Canha

Dr. Benjamin Canha is a professor at the University of Maryland, School of Nursing, coordinating the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Program. Prior to teaching, Dr. Canha retired after a 30-year career as a Clinical Research Nurse at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, and at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington D.C. Dr. Canha also served as the Nurse Educator at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on the Psychiatric Unit.

Dr. Canha (Ben) first began drawing 12-step recovery cartoons in 2000 under the pen name of “Ben Ben the Fisherman” and has drawn thousands of single-caption, one-liner cartoons since. His cartoons regularly appear in 12-step newsletters all around the world. His two books, Recovery Cartoons and Conference Approved, are collections of hundreds of cartoons arranged according to each one of the 12 steps and 12 traditions adapted from AA. In 2024, Dr. Canha published two more books, Recovery Cartoons: The 12 Steps (Book 1) and Recovery Cartoons: Addictions Research (Book 2).

"Recovery Cartoons: The 12 Steps" (Book 1) is a synthesis of recovery literature (AA Big Book, NA Basic Test, etc.) and his own personal experiences with the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions (Step 13 included). Dr. Canha is very involved personally in 12 step programs has a sober/clean date of 1/4/88. This book contains over 200 cartoons to add insights and humor.

Recovery Cartoons: Addictions Research, (Book 2) is a summary of Dr. Canha’s research investigating the culture of humor within 12 Step communities. In this qualitative study Dr. Canha made observations in meetings, at the coffee shops and conducted individual interviews and focus groups exploring the role humor plays in recovery. This book also contains over 200 cartoons to add insights and humor.

Ben’s wife, Beth, manages the website, recovery cartoons dot com, which features his writing on the Steps and Traditions, several of his cartoons, and the books.

Dr. Canha lectures at medical conferences with a program entitled Humor in Recovery. He also presents powerful one hour cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) exercises entitled: The Honesty Exercise and Setting Priorities, encouraging addicts and alcoholics to break through the denial of addiction.