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The Essence of Twelve Step Recovery: Take It to Heart
By Damian Mcelrath. 2008
The Essence of Twelve Step Recovery: Take It to Heart, was written in gratitude to the Jellinek patients at Hazelden,…
whose lives, struggles and pain are witness to what spirituality is all about. Dedicated to Sandy McElrath, Damian's wife of 26 years, the book defines spirituality and the essence of Twelve Step living--and the essence of Hazelden.McElrath begins his Hazelden-published book with a quote from the Big Book: "The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it." (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 83). He goes on to eloquently provide his view of spiritual fitness. "The person seeking recovery must reconnect with his true self, with others, and with his Higher Power--the God of his understanding," he writes.He addresses "the spiritual protocols of recovery" in separate self-contained chapters: (1) The Community, (2) The Spirituality of Addiction, (3) The Twelve Steps--Relational Spirituality, (4) Benchmarks for Spiritual Growth, and (5) The Cultivation of the Interior Life.Gail Gleason Milgram, EdD, director of the Center for Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University, endorses the book: "Damian is a born teacher. He presents complicated and difficult content in a clear and concise fashion. He helps the reader understand that 'the heart of what makes us human/spiritual beings is our search for integrity, purpose and meaning.' This book is a gift to all who are in search of the meaning of life."Says Craig Nakken, author of The Addictive Personality: "Damian has written a simple but profound guide for addicts that goes to the very heart of what is needed for recovery. The book has purpose and meaning beyond its pages. It's a must read for those looking to embrace or deepen their recovery. Follow the spiritual protocol!"Finding Your Moral Compass: Transformative Principles to Guide You In Recovery and Life
By Craig Nakken. 2011
For those of us in recovery, finding our moral and spiritual footing can be a struggle. The pursuit of drugs…
and alcohol has long driven our choices and actions, leaving the line between right and wrong blurred in the wake of addiction.For those of us in recovery, finding our moral and spiritual footing can be a struggle. The pursuit of drugs and alcohol has long driven our choices and actions, leaving the line between right and wrong blurred in the wake of addiction. In Finding Your Moral Compass, Craig Nakken, author of the best-selling book The Addictive Personality, gives readers in recovery the model and tools needed to make life decisions in the pursuit of good. He offers 41 universally accepted principles, paired as positive and negative counterparts that guide behavior. He then inspires us with one fundamental challenge: To take responsibility for being a force for good by applying these principles to our daily lives. He encourages us to show empathy, be of service to others, and make the choice to stop being an agent of harm.When Nakken, a former addict, became clean and sober, he faced the "evil" inside of himself. It was then that he found his moral compass and made the decision to take responsibility for his actions using the Twelve Steps as his guide. He has taught hundreds in recovery to live by the principles of good, one day at a time.About the author Craig Nakken is the author of several Hazelden titles, including the perennial bestseller The Addictive Personality. He is a popular public speaker and a highly respected private practice counselor, with years of working in the frontlines in a number of treatment facilities.For newcomers and experienced Twelve Steppers alike, this valuable guidebook will guide you in finding the right home group so…
you can make the most of your meetings. The first advice most people hear when beginning a Twelve Step program is "Go to meetings." But as most people who have attended several Alcoholics Anonymous or other peer recovery groups will tell you, not all meetings are created equal.The fact is that a group that's perfect for one person can send someone else running for the door. In this essential guidebook for newcomers and experienced Twelve Steppers alike, James G. describes the various kinds of meetings available, discusses what typically happens in those meetings, and outlines practical points for evaluating groups to identify the best one to meet your personal needs.With the idea in mind that chemistry is as important as content, James provides practical advice born of decades of solid recovery--years in which he has attended a wide variety of meetings--as well as the experience of other Twelve Steppers interviewed for this book.James G. is a writer working in the fields of advertising, journalism, and fiction. He credits the wonderful people in his AA home group with helping to save his life--and opening up a whole new world in the process. He lives in a large Midwestern city with his wife, daughters, and Fluffy the cat, "recipient of many a midnight confession." This is his first book.Bill W My First 40 Years: An Autobiography by the Co-founder of AA
By Anonymous. 2005
Told here for the first time in his own words is the story Bill W.--a man who, for his part…
in founding Alcoholics Anonymous, would be honored as one of the most important figures of the 20th century."I was born, to be exact, in a hotel then known as Wilson House... I was born, perhaps rightly, in a room just back of the old bar." It was the beginning of a life that would change the lives of millions. Told here for the first time in his own words is the story of the man who would come to be known as Bill W. - a man who, for his part in founding the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, would be celebrated as one of the important figures of the twentieth century."The terrifying darkness had become complete. In agony of spirit, I again thought of the cancer of alcoholism which had now consumed me in mind and spirit, and soon the body." But what of the Great Physician? For a brief moment, I suppose, the last trace of my obstinacy was crushed out as the abyss yawned.I remember saying to myself, "I'll do anything, anything at all. If there be a Great Physician, I'll call on him." Then, with neither faith nor hope I cried out, "If there be a God, let him show himself."The Story Behind The Little Red Book: The Evolution of a Twelve Step Classic
By Damian Mcelrath. 2014
Discover the genesis of The Little Red Book and explore why this recovery mainstay has enriched the experience of millions…
in recovery across the generations.Discover how the author of The Little Red Book--and the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous--brought its enduring wisdom to millions in recovery.Inspired by Step Twelve--to "carry the message" to others--AA visionary Ed Webster began in the 1940s to compile some Twelve Step insights for newcomers to the Fellowship, using his home group as a sounding board. Later, when this guide was published as The Little Red Book, it quickly became a recovery mainstay, a beloved companion to the "Big Book," the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA historian Damian McElrath tells the lively story behind the little book that has helped millions transform their daily lives. Through Webster's letters with Bill W. and Dr. Bob, we see the roles AA's founders played in the book's development. And, as the years passed, Webster's revisions--revealed here through his own margin notes--show both the evolution of the author's ideas and the staying power of the heart of the work.AA historian Damian McElrath tells the lively story behind the book that has helped millions put the Steps to work in their daily lives. We see how Webster's ideas evolved, revealed by the margin notes in his own copy of The Little Red Book. His letters with Bill W. and Dr. Bob reveal how AA's founders helped ignite the book's popularity among those in recovery. As the book went back to press dozens of times, Webster's revisions show both the staying power of the heart of the work and the flexibility of the author and his supporters as they grew and learned on their own recovery journeys.Earnie Larsen: His Last Steps
By Earnie Larsen, Paula Larsen. 2012
"In Earnie Larsen: His Last Steps, Earnie and his courageous wife, Paula, take us into their lives, sharing with us…
one of the most profound and intimate life experiences. It has been an honor to share a part of their journey. Earnie could not respond to the many people who reached out to him in his final months, but he asked [in these letters] that we go to the essence of that place where our spirits cross and know that he is there for us." --Claudia Black, Ph.D., foreword Beloved recovery speaker, author, and sponsor, Earnie Larsen approached life's most difficult challenges with the goal of comforting and inspiring others. Thus, when Earnie learned that he had inoperable cancer, he began to write letters to those he cared about, including family members and sponsees, sharing insights from his final journey. This moving collection edited by his wife, Paula, compiles these letters and journal entries from Earnie's "God File." Paula then offers personal context to these words of wisdom as she experienced the daily ups and downs of his illness with him. In this moving and courageous testament, you'll find a man who died as he lived by constantly giving of himself to others.Earnie Larsen was a nationally known author and lecturer. A pioneer in the field of recovery from addictive behaviors and the originator of the process known as Stage II recovery, Earnie authored numerous curricula, DVDs, audio CDs, and books with Hazelden and other publishers, including his 2010 Hazelden book Now That You're Sober: Week-by-Week Guidance from Your Recovery Coach, written with his sister, Carol Larsen Hegarty. With degrees from Loyola University and the University of Minnesota, Earnie had been a counselor for more than forty years.The Recovering Heart: Emotional Sobriety for Women
By Beverly Conyers. 2013
Beverly Conyers, a prominent voice in recovery, uses personal stories and informed insight to guide you in achieving emotional sobriety…
by addressing behaviors and feelings unique to the female recovery experience.Your old, destructive lifestyle is fading into the past and now you are a woman in recovery. What an amazing gift you've given yourself. So why aren't you happier? As sobriety takes hold and your head starts to clear, a wide range of emotions can begin to emerge--feelings that until now you've "medicated" with chemicals. Yet to stay sober, and to grow and flourish as a person, you must engage in healing and take responsibility for these long-neglected emotions.Beverly Conyers, a prominent voice in recovery, uses personal stories and informed insight to guide you in achieving emotional sobriety by addressing behaviors and feelings unique to the female experience. Learn how to develop the inner resiliency to face and process difficult, buried emotions--such as shame, grief, fear, and anger--while freeing the positive feelings of self-worth, independence, and integrity. Discover how to heal your "damaged self" by improving your communication skills, expanding your capacity for intimacy and trust, and reawakening a spiritual life. As you heal your wounded heart, you can free yourself to a life of self-acceptance and lay the foundation for a rewarding and relapse-free second stage of recovery.Sobriety and Beyond
By Father John Doe. 1955
Father Ralph Pfau, known originally as Father "John Doe" traces the spiritual roots of Alcoholics Anonymous and explains the fundamental…
and enduring truths contained in the Twelve Steps. This is a wonderful resource for discovering the spiritual contentment, mental peace and everyday joys to be found in the Twelve Steps.Includes both the book and workbook of A Woman's Way Through the Twelve Steps Recovery is not a man's world,…
and yet to a woman it can sometimes seem that way. Geared specifically to that woman, this book brings a feminine perspective to the Twelve Step program, searching out the healing messages beneath the male-oriented words.Includes both the book and workbook of A Woman's Way Through the Twelve StepsRecovery is not a man's world, and yet to a woman it can sometimes seem that way. Geared specifically to that woman, this book brings a feminine perspective to the Twelve Step program, searching out the healing messages beneath the male-oriented words.Based on an open exploration and a flexible interpretation of the Twelve Steps, this new perspective takes into account the psychological development of women as it relates to addiction and recovery, as well as the social and cultural factors that affect women in particular. Acknowledging that recovery raises special issues for women--from questions about sexuality, relationships, and everyday life to anxieties about speaking up at mixed-gender meetings--A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps focuses directly on the feminine experience of addiction and healing. The author explores the Twelve Steps one by one, reiterating each in its traditional language, then explaining and illustrating it in a way that highlights a woman's experience--empowering the reader to take ownership of her own recovery process as well as her growth as a woman.Designed to be used in conjunction with A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps, this workbook helps deepen and extend the understanding of the lessons taught in the book and brings them to life with simple exercises and journaling activities. It further empowers each woman to take ownership of her recovery by documenting her growth and recovery process in a personally meaningful way. Unlike many interpretations of the Twelve Steps for women, this workbook uses the original Steps language, preserving its spirit and focusing attention on its healing message.Covington guides women to reinterpret the Steps to support their own recovery. "When we look inside ourselves and reframe the original wording in the way that works best for us, then each of us, individually, can discover the meaning for ourselves," she writes. In sections devoted to each of the Twelve Steps, Covington blends narrative, self-assessment questions focused on a feminine definition of terms such as powerlessness and letting go, guided imagery exercises, and other experiential activities.Stephanie S. Covington, Ph.D., is nationally recognized as a clinician, author, organizational consultant, and lecturer. With many years of experience, she has developed an innovative, gender-responsive approach to address the treatment needs of women and girls that has been proven effective in public, private, and institutional settings.Pain Free Living for Drug Free People: A Guide to Pain Management in Recovery
By Joseph Moriarity, Marvin D Seppala, David P. Martin. 2005
An authoritative guide to pain control and pain medications for people in recoveryPeople in recovery who suffer from pain, whether…
it's acute, chronic, or the result of an ongoing condition such as cancer--face a special challenge. How can they use effective pain medications without triggering a relapse? Pain-Free Living for Drug-Free People is an information-packed guide to pain management in recovery and other issues related to pain control and addiction.The Soul of Sponsorship: The Friendship of Fr. Ed Dowling, S.J. and Bill Wilson in Letters
By Robert Fitzgerald. 1995
The Soul of Sponsorship explores the relationship of Bill Wilson, cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and his spiritual adviser and friend,…
Father Ed Dowling.The Soul of Sponsorship explores the relationship of Bill Wilson, cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and his spiritual adviser and friend, Father Ed Dowling. Many might consider that such a remarkable individual as Bill Wilson, who was the primary author of AA literature, would be able to deal with many of life's problems on his own. Reading The Soul of Sponsorship will illuminate and answer the question of how Father Ed, an Irish Catholic Jesuit priest who was not an alcoholic, was able to be of such great help to Bill Wilson. Part of AA's Twelfth Step reminds us "to carry this message to alcoholics," and The Soul of Sponsorship illustrates how sober alcoholics still need the principles of the Twelve Steps brought to them by friends, sponsors, and spiritual advisers. Some of the problems faced by Bill Wilson were:depression in recoverydependency issueswhether or not to experiment with LSDthe place of money and power in AAknowing God's plan and willlearning from mistakesFather Ed taught Bill the importance of "discernment." In Father Ed's Jesuit tradition, discernment was a gift, passed down to him from St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits, who described his own struggle with discernment in Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. The Twelve Steps of AA and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius presuppose that there is a caring God whose will can be known. The act of tuning in to God's action at one's center is discernment. The big question is, how do you know your Higher Power is speaking and revealing Himself through your feelings and desires?What Bill learned from Father Ed can be found in books and articles he wrote for AA. For the good of AA and himself, Bill learned to listen to his desires, be aware of his inner dynamics, and tune into the action of God within. Doing this meant learning to recognize and identify his personal movements -- those inner promptings and attractions often called emotions or affections -- which are part of ordinary human experiences. The person who helped Bill grow in discernment was Father Ed, the Jesuit priest with a cane who limped into the New York AA clubhouse one sleet-filled November night in 1940.The two "fellow travelers," Father Ed Dowling and Bill Wilson, gave each other perhaps the greatest gift friends can give: calling on each to know who he is -- before God.Self-Care for Caregivers: A Twelve Step Approach
By Pat Samples, Marvin Larsen, Diane Larsen. 2000
For those serving as a caregiver for a loved one, the authors of this down-to-earth, encouraging book can help you…
make the most of the experience without losing yourself in the process.Are you one of the growing number of people who serves as a caregiver for an aging or chronically ill friend or family member? If so, you probably struggle to meet both their special needs and still find time and resources for yourself. But now there is reason to take heart. The authors of this down-to-earth, encouraging book can help you make the most of the experience without losing yourself in the process. Using the Twelve Steps as a guide, the authors conduct readers through the pitfalls of caregiving--the emotional snarls and strains, daily struggles, competing needs, and questions about confronting pain--providing hope and tangible suggestions on how to stay strong and sane while providing healthy support and love. "Self-Care for Caregivers offers sensitive and sensible guidance for the family caregiver. This is a little book with a big message: how to take care of yourself so you can take care of others." Connie Goldman, producer of the public radio special Hardship into Hope, The Rewards of Caregiving; co-author of Tending the Earth, Mending the Spirit and Secrets of Becoming a Late Bloomer"This book is an uplifting treasury of hope. The authors gently direct the reader with comforting, practical text that offers empowering caregiving strategies and avenues for emotional and spiritual growth." James and Merlene Sherman, author and editor of the Caregiver Survival series.Choices and Consequences: What to Do When a Teenager Uses Alcohol/Drugs
By Dick Schaefer. 1987
Choices and Consequences describes the step-by-step process of intervention to stop a teenager's harmful involvement with chemicals.Alcohol and other drug…
use among teenagers is epidemic.Children as young as grade-school age are experimenting with mood-altering substances.One out of every four high school students drink to excess when they drink.Many teenagers are abusing alcohol and other drugs--and many will die prematurely if they don't get help. Choices & Consequences tells you precisely how you can help. Written for parents, teachers, family doctors, mental health professionals, school guidance counselors, social workers, juvenile justice workers, clergy, and anyone else who cares about teenagers, it describes a step-by-step process called intervention that you can use to stop a teenager's harmful involvement with chemicals. If you're worried about kids and alcohol or other drugs, you can do something. And you can start today with Choices and Consequences.Now That You're Sober: Week-by-Week Guidance from Your Recovery Coach
By Earnie Larsen, Carol Larsen Hegarty. 2010
In this portable recovery aftercare program, Earnie Larsen coaches readers through one full year of sobriety with personal, practical, actionable…
steps to help them refocus on the core concepts that are essential to sober living.Make no mistake about the intention of the guidance offered in this book. This is not just another "nice recovery book"--one that you read and then put aside, hopefully taking away a few good thoughts. My intention is that the material offered here should be chewed, pulled apart, scrutinized, and internalized. This book is designed to be worked. It is intended to provide support, insights, and exercises that will do something about the high relapse rate of people starting recovery.>-Earnie Larsen, From the introduction In this invaluable guide, renowned author and lecturer Earnie Larsen brings you a portable recovery aftercare program that you can easily integrate into your personal life ?and take with you anywhere you go.Now That You're Sober is an all-purpose, year-long compendium of recovery wisdom and inspiration to help those who are newly sober focus on practical applications of Twelve Step principles. Like a traditional aftercare program, it is designed to keep the basics of recovery front and center in your consciousness, as it is the loss of this awareness that causes relapse. In his characteristic down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is style, Larsen serves as your recovery coach, providing guidance and inspiration when you feel vulnerable in your sobriety, and helping you to move past common stumbling blocks and flourish in your daily life. Each of his fifty-two entries includes a motivational essay, or pep talk, centered on a key element of recovery, followed by personal, practical, actionable steps to help you refocus on the concepts and behaviors that are essential in a recovering person's life.Earnie Larsen is a nationally known pioneer in the field of recovery from addictive and unwanted behaviors. He has authored and produced more than fifty-five motivational self-help books and resources on a variety of topics ranging from managing interpersonal relationships to spirituality.Cyber Junkie: Escape the Gaming and Internet Trap
By Kevin Roberts. 2010
Recovering video game addict Kevin Roberts offers a step-by-step guide to recovery for those struggling with compulsive video gaming and…
Internet surfing.Recovering video game addict Kevin Roberts offers a step-by-step guide to recovery for those struggling with compulsive video gaming and internet surfing. Video gaming and Internet surfing are the top sources of entertainment for tens of millions of North Americans today. As these technologies continue to grow and flourish, so does the number of people becoming obsessively absorbed in the imagination and fantasy that they present. More and more people are isolating themselves, turning their backs on reality, ignoring family and friends, and losing their sleep and even their jobs due to excessive use of video games and the Internet--and they continue to do so despite harmful consequences to their mental, physical, and spiritual health, a telltale sign of addiction.In this groundbreaking book, recovering video game addict Kevin Roberts uses extensive scientific and social research, complemented by his and others' personal stories, to give compulsive gamers and surfers--and their family and friends--a step-by-step guide for recovery. He outlines the ways that "cyber junkies" exhibit the classic signs of addiction and reveals how they can successfully recover by following a program similar to those used for other addictions. Readers learn to identify whether they have an addiction, find the right resources to get individualized help, and regain a rewarding life away from the screen by learning new thoughts and behaviors that free them from the cravings that rule their lives. Included is a guide for parents for working with their addicted children.The author of the recovery mainstay 12 Stupid Things That Mess Up Recovery offers a fresh list of "smart" things…
to do to attain and sustain emotional sobriety.The author of the recovery mainstay 12 Stupid Things That Mess Up Recovery offers a fresh list of "smart" things to do to attain and sustain emotional sobriety. Whether it's called "dry drunk" or "white knuckle sobriety," it's that stage in recovery when we realize that "putting the plug in the jug" isn't enough. The next step is taking responsibility for the emotional immaturity that fuels our addictive personality and has a tremendous impact on ourselves and others. Allen Berger, Ph.D., draws on the teachings of Bill W. and psychotherapy pioneers to offer twelve hallmarks of emotional sobriety that, when practiced, give people the confidence to be accountable for their behavior, ask for what they want and need, and grow and develop a deeper trust in the process of life. These smart things include:understanding who you are and what's important to youlearning not to take others' reactions personallytrusting your inner compasstaking responsibility for your reactions to problematic situationsIt is in these practices that we find release from what Bill W. described as an "absolute dependency" on people or circumstances, and develop the tools to find prestige, security, and belonging within.101 Meeting Starters: A Guide to Better Twelve Step Discussions
By Mel B.. 2007
A friendly, first-ever guide to making the most of your Twelve Step meetings.Mel B's 101 Meeting Starters is a friendly,…
first-ever guide to making the most of Twelve Step meetings. Anyone who has participated in a Twelve Step meeting knows the benefit of these confidential forums for sharing the experience, strength, and hope that sustain recovery. Sometimes, however, meetings get sidetracked by irrelevant topics, dominant speakers, or other distractions, leaving attendees feeling frustrated or unfulfilled. This collection of dynamic Twelve Step "meeting starters" brings focus and meaning to group discussions with topics including "Dealing with Rejection," "Attracting Trouble," "Happy Coincidences," and "Live and Let Live.Free at Last: Daily Meditations by and for Inmates
By Anonymous. 1994
Free at Last gives voice to those inmates who have escaped the prison of chemical dependency and offers a promise…
of hope to other inmates still bound by addiction.The high correlation between substance abuse and crime makes treatment for inmates a vital concern. Free at Last gives voice to those inmates who have escaped the prison of chemical dependency and offers a promise of hope to other inmates still bound by addiction. As Joe, serving a 45-year sentence, explains, "Even if I was never to get out of this prison, today I truly know I am free within."Living in Balance Meditations Book: 90 Meditations for Recovery from Addiction
By Jeffrey A Hoffman. 2011
This meditation book uses mindful relaxation to prevent relapse and help readers achieve balance in their body, mind, and spirit."Chinese…
sage Lao Tzu said every journey begins 'with a single step.' Recovery begins in the same way. Thankfully, Dr. Jeff Hoffman has penned a simple and elegant volume of meditations to accompany you along the way." --Scott D. Miller, Ph.D., Director of the International Center for ExcellenceResearch shows mindful relaxation, or progressive relaxation, is effective in preventing relapse and helping patients achieve balance in mind, body, and spirit. Living in Balance: 90 Meditations for Recovery from Addiction integrates meditation as a complement to Hazelden's evidence-based Living in Balance curriculum. The first three months of recovery are a critical time when people need to learn good habits to replace old drug-using ones. This unique book recommends and guides readers through ninety meditations--one for each day of the first three months--to help prepare readers for recovery, gain practical insights, and make important changes in life.Born to Lose: Memoirs of a Compulsive Gambler
By Bill Lee. 2005
A gripping, true story of one man’s forty-year struggle with compulsive gambling and his hard-won recovery."My history of gambling really…
began before I was born." So opens Born to Lose, Bill Lee's self-told story of gambling addiction, set in San Francisco's Chinatown and steeped in a culture where it is not unheard of for gamblers (Lee's grandfather included) to lose their children to a bet. From wagering away his beloved baseball card collection as a youngster to forfeiting everything he owned at black jack tables in Las Vegas, Lee describes what gambling addiction feels like from the inside and how recovery is possible through the Twelve Step program.