Inspiring stories from those who encountered life-changing blessings from seemingly unimportant events. "Why try?" we sometimes ask ourselves when faced with the uncertainties and hard work of recovery. But the answers are all around us, in the rich and spirited lives of those who have made the journey before us, each one a member of the joyful possibilities that await. These possibilities come alive in Gifts of Sobriety, a book that gives immediate meaning to the Big Book's promise: "We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness." In this book, Gifts of Sobriety, those who have freed themselves of alcohol or drug addiction share the gifts that sobriety has given them. Their stories are, in turn, a gift--for those who have made the journey and for those who, just embarking, seek gladdening news of the good life to come
Addiction recovery doesn't happen all at once-it's something that must be worked for, every day. Written by two mindfulness and addiction experts, The Gift of Recovery offers quick, in-the-moment tips and tricks to help readers cope with daily stress and stay firmly on the path to wellness. With this gentle, easy-to-use guide, readers will learn how to navigate relationships, take time for self-care, and build a mindful, sustainable, and joyful recovery.
Daily readings for individuals in recovery from sex addiction. These meditations provide 12-Step insights, sobriety tools and tips, lessons for successful recovery, and partner sensitivity. They combine the clinical guidance of a seasoned therapist with the wisdom received by walking a recovery path.
Most addictive behavior is rooted in some type of loss, be it the death of a loved one, coming to terms with limitations set by chronic health problems, or the end of a relationship. By turning to drugs and alcohol, people who have suffered a loss can numb their grief. In the process, they postpone their healing and can drive themselves further into addiction. The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction offers readers an effective program for working through their addiction and grief with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Created by a psychologist who works for the Department of Veterans Affairs and a marriage and family therapist who works for Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital, this mindfulness training workbook is effective for treating the emotion dysregulation, stress, depression, and grief that lie at the heart of addiction. No matter the loss, the mindfulness skills in this workbook help readers process their grief, determine the function their addiction is serving, and replace the addiction with healthy coping behaviors.
About the Book Trouble Is a Gift is the story of a recovered alcoholic who humbly asked for help in finding a purpose and meaning in his life, whose prayer was answered, and who then turned his dream into a reality devoted to the care and treatment of millions of sick and suffering addicts and alcoholics. James S. Cusack, alcoholic, caregiver, and astute businessman, recounts his inner struggles and self-doubt, the stages of his recovery from alcohol addiction, and the moment of clarity when his mission came to light and he saw how, with the help of God and a Twelve-Step program, he could fulfill his purpose. Cusack writes with candor and sincerity of his early upbringing in Manhattan, his family s move to Queens, and his boyhood as a tough street kid; then takes us through his difficult times in the U.S. Air Force, where he discovered the therapeutic value of discipline; and through the hard-drinking years that followed his Honorable Discharge and led to his sobriety. In the early years of his recovery, Jim focused mainly on getting sober, working and enjoying success in the trucking business and insurance sales. In time, he began helping others to sober up, meeting with them in the back room of a candy store in Astoria, Queens, and touching their lives with the love, warmth, and honesty that had been given to him. Feeling an ever-greater need to find his mission in life, in 1965, Jim brought his prayer for direction to the Shrine of North American Martyrs, in Auriesville, New York. Shortly thereafter, his prayer was answered when he was hired to manage Glen Acre Lodge in Glen Spey, NY, one of the very earliest retreat centers for alcoholics. As the success of his work gained attention, Jim became part-owner of the Lodge and landed his first big account with the New York City Police Department with the help of Msgr. Joseph Dunn, who developed the Department s Employee Assistance Program. In time, fireman, sanitation workers, and other city employees suffering from alcoholism were also sent to Jim for help getting sober. Jim s story continues through numerous twists, turns, and fateful encounters, including his first meeting with Sue, now his wife and partner in his life work, and several changes of location before coming upon the resort in the Catskills that is now known as Villa Veritas. About the Author A pioneer in the field of chemical dependency treatment, James S. Cusack, CASAC, NCAC II, NCRS, offers his story as an example to all those brave individuals determined to overcome obstacles and turn liabilities into assets. Himself a recovered alcoholic of 60 years, Jim learned through helping other alcoholics find their way to sobriety that the gift is in the giving, and made his service his career. In his 50 years working with those suffering from chemical dependency, Jim has received countless honors acknowledging his groundbreaking accomplishments. In 1981, he and his wife Sue closed on the purchase of a Catskill resort which, through their dedicated efforts, has become Villa Veritas. In 2011, Jim and Sue established the Villa Veritas Foundation, Inc., to safeguard their mission and carry on a 40-year legacy of helping and caring for the chemically dependent. Jim serves as chairman of the board of Villa Veritas Foundation, Inc., and Sue, as Foundation president. They are committed to maintaining their hands-on, individualized approach to ensure that each of the thousands of alcoholics and addicts who pass through the Villa every year receives the love, care, and opportunity to find a new life in recovery he or she deserves. Jim, at age 83, continues to do what every recovered alcoholic with a mission should be doing: He s living one day at a time, and planning his next endeavor.
The path to wholeness is never one you have to walk alone. God sees you and is by your side as you follow the Twelve Steps of Life Recovery, and he has special gifts in store for you along the way—even when the journey is filled with turns and twists. From the creators of the bestselling Life Recovery series, The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery illuminates the gifts God holds for you as you travel through the Twelve Steps. With expert insight and biblical truth, recovery pioneers Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop explore the blessings God offers to those who seek him. Recovery isn’t just about giving up an addiction or dependency; it’s about receiving something better: gifts from God for those courageous souls willing to do whatever it takes to change. An encouragement both to those in the recovery process as well as to the loved ones walking beside them, The Twelve Gifts of Life Recovery is an inspiration and an invitation to move step by step into a new, fruitful future.
Gold Winner of The 2019 Living Now Book Award (Self-Help) Gold Winner of The 2019 Human Relations Indie Book Award (Recovery) Silver Winner of The 2018 Nautilus Book Award (Personal Growth) Silver Winner of The 2019 IPBA Benjamin Franklin Book Award (Self-Help) If you're recovering from addiction, The Gift of Recovery offers quick, in-the-moment tips and tricks to help you cope with daily stress and stay firmly on the path to wellness. With this gentle, easy-to-use guide, you’ll learn how to navigate relationships, take time for self-care, and build a mindful, sustainable, and joyful recovery. Deciding to get help for addiction is the first step toward recovery. But addiction recovery doesn’t happen all at once—it’s something that must be worked for, every day. Sometimes, it will be easy. When things are going well, you may not be tempted to give in to your cravings. But when life is stressful, you’ll need strategies to help you cope. Written by the authors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction, this on-the-go mindfulness guide offers fifty-two powerful and effective meditations to help you manage the stress, depression, and strong emotions that can get in the way of a full and lasting recovery. You’ll also find skills based in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you stay grounded, as well as links to online resources. Deciding to overcome an addiction can feel like leaving a relationship. It’s hard and sometimes lonely—but it is truly an act of courage. This book will help guide you as you continue making courageous steps toward peace, joy, and fulfillment. This book has been selected as an Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Book Recommendation—an honor bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
Presenting addiction as a universal experience, Dr. Bucklew invites us not to stigmatize or narrowly define it. Whether we turn to heroin, food, or compulsive thought, at the heart of all addiction lies the same dynamic: an unseen resistance to our present moment experience. The Hidden Gifts of Addiction draws our deeper wisdom to the surface. Instead of trading one addiction for another, you will discover a way of living that is freeing and life-affirming, even amid craving and challenge.
“A classic. Read it. Use it. It can help guide you step by step into the bright light of the world of recovery.” —from the Foreword by Harry Haroutunian, M.D., Physician Director, Betty Ford Center “The Recovery Book is the Bible of recovery. Everything you need to know you will find in here.” —Neil Scott, host, Recovery Coast to Coast radio Hope, support, and a clear road map for people with drug or alcohol addiction. Announcing a completely revised and updated second edition of The Recovery Book, the Bible of addiction recovery. The Recovery Book provides a direct and easy-to-follow road map to every step in the recovery process, from the momentous decision to quit to the emotional, physical, and spiritual issues that arise along the way. Its comprehensive and effective advice speaks to people with addiction, their loved ones, and addiction professionals who need a proven, trusted resource and a supportive voice. The new edition of The Recovery Book features the revolutionary Recovery Zone System, which divides a life in recovery into three chronological zones and provides guidance on exactly what to do in each zone. First is the Red Zone, where the reader is encouraged to stop everything, activate their recovery and save their life. Next is the Yellow Zone, where the reader can begin to rebuild a life that was torn apart by addiction. Finally, the reader reaches the Green Zone, where he can enjoy a life a recovery and help others. Readers also learn how to use the Recovery Zone ReCheck, a simple, yet very effective relapse prevention tool. The Recovery Zone System works hand-in-hand with the 12-step philosophy and all other recovery methods. In addition, The Recovery Book covers new knowledge about addiction mechanisms and neuroplasticity, explaining how alcohol and drugs alter the brain. The authors outline a simple daily practice, called TAMERS, that helps people to use those same processes to “remold their brains” around recovery, eventually making sobriety a routine way of life. Written by Al J. Mooney, M.D., a recovery activist who speaks internationally on recovery, and health journalists Catherine Dold and Howard Eisenberg, The Recovery Book covers all the latest in addiction science and recovery methods. In 26 chapters and over 600 pages, The Recovery Book tackles issues such as: Committing to Recovery: Identifying and accepting the problem; deciding to get sober. Treatment Options: Extensive information on all current options, and how to choose a program. AA and other 12-Step Fellowships: How to get involved in a mutual-support group and what it can do for you. Addiction Science and Neuroplasticity: How alcohol and drugs alter pathways in the brain, and how to use the same processes to remold the brain around recovery. Relapse Prevention: The Recovery Zone ReCheck, a simple new technique to anticipate and avoid relapses. Rebuilding Your Life: How to handle relationships, socializing, work, education, and finances. Physical and Mental Health: Tips for getting healthy; how to handle common ailments. Pain Control: How to deal with pain in recovery; how to avoid a relapse if you need pain control for surgery or emergency care. Family and Friends: How you can help a loved one with addiction, and how you can help yourself. Raising Substance-Free Kids: How to “addiction-proof” your child. The Epidemic of Prescription Drugs: Now a bigger problem than illegal drugs. Dr. Al J. Mooney has been helping alcoholics and addicts get their lives back for more than thirty years, using both his professional and personal experiences at his family’s treatment center, Willingway, and most recently through his work as medical director for The Healing Place of Wake County (NC), a homeless shelter. The Recovery Book will help millions gain control of their mind, their body, their life, and their happiness. www.TheRecoveryBook.com
