This guidebook is meant for men and women with addictive histories who feel ready to discover ways to create satisfying, non-using lives. Appropriate for in-patient and out-patient settings or aftercare and sober living programs, it offers genuine encouragement and a practical "step by step" method for them to sort through their damaged feelings and mixed-up thoughts to discover their TRUE YOU...their real, healthy self that existed before they used. It will serve as the anchor for their authentic life of sobriety. This guidebook deals candidly with the common doubts and frequent negative thoughts persons in early sobriety experience while re-defining and re-building their lives after addiction. Discover new and productive ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. This guidebook is their companion manual and "map" for charting an exciting journey to lifelong, joyful, relapse-free recovery. For the Therapist and Counselor: Utilize the material in this book as: The basis of a multi-week aftercare course, with built-in homework assignments. The foundation of a lengthier curriculum for clients and family members in extended care and residential programs. A modular, "non-linear" approach to regular group therapy. Individualized counseling ideas intended to rebuild a client's life. This guidebook is meant for men and women with addictive histories who feel ready to discover ways to create satisfying, non-using lives. Appropriate for in-patient and out-patient settings or aftercare and sober living programs, it offers genuine encouragement and a practical "step by step" method for them to sort through their damaged feelings and mixed-up thoughts to discover their TRUE YOU...their real, healthy self that existed before they used. It will serve as the anchor for their authentic life of sobriety. This guidebook deals candidly with the common doubts and frequent negative thoughts persons in early sobriety experience while re-defining and re-building their lives after addiction. Discover new and productive ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. This guidebook is their companion manual and "map" for charting an exciting journey to lifelong, joyful, relapse-free recovery. For the Therapist and Counselor: Utilize the material in this book as: The basis of a multi-week aftercare course, with built-in homework assignments. The foundation of a lengthier curriculum for clients and family members in extended care and residential programs. A modular, "non-linear" approach to regular group therapy. Individualized counseling ideas intended to rebuild a client's life. ~Testimonials~ This is Prin's third book, and totally different from the first two in style. His first two books, Secret Keeping and Stolen Hours: Breaking Free from Secret Addictions were similar in theme. One was a personal exploration, and the other a broadly researched synthethis of material on the important themes of toxic secrets, addiction and recovery. On the book's cover, Roadmap announces itself as a guidebook. It is actually more of a workbook. One key to recovery (my brother is a Ph.D. psychologist and I have long understood this as a key to health) is assuming personal responsibility instead of passively hoping someone will fix your problems. Prin's workbook invites readers to participate in the process of recovery by offering a roadmap from the miry dregs of despair to the possibilities of and experience of a joyful life. For some, a joyful life seems almost too much to hope for. But a key idea in the book is this: achieving happiness is not a journey one goes on alone. Borrowing from his background in AA and addiction counselling, Prin does not use the "I" word once in this book. Health is a "we" experience. It is something we accomplish within a community, in relationship with God (or "higher power") and others. I liked the subtitle for this book, every word carefully chosen: "Tested Strategies to Overcome Addiction and Avoid Relapse." Tested: Not arbitrary theories, but proven in experience Strategies: Thought through, to be applied to Overcome: not to remain defeated... Addiction: bondage, slavery, grief and most importantly, to Avoid Relapse. This last is really important. How many people do you know who quit smoking for a month, or went on short term diets but went back to snacking and binging afterwards? Drug addicts and alcoholics can have short term success, but there's always that bogeyman in the wings, waiting to pounce. This book is intended to bring hope, freedom, and happiness. Wonderful aims, and within reach if we make a roadmap, and follow it. If you've ever been afraid to dream such a good dream for yourself or someone you know, then this book is probably for you. Ed Newman Director of Advertising AMSOIL, Inc. |