Though a number of books covering adolescent substance abuse are available, there are very few resources that explore the topic in the context of Family Systems Therapy (FST). Youth and Their Families offers an expanded view of the therapeutic process with a specific focus on the relationship between therapists, adolescents, families, communities, and substance use. By applying an FST lens, the clinician learns to view their client as an entire family system being affected by adolescent substance abuse. Furthermore, FST can be used at every stage of the substance abuse intervention continuum (from prevention to intervention) to provide increased functioning and strength in the family system. This book incorporates easily applicable clinical skill acquisition with the use of lively cases to give the reader requisite skills to be an effective family systems therapist.

A bravely honest and brilliantly comic account of how one mother gave up drinking and started living. This is Bridget Jones Dries Out. Clare Pooley is a Cambridge graduate and was a Managing Partner at one of the world's biggest advertising agencies, and yet by eighteen months ago she'd become an overweight, depressed, middle-aged mother of three who was drinking more than a bottle of wine a day, and spending her evenings Googling 'Am I an alcoholic?' In a desperate bid to turn her life around, she quit drinking and started a blog. She called it Mummy Was a Secret Drinker. This book is the story of a year in Clare's life. A year that started with her quitting booze having been drinking more than a bottle of wine every day. It sees her starting a hugely successful blog, then getting and beating breast cancer. By the end of the year she is booze free and cancer free, two stone lighter and with a life that is so much richer, healthier and more rewarding than ever before. Sober Diaries is an upbeat, funny and positive look at how to live life to the full. Interwoven within Clare's own very personal and frank story is research and advice, and answers to questions like: How do I know if I'm drinking too much? How will I cope at parties? What do I say to friends and family? How do I cope with cravings? Will I lose weight? What if my partner still drinks? And many more.

In this groundbreaking book, Matthieu Ricard makes a passionate case for happiness as a goal that deserves as least as much energy as any other in our lives. Wealth? Fitness? Career success? How can we possibly place these above true and lasting well-being? Drawing from works of fiction and poetry, Western philosophy, Buddhist beliefs, scientific research, and personal experience, Ricard weaves an inspirational and forward-looking account of how we can begin to rethink our realities in a fast-moving modern world. With its revelatory lessons and exercises, Happiness is an eloquent and stimulating guide to a happier life.

Finally, there is a cure for alcoholism. This is the first step. Featuring new and updated information and studies, including an introduction by actress Claudia Christian, the second edition of The Cure for Alcoholism delivers exactly what millions of alcoholics and families of alcoholics have been hoping for: a painless, dignified, and medically proven cure for their addiction. Backed by 82 clinical trials and research that extends back to 1964, The Sinclair Method deploys an opiate-blocking medication in a very specific way--in combination with ongoing drinking--to extinguish the addictive "software" in the brain. The de-addiction process rolls back the addictive mechanism in the brain to its original pre-addicted state--before the first drink was consumed, making this program an actual cure for alcoholism. Drs. Roy Eskapa and David Sinclair of The Sinclair Method have put together a sound scientific book that proves that with this particular method, alcoholism can be cured in more than 78 percent of patients. What's more, the treatment avoids the dangerous withdrawal symptoms, allowing patients to detox gradually and safely while they are still drinking. This removes the need for expensive and unpleasant inpatient rehabilitation programs. Actual drinking levels and cravings automatically decrease until control over alcohol is restored. The bottom line is that patients can control their drinking or stop altogether with the simple yet powerful process outlined in The Cure for Alcoholism. Including a new introduction by actress Claudia Christian about The Sinclair Method's impact on her life, updated trial information, and a letter explaining the treatment that can be given to doctors by patients, The Cure for Alcoholism is a revolutionary book for anyone who wants to gain control over drinking.

When Bill Wilson, with his friend Dr. Bob Smith, founded Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, his hope was that AA would become a safe haven for those who suffered from this disease. Thirty years after his death, AA continues to help millions of alcoholics recover from what had been commonly regarded as a hopeless addiction. Still, while Wilson was a visionary for millions, he was no saint. After cofounding Alcoholics Anonymous, he stayed sober for over thirty-five years, helping countless thousands rebuild their lives. But at the same time, Wilson suffered form debilitating bouts of clinical depression, was a womanizer, and experimented with LSD.Francis Hartigan, the former secretary and confidant to Wilson's wife, Lois, has exhaustively researched his subject, writing with a complete insider's knowledge. Drawing on extensive interviews with Lois Wilson and scores of early members of AA, he fully explores Wilson's organizational genius, his devotion to the cause, and almost martyr-like selflessness. That Wilson, like all of us, had to struggle with his own personal demons makes this biography all the more moving and inspirational. Hartigan reveals the story of Wilson's life to be as humorous, horrific, and powerful as any of the AA vignettes told daily around the world.

A highly respected physician details his struggle with both treating alcoholics and battling the disease himself.

As long as you're operating out of what you've been told addiction is -and all the myths and lies that go along with that- you will never be able to choose beyond it. If you are willing to consider a radically different approach to addiction, this book is for you. Right Recovery for You does not offer a system that you fit yourself into. It does not tell you what to do or give you answers about your life. What it offers are tools, techniques, information, and processes you can use to clear your issues with addiction and create a life beyond any addictive or compulsive behavior. This is your choice. It may seem a little scary at first, yet with courage and determination, you can move beyond the addictive behavior you thought would own you for the rest of your life.

Kate Holden's] road to recovery begins when she starts working in a brothel. The clients seem to fit the same distribution curve - brutish at one end, sweet at the other - but now that the trade is coming to her, she draws strength from the power of her allure, starts to take pride in her work, and discovers she's good at it. This surprising trajectory, along with its searing intellectual and emotional honesty and the quality of the writing, easily sets In My Skin apart from most other my-substance-abuse-hell memoirs. - The Independent on Sunday 21/05/06. Her vivid narrative voice lends a gritty poetry to her tale of heroin addiction, half-hearted rehab and prostitution. The book's power to shock rests in its contrasts; the life Kate led during her 20s may have been unexceptional for many young women, but not for a pretty, intelligent, middle-class girl with a classics degree, a job in a bookshop and a loving family of liberal, politically aware academics. She conjures with glittering clarity the sense of invincibility that comes with the first taste of adult life, the belief that drugs can make love and art transcendent, the conviction that you are in control.In My Skin is a compelling story of love and squalor that retains humanity and sympathy. - The Observer, 14/05/06.

The long-awaited sequel to THE UNEXPECTED JOY OF BEING SOBER - the Sunday Times bestseller 'Exquisite' - Fearne Cotton, Happy Place 'A paean to the longer-term pleasures of staying booze-free' - The Guardian 'The kind of book that changes lives, and very possibly saves them' - The Lancet Psychiatry 'A reflective, raw and riveting read. A beautiful book on what it takes to root for yourself' - Emma Gannon, Ctrl Alt Delete 'No other author writes about sober living with as much warmth or emotional range as Catherine Gray. Her deep insight into the subtle psychologies of drinking, and of life, means that everything she writes is both utterly relatable and stretches our minds. Hers is a rare wisdom.' - Dr Richard Piper, CEO, Alcohol Change UK What's it like to give up drinking forever? We know now that being teetotal for one, three, even twelve months brings surprising joys and a recharged body... but nothing has been written about going years deep into being alcohol-free. As Catherine Gray, author of runaway bestseller The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, streaks towards a decade sober, she explores this uncharted territory in her trademark funny, disruptive and warm way. This is a must-read for anyone sober-curious, whether they've put down the bottle yet or not. Praise for The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober: 'Fascinating' - Bryony Gordon 'Truthful, modern and real' - Stylist 'Brave, witty and brilliantly written' - Marie Claire 'Gray's tale of going sober is uplifting and inspiring' - Evening Standard 'Not remotely preachy' - Sunday Times 'Jaunty, shrewd and convincing' - Sunday Telegraph 'Admirably honest, light, bubbly and remarkably rarely annoying' - Guardian 'An empathetic, warm and hilarious tale from a hugely likeable human' - The Lancet Psychiatry

Another in the Edward Bear/Tyler series of extended dialogues, this one dealing with Seven Deadly Fears, the fears that keep us from enjoying life and living in the sunlight of the spirit. As some anonymous troll once said, "Fear is the prison of the heart." So sit down, relax and read how Edward and his mentor, Tyler, deal with the Fear of Intimacy, Fear of the Unknown, Fear of Change, Fear of Rejection/Abandonment, Fear of Conflict/Anger/Confrontation, Fear of Becoming a Burden, and Fear of Dying. "Sit down and enjoy a down-to-earth conversation with a wise man and a wise guy as they work through common, everyday fears. Their simple wisdom is profound. Get refreshing "aha's: and proven tools that can help us choose growth in the hard parts of life." -David Newcomb MA, CACIII, NCC Psychologist "In The Seven Deadly Fears, Edward Bear and his alter-ego, Tyler, with crisp and succinct dialogue, reduce our most common fears to the mundane. Wit and philosophy mix well to take the dread out of everyday plights. Edward, please keep Tyler talking, we are not completely cured." -James Baird Weaver, Ph.D. Psychologist

"To Hell and Back" chronicles the life of Dr. Steven B. Heird and his battle with addiction, putting his loving family, booming medical practice and years of education at risk. After a spiritual awakening in the rehabilitation hospital, he began to see light and love in all places, finally able to identify the things that made him experience true happiness. The book concludes with twelve unique prescriptions to guide a path to awareness.

Have you ever wondered what an artist is thinking when they create a work of art? What music whispers through the trees in the background...? Behind the Black is the true story of an artist and her struggle to look deep into the lost chronicles of the human spirit to search for what drives us most. From finding her way out of a darkly destructive alcohol addiction to the search for a soul mate, Colleen holds nothing back-baring her soul and utter truth to the core, conveying an artist's view of creativity and its very source, down to the elements that make up the world we live in. On the road to becoming a professional artist, Colleen almost lost her studio and home after an ill-fated business deal with a couple of big bad wolves. Yet she survived to tell the tale, traveling the world on a block of ice, slaying dragons and kissing frogs. Behind the Black is filled with intriguing true-life characters as a lifetime of experiences magically transform into works of art, all explained in intimate detail. "We are the artists of our own worlds, but everyone has a paintbrush, and the canvas is left to unfold and transform...," writes the author. Behind the Black leads you to see through the darkness in a land where you'll confront your own dragons and find miracles. Pay no attention to big bad wolves, and listen closely to little burnt marshmallow-looking minions, for it is always what lies within that matters most.

Before you were ever earth born, you were 'Bliss Full'-perfect and perfectly loved. Then came 'Bliss Fall'-life on earth began. Relax on Impact brings the reader through a journey many share. Well-meaning, imperfect parents offer imperfect love. Addictions, power struggles and emotional unavailability build walls that block true vision. Each generation seems doomed to teach past mistakes. Marriages built between the disempowered who seek their 'other half' create repeated divorces and added pain, rather than increased intimacy, love and spiritual clarity. Expressed in parable form, Jill Haire describes and guides relationship communication while supporting various Twelve Step recovery programs. Inner children and teachable adults will discover the solid connection between body, mind and spirit.

Many people struggle with substance abuse in the shadows feeling ashamed, alone, and inadequate. You are not alone. Many of us keep up appearances while at the same time kicking ourselves every time we stumble into bed drunk out of our minds. Many of us say, 'never again,' only to drink again at 5:00pm. You are not alone. There is a way out of this. After Party is the story of how one person, Drew Charles, dug his way out of the spiral of drug and alcohol excess. While doing so, he discovered that sobriety is not the impossibly boring state of living so many of us fear but is filled with joy and excitement in ways we can't predict when we are stuck in the loop of drinking and drug taking. After Party is the honest account of Drew's first year of sobriety, how he did it, and more importantly, why he did it. Drew's hope is that anyone who battles with alcohol and drugs, or just feels curious about sobriety, can take solace in knowing that life not only exists beyond alcohol, but that it sings with a clarity and depth of emotion many of us would never have thought possible.

Can I Keep Drinking? How You Can Decide When Enough is Enough is for the 90-million-plus people who struggle with alcohol in the United States. Most will avoid getting help for fear of being labeled an alcoholic, forced into treatment, made to attend 12-step meetings, and have to stop drinking completely. Only about 6 percent of the population is alcoholic yet more than 80 percent of treatment programs require total abstinence from alcohol. Cyndi Turner challenges this traditional belief and teaches you how to have a better relationship with alcohol. As if you and Cyndi were sitting in her office, she provides you with easy-to-follow tools, checklists, and quizzes to guide you through the process of answering the crucial question: can I keep drinking? Included throughout are experiences of people who have struggled with drinking. The "How Do I Know If I Can Keep Drinking? Quiz" gives you positive and negative predictors for whether you are a candidate for moderate drinking and prepares you to develop and implement a Moderate Drinking Plan. Take the quiz and get the tools to get balance back in your life!

Many people believe that everyone who uses heroin is addicted. In fact, this is true of only about 20 percent of heroin users. By clearing up common misconceptions like these, this book provides information that can save the lives of people using the drug. The author recounts heroin's history, details its chemistry, tells what users need to know to avoid addiction, and demystifies the life of a user: from buying to administering to detoxing and staying clean.

Heroin is a fascinating drug to most people. It is often referred to as the "hardest drug." By this logic, people might start with alcohol, work up to marijuana and maybe LSD. Then they reach to cocaine or methamphetamine. And finally, at the end of the journey is heroin. But like most things about heroin, this is more myth than reality. For non-users, this mythic power is exciting. And writers for the last century have been more than willing to pander to such readers in pulp and art novels all the way up to television crime novels. But it is rare for the most people to get a real look at what is, after all, the very core of what heroin is about for its users. To users, the interest is obvious. But ignorance of the the details of drug use among heroin users is rife -- usually based on what the author calls "old junkie tales." The difference between such folklore and the truth is often the difference between life and death. Heroin User's Handbook reveals the largely hidden world of heroin use based upon actual work with users and countless scholarly books and articles. And it does it in an extremely readable, non-technical manner -- even while providing detained and accurate information. The book discusses all aspects of heroin use: the acquisition of drugs, the administration of them, health risks, legal issues, social aspects, and addiction and detox. It provides the non-heroin world with a detailed look inside a very rarefied subculture. But it also provides the those in the heroin using world life-saving information.

A relative or friend has finally taken those tentative first steps toward sobriety. With the relief of this life-changing course of action comes a new and difficult set of challenges for recovering addicts and those who love them. Family members and friends often find themselves unsure of how to weather such a dramatic turn, as the rules and routines of their relationships no longer pertain.

"Everything Changes" assuages fears and uncertainty by teaching loved ones of newly recovering addicts how to navigate the often-tumultuous early months of recovery. Beverly Conyers, author of the acclaimed "Addict in the Family," again shares the hope and knowledge that she gained as a parent of a recovering addict by focusing on the aftermath of addiction. She outlines the physical and psychological changes that recovering addicts go through, and offers practical tools to help family members and friends:

• build a fresh, rewarding relationship with the addict
• be supportive without setting themselves up for disappointment
• avoid enabling destructive behavior
• set and maintain boundaries
• cope with relapse
• deal with the practicalities of sober living, such as helping the addict find a job and deal with the stigma of addiction

• Beverly Conyers, M.A., is an editor and freelance writer who lives in New England. She is the author of "Addict in the Family: Stories of Loss, Hope, and Recovery."

"This wise book provides practical exercises that will help us to develop conscious awareness and inner understanding, and the ways and means to free us from unsatisfying habits, addictions, and unconscious behavior patterns. I recommend it highly."
––Lama Surya Das, author of the bestselling Awakening the Buddha Within

"Anyone interested in finding a kind, spiritual guide to recovery that focuses on flexibility rather than the ‘one true way’ will benefit from this enjoyable and helpful book."
––Maia Szalavitz, coauthor with Joseph Volpicelli, M.D., of Recovery Options: The Complete Guide

In Mindful Recovery, you’ll discover a fresh and effective method for healing from addiction that can help you handle important challenges, from managing anxiety and resisting cravings to dealing with emotional and physical imbalance.

Drawing on both ancient spiritual wisdom and the authors’ extensive clinical psychological work with their patients over many years, Mindful Recovery shows you how to use the simple Buddhist practice of mindfulness to be aware of–– and enjoy–– life in the present moment without the need to enhance or avoid experience with addictive behaviors. Mindful Recovery guides you step by step through ten powerful "doorways" to mindful recovery, giving you specific strategies that can help you cultivate a sense of calm awareness and balance in your life.

Filled with personal stories of recovery, practical exercises, instructions for meditation, and more, Mindful Recovery accompanies you on a journey of exploration and healing that will help you find the strength and the tools to change, leading you to a fresh new experience of everyday living.