Just in time for the holidays, I want to recommend a couple of great reads for you to dive into that will support your recovery! This week I’m highlighting two books that focus on recovery from addiction.
You may be asking yourself why I am focusing on addiction instead of betrayal trauma. For those of you who are in a relationship with an addict of any kind, but particularly those dealing with sex addiction, it is vitally important that you educate yourself about addiction and recovery. However, I am also recommending these two particular books because I think they have a lot to offer anyone in recovery from anything, including partners who are healing from betrayal trauma. Both of these books are full of wisdom and support and I hope that you will find them helpful.
We are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life by Laura McKowen
This memoir explores the author’s struggle with alcohol taking us through the process of finding her bottom, wrestling with the 12-steps, facing her compulsive dishonesty and learning to tell the truth, the fragile first days of sobriety and then the eventual solid ground of recovery. McKowen does a brilliant job of sharing the lessons she learned and the process of self-discovery in a way that makes you feel like you are learning right there beside her. This book has something for everyone as the journey of recovery is ultimately about learning how to be an imperfectly perfect human being who lives and loves well. [Link]
Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions by Russell Brand
If you are not able to embrace the f-bomb this book might not be the one for you. However, if you can allow for some colorful language you are in for a treat, particularly if you listen to this book instead of reading it. In the audio version, Brand rants his own book as only he can, and it is a fun ride. If you are looking for an understanding and definition of addiction that will make sense to you then this book is a good starting place. Brand has enormous wisdom and insight to offer about both addiction and recovery. As someone who was violently opposed to the 12-steps, he shares his journey of coming to understand the purpose of the 12-steps and brilliantly helps us understand the purpose and function of each step in recovery. [Link]
About the Author:
Michelle Mays, LPC, CSAT-S is the Founder of PartnerHope.com and the Center for Relational Recovery, an outpatient treatment center located in Northern Virginia. She has helped hundreds of betrayed partners and sexually addicted clients transform their lives and relationships. Michelle is the author of The Aftermath of Betrayal and When It All Breaks Bad and leads the field in identifying and crafting effective treatment strategies for betrayed partners.
Braving Hope is a ground-breaking coaching intensive for betrayed partners around the world. Working with Michelle will help you to move out of the devastation of betrayal, relieve your trauma symptoms and reclaim your life.