Family Recovery

One phone call. That's all it took to change Stephanie Wittels Wachs's life forever.... Her younger brother Harris, a star in the comedy world known for his work on shows like Parks and Recreation, had died of a heroin overdose. How do you make sense of such a tragic end to a life of so much hilarious brilliance? In beautiful, unsentimental, and surprisingly funny prose, Stephanie Wittels Wachs alternates between her brother's struggle with addiction, which she learned about three days before her wedding, and the first year after his death, in all its emotional devastation.

You’re excited to be a new mom…but you have no idea what to expect. You know it’s going to be a magical experience, but you’re feeling both exhilarated and scared. You’ve been looking forward to this moment for as long as you can remember, but now that it's drawing nearer, you’re getting nervous. Maybe you’ve looked through countless websites on motherhood but your research is becoming more overwhelming than helpful. Don’t worry: You are not alone!

From the creator of the blog Renegade Mothering, Janelle Hanchett's forthright, darkly funny, and ultimately empowering memoir chronicling her tumultuous journey from young motherhood to abysmal addiction and a recovery she never imagined possible. Pregnant at 21 by a man she'd known three months, Janelle Hanchett embraced motherhood with the determined optimism of the recklessly self-confident. After giving birth, she found herself bored, directionless, and seeking relief in wine, which she justified as sophisticated and going well with chicken.

When Maureen and her ex-husband Mike see their daughter Katie’s needle track marks for the first time, it is a complete shock. But, slowly, the drug use explains everything - Katie’s constant exhaustion, erratic moods, and all those spoons that have gone missing from the house. Once Mike and Maureen get Katie into detox, Maureen goes to sleep that night hoping that in 48 hours she’ll have her daughter back. It’s not that simple. Like the millions of parents and relatives all over the country, Maureen learns that recovery is neither straightforward nor brief.

1 in every 5 people struggle with crippling fear and anxiety in relationships. But with recent research into anxious attachment, there is new hope for a happier future. Have you been labeled needy, clingy, or demanding by a partner? Do you feel like you're walking on eggshells, questioning every word and action in your closest relationships? Do you find yourself constantly making the same dating or relationship mistakes over and over, wondering if you’re doomed to constantly struggle in relationships? These are all clear signs that you have an anxious attachment style.

In the familiar setting of Holt, Colorado, home to all of Kent Haruf's inimitable fiction, Addie Moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, Louis Waters. Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such a small town they naturally have known of each other for decades; in fact, Addie was quite fond of Louis's wife.

Josh Hamilton was the first player chosen in the first round of the 1999 baseball draft. He was destined to be one of those rare "high-character" superstars. But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors, all of the plans for Josh went off the rails in a moment of weakness. What followed was a four-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from friends and family, and his eventual suspension from baseball.

In an all too familiar scenario, played out in millions of homes every day, children who grow up in addictive families abide by certain rules: don't talk, don't trust, don't feel. The rigid survival roles and youthful coping behaviors they take on, such as the responsible child, the adjuster, the placater, and the acting-out child can eventually contribute to problems of depression, loneliness, and addiction in adulthood.

Sound interesting? The author thinks so too! Listen to Addiction 101 and learn about addiction, mental health, recovery, and relapse.

Don’t become the one thing you hate the most...“You could’ve done better. Why can’t you be more like your sibling”? “Stop overreacting. You’re always so sensitive”. “Why are you always so angry with me? We need to get you help”. “This is for your own good”. These are all common phrases you may hear from your mother. Guess what? She is likely to be a narcissist. All it takes is an understanding of your situation and the proper guidance to help move you down the path to recovery.

Acute trauma and addictive disorders are often a result of psychological injuries experienced as a child, while typically producing long-term and harmful generational consequences on loved ones and other family members. Claudia Black presents a portrait of a broken family system, exploring how addiction and trauma develop in families, their damaging repetition, and offers a roadmap for healing.

Did your parents ever do unloving things in the name of love? Here is how you reclaim your sense of self. Do you feel as though your relationship with your parents is seriously limiting your potential? Have they made you feel worthless in the past? Did you or do you have to constantly be there for them and their problems? Have they used physical or emotional pain to “discipline” you? Do they try to control or manipulate you? If so, then the chances are high you are dealing with a toxic parent.

This guide by Dr. Lawrence L James, an expert in alcoholism and trauma, offers not just knowledge but a shared understanding of the lifelong impact of adverse childhood experiences. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, Dr. James delves into the heart of the emotional and psychological turmoil faced by adult children of alcoholics.

Are you tired of drowning in a sea of confusing advice and outdated information? Say goodbye to those overwhelming "What to Expect" books and embrace a revolutionary guide that cuts straight to the chase. Newborn Care Made Easy is the ultimate game-changer for busy moms who want the need-to-know information.

Your struggling teenager is going to a residential or wilderness treatment program. Their addictions, learning disabilities, or emotional/behavioral issues have brought you to a moment of decision. Heartsick, anxious, and exhausted, questions bounce endlessly around your mind. Will this work? Was this really necessary? Will she ever forgive me? Can we handle him at home when the time comes? Dr. Tim Thayne delivers the answers in his groundbreaking book Not by Chance.

A story-driven, integrative, and practical book to help families heal from the effects of a loved one’s addiction and move forward into a healthy future.

From the outside, Seana Smith lived an enviable life. An Oxford graduate, a successful career with the BBC and Sydney’s Channel 9, a bestselling author, happily married. But behind this perfect life she had a secret: Seana was a drinker, and alcohol was slowly taking away her life, destroying her health, her emotional well-being, her world. With engaging style and wit, Going Under reveals the true story behind Seana’s lifelong battle with drink. It lays bare a confusing childhood of Scottish sailing adventures and also brutal violence from her bullying, alcoholic father.

This book is for anyone, whether they are sober-curious, already sober or considering becoming sober. Broken into four parts, you will discover how to: understand your relationship with alcohol, including grey-area drinking; use the full sober toolkit to help you build and sustain your sober life; stay sober, particularly on high days and holidays, and rediscover who you are without alcohol; and fine-tune your toolkit to make it perfect for you and your new life.

No. You're not crazy. The person you love is probably an alcoholic. You've been blindsided by lies, deception, denial, a life of chaos, and experienced Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You've hidden bottles, poured out the alcohol, and begged your loved one not to drink. Don't despair. There is hope. This survival guide will help you understand the nature of the disease of alcoholism, alcoholic behavior, and how you can regain control of your life.

More than just a book full of the latest information, this is a dynamic, interactive, and personalized journey of recovery for those impacted by adverse childhood experiences (ACES). Finally, they can put their past behind them where it belongs! For those who have grown up in a family with addiction, mental illness, or other adverse childhood experiences (ACES), the heartache and pain doesn't end when they grow up and leave home.