The Gift of Recovery: 52 Mindful Ways to Live Joyfully Beyond Addiction

258 Pages·2018·3.59 MB·English

by  Rebecca E. Williams

“Invite The Gift of Recovery to accompany your journey home to your-
self. You’ll meet no better guides to support your day-to-day recovery
goals than authors Williams and Kraft. Their exercises, meditations,
affirmations, and self-inquiry questions are grounded in their non-
judging and compassionate understanding of addiction and recovery.
This book will help you be kinder to yourself, even as you deepen your
self-awareness and commitment to sobriety.”
—Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga for Depression and
Yoga Skills for Therapists, and founder of the LifeForce
Yoga Healing Institute
“The Gift of Recovery is a well-crafted, beautiful illustration of the
power of mindfulness in healing from addiction. From compelling
examples to memorable metaphors, the authors use a conversational
approach to appeal to their audience and simplify the often-confusing
jargon of psychotherapy. Short chapters, organized as ‘gifts,’ compel
the reader to redefine their view of the recovery process. Mindful
exercises and affirmations help the reader transform thoughts into
action. Audiences will find it helpful to use independently or as an
adjunct to their work in therapy. Comprehensive, masterful, and
approachable, Williams and Kraft have done it again, bringing
together the best evidence-based concepts to addiction recovery in
this one absolutely essential guide.”
—Gina M. Bongiorno, LMFT, manager of the co-occurring
substance and eating disorder program at the University
of California, San Diego’s Eating Disorder Clinic; and
adjunct faculty member at the University of San Diego
“In today’s world focused on apps and technology, this ‘gift’ brings it
back to the fundamental instruments needed to help keep my clients
focused and being present. As a clinician, I am inspired to use this as
a parallel process and enhance my skill set.”
—Jason R. Allison, SAP, ICADC, LAADC, licensed addiction
professional and cofounder of National Therapeutic Alliance
“Sustaining recovery is a complex process—it involves learning skills
that will help you get through tough moments, and figuring out how
and when to implement them when you need them most. Even more
than making healthy choices in the moment, sustaining recovery also
comes to life when you learn to be kind, curious, and even forgiving
of yourself along the way. The Gift of Recovery strikes that beautiful
balance. Williams and Kraft teach practical steps while fostering a
spirit of compassion that will facilitate you making choices that honor
your values, needs, and goals in an effort to live beyond addiction.”
—Rachel Hershenberg, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry
and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and author of
Activating Happiness
“The Gift of Recovery presents a precious path into a new way of living
for people recovering from any kind of addiction (or just struggling
with life). Williams and Kraft were able to capture every scenario and
situation that a person in recovery might face, and give them tools
that could literally save their lives. They intimately know the world of
addiction and its struggles as well as the way to recovery and its joys.
I highly recommend this book.”
—Lynn Rossy, PhD, author of The Mindfulness-Based Eating
Solution, and executive director of Tasting Mindfulness, LLC
“If recovery is what you’re looking for, look right here. … Without
question, The Gift of Recovery has become an integral part of my
mindfulness practice and is already weaving its way into programming
throughout my three organizations. Highly recommended for all those
looking to say goodbye to addiction and hello to serenity.”
—Christopher Bennett, CADC-II, CIP, BRI-I,
chief executive officer and founder, Chris Bennett
Interventions; cofounder of the Chris Buro Foundation;
and founder of Encore Recovery Solutions
“This is one of the few books I’ve read that zeros in on recovery prin-
ciples I believe are essential in achieving long-term recovery. It is an
easy read that identifies issues that lead to relapse, and provides prac-
tical anecdotes using mindful meditation techniques. A simple read of
this valuable recovery material will be helpful in itself, but practicing
the mindful meditation techniques will put learning into practice and
optimize one’s comfort level in recovery.”
—Bob Tyler, BA, LAADC, CADC II, owner of Bob Tyler
Recovery Services; CAADAC past president and CCAPP
founding board member; LMU Extension faculty in the
alcohol and drug studies program; author of Enough Already!;
and producer of the DVD, Craving and Relapse
“Kind, wise, and eminently practical, The Gift of Recovery provides
powerful skills and practices to help transform the habits, urges, and
thought patterns that keep you hooked in unhealthy behaviors.
Rebecca E. Williams and Julie S. Kraft offer a generous toolbox of
mindfulness skills to help you live your life with joy and freedom. A
true gift!”
—Hugh Byrne, PhD, senior teacher with the Insight
Meditation Community of Washington, cofounder of the
Mindfulness Training Institute of Washington, and author
of The Here-and-Now Habit
“This is the gift that keeps on giving. In The Gift of Recovery, Rebecca
Williams and Julie Kraft provide the reader with fifty-two gifts to
guide them through their recovery from addiction. I believe this book
is a gift for everyone who struggles with leaving behind unhelpful and
unhealthy habitual behaviors. Rebecca and Julie provide great mind-
fulness skills and multiple affirmations for each day of the week. They
make the reader feel that they are with the intelligent and compas-
sionate companions that we all need as we face the challenges on our
journey to a healthier, joyful life. This is the best mindfulness book
I’ve read in a long time. Give yourself this gift. You deserve it!”
—Michelle Skeen, PsyD, author of Love Me, Don’t Leave Me;
and host of Relationships 2.0
“The Gift of Recovery will be a valuable guide for anyone wanting to
incorporate mindfulness into your path of recovery from addiction.”
—Tim Desmond, LMFT, author of Self-Compassion in
Psychotherapy and The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook
the
gift
of
recovery
52
Mindful Ways to
Live Joyfully Beyond Addiction
REBECCA E. WILLIAMS, P D
h
JULIE S. KRAFT, MA, LMFT
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in
regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the pub-
lisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional
services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent
professional should be sought.
The names and events in this book are fictional. Any likeness to real people is
coincidental.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2018 by Rebecca E. Williams and Julie S. Kraft
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
Cover design by Amy Shoup
Acquired by Camille Hayes
Edited by Brady Kahn
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file
For Michael,
Thank you for this most amazing adventure.
—Rebecca
For Jennifer Salyer: we are forever grateful that you came into our lives.
For Sarah Nichter, the best friend on planet earth.
And for my Markley boys:
I wouldn’t ride this roller coaster with anybody else!
—Julie
Tell me, what is it you
plan to do with your one wild and
precious life?
— Mary Oliver
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
Section 1: Beginning Your Mindful Recovery
1 Welcome to a New World 8
2 Understanding Meditation 12
3 A Mindful Good- bye to Addiction 16
4 Mastering the Breath 20
5 Sitting Still 24
Section 2: Emotions
6 Getting Comfortable with Moods 28
7 Gratitude for Feelings 32
8 Soothing Anger 36
9 Releasing Fear 40
10 Accepting Everyday Frustration 44
Section 3: Especially Strong Emotions
11 What to Do with Especially Strong Feelings 50
12 When Emotions Get Stuck 54
13 Honoring and Releasing Old Ways of Coping 58
14 Letting Pain Be Pain, Not Suffering 62
15 Self- Compassion 67