The mindfulness workbook for addiction : a guide to coping with the grief, stress and anger that trigger addictive behaviors

176 Pages·2012·15.04 MB·English

by  Rebecca Edith Williams

(cid:28)The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction is a brilliant blend of psychology and spirituality.
V/Villiamsa nd Kraft have written a breakthrough manual, clearly and intelligently laid out, that
blends the most current understanding of addiction with the powerful practices of mindfulness.
One of the best books on living with integrity we have read in years.(cid:29)
(cid:20)l\/Iichele Hébert, author of The Tenth Door, and Mehrad Nazari, PhD,
director of the Raja Yoga Institute
(cid:28)What a gift! This wonderful workbook will help you understand how addictions function as a
false remedy for negative feelings. It is packed with stories, metaphors, worksheets, and
activities that will teach you how to befriend your mind and use it as a resource for recovery
and fulfillment. The authors use everyday language to describe the complexities of the human
condition, and help you systematically learn and practice skills to accept your feelings, live
with integrity by honoring your values, and enrich your relationships. The workbook can be
used by individuals or groups and will make a great adjunct for psychotherapy.(cid:29)
(cid:20)Heidi A. Zetzer, PhD, director of the Hosford Counseling &
Psychological Services Clinic at the University of California, Santa
Barbara
(cid:28)Refreshing, unique, and practical. The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction is an impressive
synthesis of Eastern and Western techniques designed to help those struggling with addiction
find a path towards healing and transformation. Through the use of mindfulness practices,
cognitive-behavioral exercises, case examples and relevant metaphors, the authors entice
readers to actively participate in their own recovery. This workbook offers creative, new ideas
and practical recovery tools designed to facilitate real and lasting change. I can(cid:25)t wait to use it
with my clients!(cid:29)
(cid:20)Phylis Wakefield, PhD, psychologist, specialist in addiction and trauma
and coauthor of Couple Therapy for Alcoholism
(cid:28)V/Vithw armth and patience, The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction guides the reader step-
by-step through a journey toward self-understanding, self-acceptance, responsibility, and
healing. With practical knowledge of how painful emotions drive us to act against our own
well-being and how to free ourselves from this struggle, V/Villiamsa nd Kraft have provided an
invaluable resource for people in recovery and the therapists who aid them Mental health
professionals are offered a comprehensive map of the emotional ground traveled in recovery
from addictions and other self-defeating behaviors, with spot-on teaching stories that illustrate
each stage of the process.(cid:29)
(cid:20)Laura E. Forsyth, PhD, supervisor of psychological counseling at
Moorpark College and psychologist in private practice serving adults with
ADHD, depression and anxiety in Camarillo, CA
(cid:28)V/Vith an engaging and conversational tone, V/Villiams and Kraft show you how to change the
energy of addiction. Their practical strategies allow addictive personalities to dig deep and
tackle the genesis of their destructive behaviors and trigger positive-mindset solutions for
living a more powerful life.(cid:29)
(cid:20)Stacey Canfield, author of The Soul Sitter Handbook
(cid:28)The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction is a practical, easy-to-read b ook that addresses
addictions of all varieties. The workbook is rich in offering tools and insights that everyone can
benefit from, whether they struggle with an addiction or not. The authors nicely use case
examples and metaphors to bring the concepts alive. This will be a valuable resource to anyone
seeking to learn new skills for overcoming an addiction.(cid:29)
(cid:20)Lee V/Villiams, PhD, professor of marital and family therapy at the
University of San Diego and co-author of Essential Assessment Skills for
Couple and Family Therapists
(cid:28)VV1lliams and Kraft teach readers in a clear, compassionate, and concise way how to observe
painful feelings as they arise. By learning how to tolerate and investigate their present-moment
experiences, readers can stop harmful behaviors and make more valued life choices. This guide
will be an essential addition to the library of anyone struggling with addiction and difficult
emotions, and for all therapists who want to utilize an effective approach to help people live
fuller, healthier lives.(cid:29)
(cid:20)Shoshana Shea, PhD, clinical psychologist focusing on mindfulness-
based cognitive therapy in San Diego
(cid:28)The authors have created a tool that can benefit all people who are dealing with addictions.
The Mindfulness W orkbookfor Addiction integrates our best treatments for addiction and the
emotional suffering that comes with it. This is a clear, step-by-step approach that will help
readers move from trying (and failing) to avoid pain to living the life that they want to live,
consistent with their values and free from the substancet o which they are addicted. The focus
on a nonjudgmental stance and acceptance of one(cid:25)s self while also facing challenges and
changing behaviors provides readers with the key tools needed to changet heir lives.(cid:29)
(cid:20)John R. McQuaid, PhD, associate chief of mental health at San Francisco
VA Medical Center, professor of clinical psychology in the Department of
Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco and coauthor of
Peaceful Mind
(cid:28)Here is a book that tells the truth about addiction(cid:20)that it is driven largely by emotional pain.
And here finally is a book that provides the mindfulness tools that will aid in recovery from
pain and addiction.(cid:29)
(cid:20)Matthew McKay, PhD, professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA
and coauthor of Thoughts & Feelings
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T om yh usband, m yc onstant s ource o f l ove a nd encouragement.
(cid:20)R EBECC AWILLIAMS
T oA ndrea B ishop, f or h er e ndlesscompassion,
T oS eanM arkley, f or l aughter a nd love,
a nd t oM om, f or everything.
(cid:20)JULIE KRAFT
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction

GetStitnagrt ed
Who Can This Book Help?
How to Use This Workbook
PART 1: GETTING TO KNOW THE M AIN CONCEPTS A ND SKILLS
1. Emotions
The (cid:28)No Feeling(cid:29) Contract
Loss and Emotion
Unraveling Your False Beliefs about Emotions
Emotion Dodging
Getting to Know Your Feelings
2. Thoughts
How Thoughts Connect to Emotions
Repeat-Offender Thoughts
Why Is Your Thinking Misleading?
Consideringt he Evidence
Distractjng Thoughts
3. Behaviors
A Ghost Fleeing Bullets
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Choosingt he Opposite
Values
Learning More about Choosingt he Opposite
4. Mindfulness
Observing Your Mind without Judgment
Imaginary Lions
Practicing Mindfulness
How to Breathe
Radical Acceptance
The Serenity Prayer
Fight, Flight, or FLOAT
P ART 2: LOOKING AT YOUR LOSSES
5. Loss
What Is Loss?
Why Look at Old Losses?
Taking a Look at Your Losses
Exploring the Impact of Your Losses
What Is an Addiction?
Uncovering the Time Line of Your Addictive Behavior
Switching to Another Addiction
Journey to Wellness
7. Connecting Addiction and Loss
The Loss-Addiction Cycle
The Addiction and Loss Time Line
Loss Anniversaries
PART 3: MOVING FORWARD
8. Mindful Grieving
Coping after a Loss
Nothing Works?
Radical Acceptance Revisited
Personal Resiliency
Grieving the Loss
Resiliency in Action
9. Relationships
Basic Communication Skills
Identifying Unhealthy Relationships
Healing Broken Relationships
Building a Healthy Social Support System
Managing Social Discomfort
10. Recovery, Relapse Prevention, and Beyond
Nutrition

S l e ep
Fitness
Work

F u n
Resourcesf or Your Journey
References
Exercises
1 . Emotions
E xercise 1 .1 Journalgzuestions
E xercise1 .2 I dentifyingY ourF alseB eliefsa boutEmotions
E xercise1 .3 E motion-DodginMgethods
E xercise1 .4 C onseguenceo sfE motionDodging
E xercise1 .5 L earninga boutY ourFeelings
E xercise 1 .6 H ow Would You Feel?
E xercise1 .7 C onnectingE motionst oL ifeSituations
2. Thoughts
E xercise2.1 I dentifyingY ourR egat-OffenderThoughts
E xercise2 .2 W hereD idY ourR egat-OffenderT houghtsC omeFrom?
E xercise 2.3 C onsider t he E vidence Worksheet
3 . Behaviors
E xercise3.1 R e(cid:2)ectjng o nY ourBehaviors
E xercise3.2 P racticeC hoosingt heOpmsite
E xercise3 .3 T heB irthdayToast
E xercise 3 .4 U ncover Y our Values
E xercise3 .5 R e(cid:2)ectjng o nValues
E xercise3 .6 M akingD ecisionsB asedo nValues
4M . indfulness

E xe4r.O c1i bsseY eoMruvirend
E xercise4 .2 I maginet heSgce
E xercise4 .3 S tudya nOb'ect
E xercise 4 .4 C ount t he Sounds
E xercise 4 .5 B e F ocused a nd Fascinated
E xercise4 .6 B ei nY ourBody
E xercise 4 .7 I t I s W hat I t Is
E xercise 4 .8 F LOAT Worksheet
5 L . oss

E xe5r.cL 1io ssCesheescklist
E xercise5 .2 I dentifyingY ourLosses
E xercise 5 .3 H ow R esolved I s Y our Loss?
E xercise5 .4 L ossI mgct Worksheet
E xercise5 .5 Y ourR esmnsest oLoss
6 . Addiction
E xercise6.1 I dentifyA ddictionsW orksheet:A lcohol,D rugs,a ndCaffeine
E xercise6 .2 C hecklisto fA ddictionS ignsA : lcoholo rDrugs
E xercise6 .3 I dentifyA ddictionsW orksheet:O therT roublingBehaviors
E xercise6 .4 C hecklisto fA ddictionS ignsT :roublingBehaviors
E xercise 6 .5 T ime L ine o f A ddictive Behavior
E xercise6 .6 W ellnessScript
3. M indful Grieving
E xercise8 .1 B einga nObserver
E xercise8 .2 I gnorev s.Accept
E xercise 8 .3 L eaves D own a Stream
E xercise 8 .4 T he G ift t o Yourself
E xercise8 .5 T heP ersonalR esiliencyQuiz
@

E x e8 r.cW 7isaew lkiWitnhgords
E xercise8 .8 Y ourR esiliencyi nAction
9 R . elationships

E xe9 r.L c1iio ssC fetomS omPcorioanlblems
E xercise9 .2 P racticing(cid:28)I (cid:29) Statements
E xercise9.3 P racticingY ourL isteningSkills
E xercise 9 .4 u alities o f R elations &#s39;
E xercise9.5 I dentifyingY ourH ealthya ndU nhealthyRelationships
E xercise 9.6 L etter o f Invitation
E xercise9.7 H ealingC onversationFormat
E xercise9.8 T heC ommitt oQ uitAgreement
E xercise9 .9 K eepT racko fY ourThoughts
1 0.R ecovery, R elapseP revention,a ndBeyond
E xercise 1 0.1 F ood Journal
E xercise10.2 S leepI mprovemenWt orksheet
E xercise10.3 S leepJournal
E xercise 1 0.4 E xercise Journal
E xercise 10.5 W ork a s a Gift
E xercise 10.6 P leasant A ctivities List