Published in 1994, A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps has long been a unique resource that helps women find their own paths in recovery--paths shaped by the way women experience not only addiction and recovery, but also relationships, self, sexuality, spirituality, and everyday life. Now, stories from five new voices expand the perspective of this recovery classic.

Over the past thirty years, what it means to identify as a woman in recovery has broadened to include transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-diverse people. This new edition includes updated, inclusive language to be more trauma-sensitive and welcoming to all women. This compilation of diverse voices and wisdom from real people illuminates how women understand the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and offers inspiring stories of how they travel through the Steps and discover what works for them. The book can be used alone or as a companion to AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

By identifying and addressing the special issues that recovery presents for women, this book empowers women to take ownership of their own journeys and to grow and flourish in recovery.

Deepening and extending the lessons of a book that has helped countless women and gender-expansive people, this workbook makes A Women's Way Through the Twelve Steps that much more measured, meaningful, and clear. Unlike many ''rewritten'' Twelve Step interpretations for women, this workbook begins with the original Step language, preserving its spirit and focusing attention on its healing message. In sections devoted to each of the Twelve Steps, Covington blends narrative, self-assessment questions focused on women's definitions of terms such as ''powerlessness'' and ''letting go, '' guided imagery exercises, and physical grounding activities.

Designed to be used in conjunction with A Women's Way Through the Twelve Steps, this workbook helps deepen and extend the lessons taught there and further empowers each woman to take ownership of her recovery process as well as her growth as a person. It is also designed to be used in conjunction with A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps Facilitator Guide in facilitated groups in residential or outpatient treatment programs for substance use disorder or other addictive disorders.

The Love Potion: Chemistryand Dependence

On a recent TV talk show, the hostess asked about relationship addiction. She had heard the term a lot lately, she said, but was still puzzled. She asked, 'Just what is relationship addiction? What does it really look like? Is it like any other addiction? Her guest replied, Well, it can show up in any number of ways: as an obsession, for example -- a constant thinking, ruminating about the person you're in relationship with. Or there may be a compulsive quality about the behavior -- for instance, making frequent detours just to drive or walk by the partner's workplace. There may also be signs of tolerance increase. In the relationship addict's case, this translates into needing more and more of the other person's presence to feel OK.

There is a need to protect the supply, which shows up as an unreasonable degree of possessiveness or jealousy. And there may be symptoms of withdrawal. When the relationship addict is separated from the I source, ' he or she may become anxious and depressed. Hmm..., mused the show's hostess with a frown. Sounds to me like you're describing love

Although we have been socialized to think of this obsession as love, in fact, the compelling allure of its spell has little to do with the depth and enduring quality of true caring. Addiction to another person is what falling in love feels like-it is the wild abandon of the enchanted forest. The crucial distinction between relationship addicts and other people who fall in love is that the former expect this fleeting phase of a relationship to become a utopian endless summer that sustains forever the poetry, the ecstasy, and the feelings ofmerger they experience in their infatuation. Not only have women been socialized to nurture and take care of men in relationship, but they-in particular-have believed the myth of romance.

As women, we have accepted the notion that if only we find the right person, we'll fall in love and live happily every after-as fairy tales promise. Given this stage setting, it is not surprising that even women who are not relationship addicts show many signs of dependence. But obsessions, compulsions, and the temporary high of being in love are neither love nor proof of love; on the contrary, they are the signposts of falling in love-that tempting ecstatic feeling that can so easily lead to dependence and addiction.

Maria

At thirty-three, Maria has been a relationship addict most of her adult life. When she met Vic, Maria thought she had met her soulmate, a reallife version of the fairy tale prince: tall, dark, handsome, socially prominent, charming, and somewhat mysterious. Maria instantly fell for him. Within a few months they were married; like Tristan and Iseult, however, they did not live happily ever after.

When she fell in love with Vic, Maria misread some very important clues about him. She saw a superior man who was exciting, outgoing, friendly, and entertaining, but she saw him only in desirable contrast to her own alcoholic father-not in relation to herself. Unable to see past the glamour, she ignored warning signs about the inner man and failed to consider her inner needs or to ask herself what their life together might be like. As time went on, it became apparent that Vic was responsive to people only when he could be the center of attention. Because he was so self-centered,his delight in Maria's admiration was shortlived; he needed a challenge, a bigger audience. They became polarized: she became more focused on him, on trying to recapture his attention. But the harder she tried to get close to him, the more distant he became, escalating his involvement in his public and business life.

Maria became an extension of Vic, giving up her own aspirations and outside interests in favor of his. Soon her life became very narrow and isolated, and she was in constant emotional pain. Loneliness and abandonment, the things she feared most and had desperately tried to escape through relationships, kept creeping back into her life. To make matters worse, many of her friends had distanced themselves from her. They had become impatient with Maria, because despite her frequent tears, tales of woe, and pleas for sympathy, she often continued to stay in relationships that were clearly damaging to her health and self-esteem. Maria simply couldn't see it. She got her sense of self-worth from the rush of being in love and the initial admiration of the men she dated. With intense desperation she stubbornly continued to cling to her romantic dreams long after her men had turned their backs on her. So it was with her marriage to Vic. Even when she finally admitted to herself that it was not working, she could muster neither the courage nor the self-confidence to make the break until she had a new love in her life. The thought of having to face alone the emotional pain of a breakup terrified her. Not too surprisingly, this new relationship failed too, even though (or, rather, because) she focused all her energy and attention on the new man. Her fantasy that the right partnerwould fulfill all her needs-romantic love, excitement, self-worth, and the warding off of loneliness-continued into several other relationships.

The Subtle Nature Of Relationship Addiction

Overall, relationship addiction follows a process common to all addictions. But although it does not differ in kind from other addictions, relationship addiction expresses itself in subtler ways than some other forms of addictive behavior. For one thing, many of the indicators of relationship addiction in women were considered acceptable, and even applauded, in the past. For example, when Maria married Vic, few of their friends thought it inappropriate or unwise for her to quit the job she loved or for her to give up her workout schedule so she could have more flexibility to adjust her schedule to his.

A gripping and deeply-felt examination of incarcerated women's lives

With unflinching clarity, Hidden Healers cuts through the myths about incarcerated women to expose the all-too-real brutalities they face within a criminal legal system never designed for them. Backed by three decades' experience providing therapeutic programs inside prisons across the United States, trauma specialist Dr. Stephanie Covington has used her unique access to amplify the voices of the women themselves. Their stories illuminate realities most never see: that most women who get caught up in the criminal justice system have themselves been victims of harm, that the degradations of today's prisons and jails only magnify their trauma- and that incarcerated women regularly risk punishment to tend to one another's well-being in unexpected acts of kindness. Grounded in research and rich with personal narrative, Hidden Healers is a poignant and riveting look inside women's prisons and jails- and what we can do to help.

The latest, fully-revised and updated edition of classic and best-selling work in the field

Since it was first published in 1999, Helping Women Recover has set the standard for best practice in the field of women's treatment. Helping Women Recover is a manualized treatment intervention based on Dr. Covington's Women's Integrated Treatment (WIT) model-offering a program developed to meet the unique needs of women addicted to alcohol, other drugs, and those with co-occurring disorders. Included in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, The Helping Women Recover program offers counselors, mental health professionals, and program administrators the tools they need to implement a gender-responsive, trauma-informed treatment program in group settings or with individual clients.

Now in its third edition, this binder set including both a facilitator's guide and a hands on participant's journal, has been updated with new material on opioid addictions, how to become trauma-informed and gender-responsive, LGBTQ issues, and more. The detailed chapter for the facilitator on how to use the program, updated references, and further reading suggestions help practitioners effectively implement the program in daily practice. A vital tool for all mental health and addiction treatment professionals, Helping Women Recover

• Draws from the most up-to-date theory and practical applications in the fields of addiction and trauma
• Covers the historical background and fundamental principles of gender-responsive services
• Provides guidance for facilitating an effective woman's treatment program
• Offers real-world insights on the role of the facilitator
• Includes an appendix of additional recovery resources such as The Sixteen Steps for Discovery & Empowerment and Women for Sobriety New Life Program Acceptance Statements

Helping Women Recover is essential for mental health and addiction treatment professionals including counselors, therapists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists who work with women in hospitals, addiction treatment programs, community mental health centers, and individual practices.

The latest, fully-revised and updated edition of classic and best-selling work in the field

Since it was first published in 1999, Helping Women Recover has set the standard for best practice in the field of women's treatment. Helping Women Recover is a manualized treatment intervention based on Dr. Covington's Women's Integrated Treatment (WIT) model--offering a program developed to meet the unique needs of women addicted to alcohol, other drugs, and those with co-occurring disorders. Included in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, The Helping Women Recover program offers counselors, mental health professionals, and program administrators the tools they need to implement a gender-responsive, trauma-informed treatment program in group settings or with individual women in criminal justice settings.

Now in its third edition, this binder set including both a facilitator's guide and a hands on participant's journal, has been updated with new material on opioid addictions, how to become trauma-informed and gender-responsive, LGBTQ issues, and more. Updated references, further reading suggestions, and a chapter for facilitators which includes the challenges of working in the criminal justice system help practitioners to effectively implement the program in daily practice. A vital tool for all mental health and addiction treatment professionals, Helping Women Recover

• Draws from the most up-to-date theory and practical applications in the fields of addiction and trauma
• Covers the historical background and fundamental principles of gender-responsive services
• Provides guidance for facilitating an effective woman's treatment program
• Offers real-world insights on the role of the facilitator
• Includes an appendix of additional recovery resources such as The Sixteen Steps for Discovery & Empowerment and Women for Sobriety New Life Program Acceptance Statements

Helping Women Recover is essential for mental health and addiction treatment professionals including counselors, therapists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists who work with women in HWR is essential for anyone providing services to women in criminal justice settings.

How practitioners can work with young male clients within a gender-responsive treatment program

Adverse life events can experience significant impairment in neural development which can lead to weakened critical thinking, diminished emotional intelligence, and increased antisocial behavior. Statistics show that traditional treatment programs are inadequate in helping young men--estimated to account for 68% of all teens struggling with substance use disorder--to achieve sustained abstinence that leads to recovery.

A Young Man's Guide to Self-Mastery provides practical guidance on implementing an effective trauma-informed, gender-responsive treatment program that addresses the impact of socialization, adverse life experiences, and substance use. This invaluable guide explains the theoretical foundation and real-life connection between trauma and substance use, and provides clear guidelines and actionable strategies for treating boys and young men challenged by trauma and substance use disorder.

• Provides guidance on integrating evidence-based interventions, mindfulness techniques, and experiential activities
• Covers the effects of environmental trauma, gender development awareness, socialization, identity, sexuality, relational violence, and aggression
• Examines trauma's impact on families, mental health, and comorbid and addictive behavior
• Discusses the key elements of strength-based approaches and mentoring

A Young Man's Guide to Self-Mastery is an invaluable resource for practitioners working with male adolescents in mental health clinics, juvenile justice facilities, and residential and outpatient facilities.

A must-read guide to treating addiction and substance abuse in men

In the newly revised Second Edition of Helping Men Recover: A Program for Treating Substance Abuse, distinguished clinician, author, and consultant Stephanie S. Covington delivers a gender-responsive, trauma-informed treatment program for men suffering from substance abuse. The book is modeled after the widely used and evidence-based women's curriculum, Helping Women Recover, and is grounded the latest research, theory, and clinical practice.

In the book, readers will find a facilitator's guide and a participant's workbook, as well as a step-by-step manual containing the theory, eighteen-session structure, and content required to run effective groups. The material is designed to allow male patients to process, record, and refer to their therapeutic experience.

Helping Men Recover also includes:

• New lectures, sessions, and patient exercises offered throughout the text
• User-friendly and self-instructive materials designed to increase accessibility
• An effective four-module approach that addresses the self, relationships, sexuality, and spirituality

An indispensable resource for drug and alcohol counselors, mental health professionals, and program administrators for outpatient, residential, and community-based treatment centers, this latest edition of the celebrated book will remain the go-to manual for men's addiction treatment.

A gender-responsive, trauma-informed path forward for incarcerated women

Beyond Violence: A Prevention Program for Criminal Justice-Involved Women is a comprehensive, evidence-based program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of women in correctional settings who have committed a violent crime. In 20 carefully designed sessions, it identifies personal factors correlated with violence, examines the importance of relationships, and explores how violence can manifest in various settings. This package includes both a step-by-step Facilitator Guide and a Participant Workbook. Beyond Violence encourages active participation, leading women to a deeper understanding of violence and of themselves.

Author Stephanie Covington is nationally recognized for her expertise in creating, implementing, and facilitating women's treatment programs. In Beyond Violence, she offers counselors, mental health professionals, and program administrators the tools they need to implement this respected program within the criminal justice system. Participants will:

• Understand the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors--with a focus on anger and violence
• Learn new skills, including communication, conflict resolution, decision making, and calming soothing techniques
• Discover the effects of our families, our relationships, communities, and the larger society on our lives
• Become part of a group of women working to create a less violent world.

The Facilitator's Guide contains the theory, structure, and content needed to run effective groups. The Participant's Workbook is designed so that women can process, record, and refer back to their therapeutic experience.

Beyond Anger and Violence: A Program for Women Participant Workbook is the participant's personal place for reflection, reactions, and learning, during and after management sessions. The activities inside reinforce program lessons about anger and violence, including how families, relationships, communities, and society affect one's life. In learning about the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, participants can begin to grasp a better self-understanding that will help them manage anger in a healthier, more productive manner. They'll develop new skills for communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making, and will be introduced to a variety of calming techniques.

Beyond Anger and Violence is a 40-hour, evidence-based program designed for women who have difficulty managing anger. Based on a social-ecological model, the program addresses the factors that put people at risk for experiencing overwhelming feelings of anger, and perpetrating assaults or destruction of property. This curriculum acknowledges anger as a normal, appropriate, and human emotion, but also recognizes the destruction it can lead to if allowed to get out of control. This workbook will help guide participants through the program, reinforcing the discussions held in session. Topics include:

• The effects of trauma
• Relationships and communication, control, and conflict
• The importance of safety and the power of community
• Self-transformation, and creating change

The workbook also includes a Daily Anger Log, a Self-Reflection Tool, and list of yoga poses that can have a calming effect on both body and mind. Participants may already recognize the effects of anger on their lives, and that it may even be affecting their health. Through the Beyond Anger and Violence program, and the exercises in this workbook, they can join a group of women working to create a less-violent world.

A gender-responsive, trauma-informed treatment program for mental health, addiction, and domestic violence professionals working within the criminal justice system

Beyond Violence: A Prevention Program for Criminal Justice-Involved Women is a forty-hour, evidence-based treatment program specifically developed for women who have committed aggressive or violent crimes and are in prisons, jails, and community correctional settings.

The curriculum employs the Social-Ecological Model used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to understand violence, as well as by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) research on women in prison. This four-level model of violence prevention considers the complex interplay between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors. It addresses the key issues that put women at risk for experiencing or perpetrating violence.

Included in this package are:

• Facilitator Guide presenting a 20-session format, with the theory, structure, and content needed to run effective groups. Written for those who will be facilitating the Beyond Violence program, the guide provides an overall description of the program, step-by-step instructions for conducting each session, and What I Want My Words to Do to You, an award-winning documentary DVD offering an unprecedented look in the hearts and minds of women in a maximum-security prison.
• Participant Workbook designed to allow women to process, record, and refer back to their therapeutic experience. Participants can use this workbook to review the content of the sessions, express their thoughts and reactions, and complete activities during and after sessions. In addition, it helps participants learn new skills, including communication, conflict resolution, de-escalation strategies, decision-making, and calming self-soothing techniques.

Praise for Beyond Violence

A pioneer in trauma-informed and gender-responsive treatment for prisoners, Covington has once again brought to the field an immensely important, timely, and useful resource. Beyond Violence offers an approach to working with imprisoned women that is approachable and adaptable. Beyond Violence offers the opportunity for imprisoned women to understand their trauma, relate their experience to their justice system involvement, and begin a journey toward recovery. As always, Covington's work is thoughtful, sensitive, and well organized. It provides facilitators with tools that are understandable and useable. Her work is insightful, smart, and on target.
--Martin F. Horn, Distinguished Lecturer, John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Executive Director, New York State Sentencing Commission

No one is more qualified than Stephanie Covington to design this prevention program for women tangled in the criminal legal system. Her decades-long commitment to incarcerated women and girls, research on these women and girls, and practices to best assist them is unprecedented. Even knowing all of this, I am impressed with the comprehensiveness, compassion, creativity, and sensibility of the Beyond Violence curriculum and design.
--Joanne Belknap, PhD, Professor and Department Chair of Sociology, University of Colorado-Boulder; President-Elect, American Society of Criminology