Facing Addiction is the first book to apply Dr. Patrick Carnes' research-based thirty-task model to treating addiction to alcohol and drugs. People who are addicted to drugs and alcohol now have access to the groundbreaking model that has facilitated thousand of sex addicts in achieving long-lasting recovery. This revolutionary model helps therapists and recovering people understand the interaction between trauma and brain science and how these factors play a role in the development of addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Facing Addiction distills Dr. Carnes' more than thirty years of research to show addicts how to embrace lasting long-term recovery through a thirty-task model. The first seven tasks are presented to help readers break through denial and participate in a culture of support.

Recovery Zone, Volume One picks up where Facing the Shadow leaves off, guiding readers to begin working tasks eight through thirteen of Dr. Patrick Carnes' innovative thirty-task model. This book helps readers understand that true recovery is achieved by learning to cope with difficult situations and emotions.

Stopping addictive behavior is the only way to start recovery. However, stopping the behavior is not enough to stay in recovery. True recovery is achieved by learning to cope with difficult situations and emotions. Dr. Patrick Carnes helps readers know how to deal with difficult affective states and guides them to a place of resilience so they can decide what is important in their lives. Readers will learn how to live optimally in their Recovery Zone. The work sets the stage for recovery tasks 8-13, providing readers with a practical approach to recognize the underlying emotional causes that perpetuate the addiction cycle.

Leading marriage expert Dr. Stefanie Carnes explains her time-tested strategy to help couples conquer fear and restore their trust, intimacy and connection following a betrayal.

There is nothing that can rupture the loving connection between a couple like betrayal. Courageous Love provides a step-by-step guide for repairing your relationship, whether it is damaged by infidelity, pornography, or compulsive and addictive sexual behavior. Dr. Carnes teaches couples how to respond to one another with compassion and empathy and how to hold onto hope for their relationship.

This book is a must read for couples struggling with the aftermath of betrayal. Sexual betrayal is devastating. It shatters the close connection you had with one of the most precious people in your life: your partner. At this moment, while the wound is still fresh, it may be hard to imagine how you and your partner are ever going to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. Whatever it is that you are currently thinking, feeling, and fearing, you should know right now that if you're willing to try to heal yourself and your relationship, you can succeed in that endeavor. If you and your partner are hurting but still genuinely love each other and want to make it work, that type of healing and restoration is possible.

When love hurts, you may wonder about your choice of romantic partners or risky sexual behaviors. Perhaps, like many others, you're experiencing the raw pain of an addictive relationship--the kind that's painful to be in, yet seemingly impossible to leave. A profound sense of emptiness can result. Repeatedly, you may feel pain, anger, and confusion rather than what you truly desire: closeness, warmth, and security. You may feel broken. The more you search for the comfort of closeness and safety, the deeper you sink into the quicksand of despair. As you read through the pages in this book, you will discover what happens when love and sex--our most primitive human needs--becomes a drug. This idea may be new to you. If you're in the midst of recovering from other addictions, the concept may make sense but leave you asking, What? There's more work to do? Ready to Heal explores how addictive relationship patterns get started and how to heal from the pain of destructive relationships. The phrase love and sex addiction will be referenced throughout the book as a way to name addictive patterns. While this term may not be one you would choose, that's okay. It's simply a name. Naming a problem is the first step toward healing. For a woman, healing from love and sex addiction requires an understanding of the disease from (1) an early rupture in attachment with your caregivers, and (2) patriarchal norms and expectations in culture. Both will be explored here.

Often Christians who struggle with sex addiction live the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde existence, being active in their church communities even as they hide their addiction. The Christian church, in general, struggles to address issues of sexuality in a non-shaming way, which further supports the hidden nature of the addiction. For these men and women, spirituality and sexuality have become compartmentalized. Recovery, then, must involve the integration of healthy spiritual beliefs and practices with healthy sexuality. Shadows of the Cross used in conjunction with Dr. Patrick Carnes's book Facing the Shadow will provide a roadmap for this healing journey.

Shadows of the Cross provides an early spiritual focus to recovery while addressing issues of sexuality in a non-shaming way using Biblical scripture to encourage long-term recovery. Shadows of the Cross offers unique guidance on spiritual practices such as Christian meditation, contemplative reading, solitude, confession, study, and prayer. This book was written specifically for the subset of those in recovery who self-identify as Christian.

Craig S. Cashwell, PhD, is a professor in the department of counseling and educational development at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro who maintains a part-time private practice focused on sex addiction and couples counseling.

Pennie K. Johnson, LPC, CSAT, is a clinical therapist who has a passion for working with congregations and their church members who are suffering with addiction, primarily sexual addiction.

Patrick Carnes, PhD, is an internationally known educator, researcher, author, and speaker on addiction and recovery issues.

International technology addiction experts, Cash, Rae, and Carnes collaborate in a cutting-edge workbook designed for individuals with problematic technology use such as gaming addiction, compulsive internet, and social media use.

Some of the country's leading experts in technology addiction have adapted the groundbreaking Thirty Task Model used by thousands of therapists worldwide to treat technology and internet addiction. Using innovative tasks and exercises, the reader can engage in a plan designed to defeat addiction and restore lifestyle balance. This book is designed to be used as an adjunct to therapy, and works well with the twelve step programs, or other programs such as SMART recovery.

Accessing the online world provides new, exciting, and disturbing things. You probably discovered porn, gaming, social media, and endless information on any subject that interests you. Soon you learned that with a smartphone in hand, you were granted Internet access 24/7, anytime, anywhere.With all this saturation of digital media, it is not surprising that people get hooked so easily. When we are overexposed to anything that overstimulates the pleasure centers of the brain, there is great risk for addiction. Many people do not think about activities as being potentially addictive, but they can be.

La traición sexual es devastadora. Rompe la conexión más estrecha que tenías con una de las personas más importantes de tu vida: tu pareja. En este momento, mientras la herida todavía está abierta, tal vez es muy difícil imaginar cómo tú y tu pareja van a poner las piezas del rompecabezas de nuevo juntos. Tal vez dudes sobre el amor de tu pareja hacia ti, incluso creas que eres tú la/el culpable. Pensarás que no vas a poderte curar nunca, perdonar a tu pareja (o a ti mismo(a)) y seguir adelante. Puede que tengas miedo sobre tu relación, creerás que ya nunca
va a ser segura, cálida, ni con la conexión de antes y te sentirás insegura(o) para poder seguir adelante. Probablemente te sentirás asustada(o) y desalentada(o).

Sea lo que sea lo que estás pensando, sintiendo o temiendo actualmente, debes saber, en este momento, que si estás dispuesto(a) a intentar sanar tu relación y a ti mismo(a), puedes lograrlo. Si tu pareja y tú estáis dolidos, pero todavía os queréis verdaderamente y deseáis que la relación funcione, ese tipo de sanación y restauración de los sentimientos es posible. Este libro puede orientarte en esta trayectoria de curación.

Leading marriage expert Dr. Stefanie Carnes explains her time-tested strategy to help couples conquer fear and restore their trust, intimacy and connection following a betrayal.

There is nothing that can rupture the loving connection between a couple like betrayal. Courageous Love provides a step-by-step guide for repairing your relationship, whether it is damaged by infidelity, pornography, or compulsive and addictive sexual behavior. Dr. Carnes teaches couples how to respond to one another with compassion and empathy and how to hold onto hope for their relationship.

This book is a must read for couples struggling with the aftermath of betrayal. Sexual betrayal is devastating. It shatters the close connection you had with one of the most precious people in your life: your partner. At this moment, while the wound is still fresh, it may be hard to imagine how you and your partner are ever going to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. Whatever it is that you are currently thinking, feeling, and fearing, you should know right now that if you're willing to try to heal yourself and your relationship, you can succeed in that endeavor. If you and your partner are hurting but still genuinely love each other and want to make it work, that type of healing and restoration is possible.

No woman dreams of becoming a nymphomaniac. Many women are puzzled why they continually struggle with unmanageable behavior when it comes to sex and love. Shame settles in and refuses to leave. But there is hope and a way out of this shame. As you begin to understand the nature of love and sex addiction -how it forms in infancy and how culturally you've been set up for it - shame diminishes, and your spirit is freed up for healing. Are you ready to heal?

Ready to Heal can help you if you're struggling in a relationship with a sex addict, facing your own sex addiction, obsessing about someone who doesn't want you, or if you're looking for deeper understanding of your romantic patterns. At its core, love and sex addiction is a longing for intimacy. Since love, connection, and sexual intimacy are basic human needs, healing addictive relationships prepares you to give and receive love in healthy ways. Part of being ready to heal is having faith that although you don't know what will happen, you are prepared to move forward on the journey. By following the stories of four brave women, you will discover how to break free from painful addictive relationships.

A chapter on mother hunger explores the role of your mother in your infancy. Think about it. Your relationship with your mother was the earliest foundation for how you formulated a sense of yourself and how you understand relationships. Your mother's love or lack of it became imprinted on your developing brain. It even continues to direct your relational choices today. Your first experience with love and trust was with your mother's touch, voice, and body. In her arms, early on you formed a belief about whether or not you were loveable. Early experiences with your mother are stored in your body. In turn, they lay the groundwork for addictive relationship patterns. Author Kelly McDaniel shows why exploring mother hunger is necessary to heal from addictive relationships and what it takes to form healthy intimate relationships. Are you ready to heal?

Kelly McDaniel, MA, LPC, NCC, CSAT, is a licensed professional counselor and a sex addiction therapist in private practice in San Antonio, Texas.

The Recovery Start Kit was created by Dr. Patrick J. Carnes and contains materials for the first 130 days of recovery. Research shows building a solid foundation for your recovery is crucial in the first four months. The Recovery Start Kit helps you focus on the tasks, plan your recovery, and reclaim your positive sexual focus. This program is organized in three phases. The first phase (40-Day Focus) helps you focus on your first step and establishing sobriety. The second phase (90-Day Prep) helps you prepare for the first 90 days. The third phase, (90-Day Focus) helps structure deep change at a personal, behavioral and neuronal level. The Recovery Start Kit is designed to be used with a therapist who specializes in treating sexual addiction.

The Recovery Start Kit includes:

Books

• The 40-Day Focus: Book One (184 pages)


• The 90-Day Prep: Book Two (114 pages) The 90-Day Focus: Book Three (200 pages)

CDs

• Recovery Start Introduction, CD 1


• 40-Day Focus, CD 2


• Positive Sexual Focus, CD 3


• 90-Day Focus, CD 4

DVD

• A Conversation with John Bradshaw and Dr. Patrick Carnes

Planner Worksheets

• 90-Day Planner


• One Year Planner

Married 25 years, Elaine discovered her husband was a sex addict when she was hospitalized for a sexually transmitted infection. In the moment of discovery, everything she thought she knew about her life was destroyed. Struggling to cope with the searing pain of betrayal, she began to write. Her writing came out in the form of poetry. In this book is the poetry she wrote, along with the story of her journey from betrayal to hope.

When a couple first comes together, the knee-weakening, heart-stopping, pants-dropping passion exhilarates. But turning that love into an intimate bond comes no more naturally than learning to ride a bicycle or use chopsticks. What we are socialized to assume should be spontaneous and effortless requires patience and learned skills. Worse, should any problems erupt we fear the relationship and ourselves are irrevocably broken. We need help.

Though written by two noted psychologists, Open Hearts is not technical but gentle and uplifting. Patrick Carnes, along with Mark Laaser and Deb Laaser, share how they found their way to joyous and fulfilling intimacy. While these concepts originated in the recovery movement, they can transform any couple seeking renewal or trying to restore a broken relationship.

Open Hearts starts with basic truths:

- We can only work on a relationship when we're in that relationship. Running away never solved anything
- If we have not resolved childhood developmental issues, we will seek out partners we think will resolve them
- It's perfectly healthy to fight. We just have to learn to do it better.
- As partners w'ere often stuck in coupleshame. However, working through it leads to true intimacy

Open Hearts is a book a couple reads together. It takes techniques that Carnes and the Laasers developed in their psychotherapy practices and weaves them into a series of individual and joint exercises. It looks at tough issues: shame, anger, money, betrayal, sex, parenting. It encourages fun: drawing up a family motto, expressing spirituality together, taking gentleness breaks. It works.

Open Hearts addresses coupleship to show how a relationship, no matter how imperfect or new, can be transformed and restored to loving intimacy.

Closer Together, Further Apart offers current unique insight into the cultural shifts brought about by digital technology and the Internet. It considers how these new connections are impacting not only society as a whole, but more specifically communication in relationships and across generations.

Digital technology has in less than a single generation, dramatically and permanently altered the ways in which humans connect and communicate with each other. Conversations and information transfers that once either weren't possible or took days to complete now occur in an instant. Technological advances are profoundly affecting humankind, forcing us to change on multiple levels.

As with all forms of human/social/technological change, these advances will be good for some and bad for others. Those who learn to effectively absorb information and use new technologies in healthy ways will flourish, and those who don't may feel increasingly disconnected from our technology driven world.

Robert Weiss, MSW, is a therapist, international speaker, author, and a blogger on PsychCentral.com, where he writes regularly on the topic of sex and intimacy in the digital age. He was featured in LA Weekly 2013 People issue as one of LA's most fascinating people. He currently serves as Senior Vice-President of Clinical Development for Elements Behavioral Health.

Jennifer P. Schneider, MD, PhD, is a physician, international speaker, and the author of nine books and numerous journal articles.

The Father's Day message in this book is loud and clear: As parents we are our children's first heroes, whether we want the responsibility or not.

One of the most powerful messages I ever received came from my nine year old son. While watching a baseball game on television, my son asked me why the kids in the stands were so excited. I said some baseball players are heroes to the children. I suggested that someday one of those players might be his hero. My son paused and said to me, They may be my hero someday, but you will always be my first hero. I was so touched, I could not reply. As parents we are our children's first heroes, whether we want the responsibility or not.
-excerpt from page 42 from The Problem Was Me

Author Tom Gagliano shares his insights on healing from destructive behaviors and finding peace and spirituality. The book includes tools that he gained while recovering from his own personal struggle with negative and compulsive behavior. According to Gagliano and his co-author, Abraham Twerski, many of the common problems people face are brought on by unhealed childhood wounds. Throughout the book, Gagliano provides some very candid examples of how some of his childhood experiences resulted in unresolved feelings:

I never accepted criticism well. Whenever someone disagreed with me, I'd get defensive. It felt like I was being ridiculed. I am still dealing with childhood wounds and insecurity. Although my wife loved me very much, I did not love myself. By failing to accept my own weaknesses, I could not allow myself to be loved by anyone. I felt undeserving of that love. This is an example of a psychological maneuver called transference, according to Dr. Twerski, who states, A person may transfer feelings that were appropriate toward person A to person B.

Gagliano further explains how he sought treatment to gain control over the little voice inside his head that was always telling him that he did not deserve to be happy - which he refers to as the warden. According to Gagliano, the warden is a powerful force that sabotages lives by encouraging destructive behaviors, such as addictive behaviors, and discouraging happiness and healing.

This book is certainly very suitable for those who are battling addictions, since as the author points out: Some addicts who have been sober for a long time may continue to lead tormented, angry lives. The author shares applicable case studies and helpful tips and suggestions throughout the book, including: how to get the most out of a support group; help for struggling couples; how to conduct a personal self-examination by taking personal inventories; and how to reconnect with one's parents.

However, it should not be written off as a book simply for those who are suffering from addiction, as it has a much broader application. In the introduction, the author includes a list of questions the reader should ask him or herself to determine whether or not this book could be of help. Basically, this book could be helpful to anyone who wants to break the cycle of self-defeating thoughts and self-destructive behaviors.

In a world divided between those who are talented and those who aren't, Vici is a city governed by an egotistical Praetor driven by his hatred for the gifted individuals--the Tallents--who he considers a plague. Tallents are forced into the shadows, for fear that they will be caught and executed.

An explosion rocks the city to its very foundation; the sole survivor a young woman with no memories of her past. Her only tie to her previous life is a silver necklace with the name Asylia inscribed. Risen from the ashes, she pieces herself together while taking control of her emerging fire talent. She must be careful; one mistake and she will end up like all the other Tallents who have faced the Praetor's wrath.

Harbored by a mysterious group called Revival, the young woman discovers that the people of Vici are disappearing at an alarming rate. Together with her new friends, she must rally against the Praetor's tyranny, racing to free the city in hopes that she isn't too late to bring peace to this world in turmoil.