Breaking Free: A Recovery Workbook for Facing Codependence (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Author) "The experience of abuse in childhood is the root of the illness of codependence..." (more)
Key Phrases: authentic offense, healthy internal boundaries, unmanageable consequences, Facing Codependence, Step One, Step Five (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Offers tried and effective ways to treat codependency . . . Splendid." -- John Bradshaw, author of Healing the Shame That Binds You

Product Description

In her pioneering Facing Codependence, Pia Mellody traced the origins of codependence back to childhood and a wide range of emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, and sexual abuses. Now in this innovative new workbook, she presents a step-by-step journal-keeping method for moving toward recovery from codependence. Based on such concepts as the "precious child" and the five core symptoms of codependence, along with the Twelve-Step process of recovery used by Codependents Anonymous, Breaking Free provides strategies and insights for attacking the fundamental problem in codependence--the lack of dependence on self.

In a three-part approach to recovery, Mellody first shows recovering codependents how to move beyond denial of their childhood history of abuse. She then offers techniques to identify concrete ways in which the symptoms of codependence operate in their lives. Finally, Mellody guides users through the process of identifying and recording specific instances of improvement in their lives as an aid to greater self-awareness and further recovery.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1 edition (December 13, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062505904
• ISBN-13: 978-0062505903
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,378 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #22 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Mental Health > Codependency
  #24 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Relationships > Codependency

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Use it if you dare, July 26, 2001

By A Customer

This is a wonderful companion workbook to Pia Mellody's Facing Codependence. Mellody first has you read specific pages in Facing Codependence, after which she has you complete the corresponding writing exercises in Breaking Free. The exercises are short, thorough, and extremely well organized -- and because of that, not hard to do. Keep in mind though that if you do the exercises, you might never think about your relationships the same way again. And that's a GOOD thing -- or at least it was for me. I'd highly recommend this to anyone wanting to change dysfunctional relationship patterns.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding freedom from self, May 10, 2000

By A Customer

This workbook enables you to look at your attitudes, feelings and behaviors by using exercises that review daily life. In addition, by encompassing the tradidtional AA 12 Steps, you can focus your recovery on letting go, relying on your God and admitting your excessive emotional outbreaks. It helped me immensley to find out how to turn on my light from the inside instead of expecting and wishing that it would happen from those around me.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very in-depth and constructive, from past-present-future, March 17, 2003

By	David Lutz (Highland, Mi, United States) - See all my reviews

This workbook is the best I've used for codependence recovery, I highly recommend it when used in conjunction with Facing Codependence (Don't get the workbook without also getting Facing Codependence).

It's really helped me make some great strides and insight into my dysfunctional boundaries and behaviors.