Passages Through Recovery: An Action Plan for Preventing Relapse (Paperback)

by Terence T. Gorski (Author) "Chemical dependency is a disease that causes a person to lose control over use of alcohol or other drugs..." (more)
Key Phrases: middle recovery, addictive self, people from dysfunctional families, Twelve Step, Very Strong, Very Weak (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Based on the experiences of thousands of successfully recovering men and women and written by an acknowledged leader in the field, this revised Hazelden best-seller presents an action plan for relapse prevention. Terence Gorski helps readers understand how recovery works, describing six stages of recovery and offering sound advice for working through the challenges of each.

About the Author
Terence T. Gorski is president of CENAPS and clinical director of its Relapse Prevention Certification School--an intense training program for chemical dependency professionals. The Staying Sober Workbook is a key tool for teaching counselors and therapists to work with relapse prone clients.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Hazelden (August 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568381395
• ISBN-13: 978-1568381398
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,538 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #54 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Recovery > Alcoholism
  #78 in	Books > Nonfiction > Current Events > Poverty > Social Services & Welfare

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sobriety is More than just Healing the Damage, September 23, 1999

By A Customer

Abstinence from alcohol and other drugs is only the beginning of sobriety. It's the ticket to get into the theater, not the movie we are going to see." -- Passages through Recovery

One of the most important things we learn in recovery is that there really is a way out of all the misery -- if we know which way to go. But abstinence from alcohol and other drugs is just the beginning of our journey, not our destination. And, that journey can be a rough one if we don't know what lies ahead.

Passages through Recovery clearly demonstrates that sobriety is more than just healing the damage. "It's a way of thinking, acting, and relating to others, "Gorski writes, "That promotes continued physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health. The skills necessary for long-term sobriety are all directed at finding meaning and purpose in life."

Use this book as a compass in your recovery to help you stay on course.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By far the best!, August 31, 2006

By	Ainne "Ainne_raylene" (New York) - See all my reviews

If you work in the field of addiction run out and get every book Terry has written. He is simply the best. I would recommend his work to lay people who have substance abuse or recovery issues also. this book, as are all of his books, is indispensable if you run chemical dependency, family, PC 100 or CDIOP groups. There is a wealth of practical usable information. Also, this is the first book of it's kind that I have found that deals with the specific issues common to long term sobriety. Most books I come across deal with the first 2 years which is understandable. But how wonderful to find a book that specifically has a section on double digit (those with decades) sobriety. I can't recommend it enough.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great, for 12 step Information, April 17, 2009

By	Becca "bd" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

I found this book useful for the stages of recovery that it explains: Transition, stabilization, early recovery, middle and late recovery. Everything Gorski writes is clear as day, there's certainly no need for a dictionary at any point of this book. If he says a word that might not be understood, he makes sure to explain it. Even your ten year old can read this book, it's almost too straightforward. You can also read it in a day or two, a good quick read. However, it's more targeted towards alcoholism and the twelve steps. The title of the book should be "Recovery from Alcohol, (and other drugs)", which he says about a thousand times in the book, by the way. "When it comes to alcohol, and other drugs"; "Due to alchohol, and other drugs", etc. He seldomly mentions weed or cocaine. The only time he mentions the word heroin is on page 55, when he is walking you through denial of your addiction, and uses an example of a person stating "I may have a drinking or drug problem, but I'm not really addicted. I'm not as bad as a heroin addict or skid-row bum". Well, I was a heroin addict. To me this book is targeted for people that have a drinking problem and smoke some bud sometimes, not a junky that has no doubt that they have serious problems due to their drug use. This book is just skimming the surface. I personally learn more about my habit by reading a random William S. Burroughs novel. I'd recommend trying a different book out first if you're more than an alcoholic, even though it's nice to have the stages of recovery at your fingertips. It doesn't hurt reading something new if you learn at least one thing here and there.