Originally Posted by
DrivenHeart85 
Is there any major difference between Trimpey's book/technique and James Desena's in "Overcoming Your Alcohol, Drug and Recovery Habits," other than just a change in terminology?
It has been a while since I read it, but I remember thinking as I read it that there seemed to be quite a bit of overlap. This is not entirely surprising, since James DeSena claims to have discovered his method from formerly addicted people, just as Jack Trimpey did. DeSena appears to have been aware of Trimpey's work, as he mentions it in the book and even praises RR. I do recommend DeSena's book as a very nice adjunct, and it is on my recommended reading list. I would be curious to know what Trimpey thinks of it, though.
Originally Posted by James DeSena
Another expression used in the addiction field is "beast." Coined by Rational Recovery founder Jack Trimpey, "beast" is Trimpey's term for what he calls the "addictive voice." In Rational Recovery, the "beast" of addiction is overcome by using Trimpey's process called Addictive Voice Recognition Technique, AVRT. While Trimpey presents his "beast" as a real entity, overshadowing "the real you," The Parasite, as you now know, is simply a metaphor for the destructive self-talk that we tell ourselves, which leads to addictive behavior. Nevertheless, Rational Recovery offers a fine alternative to traditional 12-step programs.
Excerpted from "Overcoming Your Alcohol Drug and Recovery Habits" by James DeSena
Copyright © 2003 by James DeSena. All Rights Reserved.