Mlynn

I thought that perhaps it would be a good idea if members of the forums could start a list of recovery books that helped them along their journey to share with other members and new members. If you find a book that is helpful perhaps you could post it in this thread....I believe most books are avaliable through Amazon.com.

The recovery books that I have purchased are....

Toxic Parents - overcoming their hurtful legacy and reclaiming your life. I found this book to be the most helpful for 'me' from all those that I have read so far.

The Adult Children of Alcoholics series by Janet Geringer Woititz - especially The Struggle for Intimacy.

and

Healing the Child Within by Charles L. Whitfield which I found to be a great book.

justicej

Co-Dependent no more - Melody Beattie
Adult Childs guide to whats Normal - Friel and Friel
I don't want to talk about it, overcoming the secret legacy of male depression - Terrence Real
A Gentle Path through the twelve steps - Patrick Carnes
Non-Violent Communication - Marshall RosenbergRespectful Parents, Respectful Kids - Sura Hart & Victoria Kindle Hodson

CD's - Dance of the wounded souls - Robert Burney

Ahimsa

For Daughters of alcoholic mothers: My Mama's Waltz (can't remember the authors' names, there are two of them...)

Can't recommend this book enough - I absolutely LOVED it.

DesertEyes

My all time fav is The Courage to Heal by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. It's written for women survivors of child sexual abuse but it works just fine for us guys, and most of it applies to ACA _without_ sexual abuse. The third edition is the latest, and I think the best. There's also a workbook to acompany it but I haven't got it. (I hate workbooks )

From Survival to Recovery, Growing up in an Alcoholic home. Al-Anon Family Groups. I love the way this book takes you by the hand from through the whole process of recovery and all the "stages" we go through. Not only that, it shows how to apply the 12 steps to each "stage"

The 12 steps for Adult Children. This little gem is the opposite of From Survival to Recovery. It takes you by the hand thru the steps and shows you how to appy them to your recovery.

Also see

http://soberrecovery.com/forums/adul...book-club.html

Mike

Wascally Wabbit

Definately Melanie Beatty's Co Dependant No More
I swear I have bought that book 20 times.
I keep loaning it out and never seeing it again.
I am happy to do that too, because it is the best book ever to help me.

nocellphone

This book has been a huge part of my recovery. When I read the first 25 or so pages, I stopped and said aloud, "OK, who was standing outside my window taking notes during my childhood?!?"

An Al-Anon group with Adult Child focus that I used to attend (before it folded) used this book in each meeting. The chair would read a passage or pass it around for members to read aloud and the meeting would go from there. I used to refer to it as my "sledgehammer" meeting, 'cos it always hit me on such a gut level... which was exactly what I needed.

socalgal

Ha, ha! "Sledgehammer" meeting! Yeah, that's perfect. There is a particular ACA meeting that I go to and every time when I get home my husband asks,"How was your meeting?" I always answer, "I feel like I was run over by a truck." He asks, "Do you think you will go again." I say, "Yeah." It's tough stuff and I need it.

Sorry about the thread highjack. Maybe I better suggest a book.

I have just started reading Legacy of the Heart - The Spiritual Advantages of a Painful Childhood by Wayne Muller. I'll let you all know how it is. Has anybody else read this?

nocellphone

I can identify completely!

This disease hits people hard. The treatment for it sometimes needs to be given just as strongly...

elizabeth1979

Toxic Parents was the first ACA recovery book I bought..but I bought it wayyy before my recovery, I just thought my parents were jerks..I didnt really get what had been going on..as crazy as it sounds! That book has helped me tremendously.

If you Had Controlling Parents, Dan Neuharth, PhD
The Complete ACOA Sourcebook, Janet Geringer Woititz
Healing the Shame that Binds You, John Bradshaw
Facing Codependence, Pia Mellody (still a tough one for me)
Adult Children of Alcoholics Syndrome, Wayne Kritsberg
Safe People, Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend-awesome book for me

came2believe

Elizabeth:

"Facing Codependence, Pia Mellody (still a tough one for me)"

Why is this a tough read for you? Just curious. I haven't read it.

I read Melody Beattie's CODEPENDENT NO MORE and am still reading it over and over again. I am about to loan it out, have a feeling I'll never see it again, but I am happy to do so... as someone else said.

I read TOXIC PARENTS once LONG ago before I was ready for it. I hadn't faced down my own alcoholism at that point--far from it. So, maybe I will read it again and get something better out of it.

Layla2222

My recovery books:
*Healing the Child Within* by Charles L. Whitfield
*Codependents Guide to the Twelve Steps* by Molody Beatie
*Love is Letting Go of Fear* by Jampolsky
*Healing the Shame that Binds Us* by Bradshaw
*Home Coming: Reclaiming & Championing your Inner Child* by Bradshaw
*You can Heal Your Life* by Louise L Hay
*The Inner Child Workbook* by Taylor
*Soul without Shame* by Byron Brown
*The Dance of Wounded Souls* by Burney
*An Adult Child's Guide To What's "Normal"* byt Friel
*Adult Children of Abusive Parents* by Farmer
*Your Sacred Self* by Dyer
*The Four Agreements* by Miguel Ruiz
*The Mastery of Love* by Miguel Ruiz

Inspirational & Spiritual Books I love:
*Conversations with God* (books 1,2,3, & workbook) by Walsch
*The Power of Now* by Tolle
*The Secret* by Byrne
*A Course in Miracles*
*Ramtha* by Ramtha/ JZ Knight

Anyone read any of these as well?
:o)

sobercuse

A sledgehammer meeting sounds like a great awakening. Just what we have all neeeded at one time or another.

Here's a couple of books that come to mind.....

Keeping Secrets by Suzanne Somers
Drinking. A LOve Story. (Can't remember the author, a gal from Massachusettes)
The Sermon on the MOunt, by Emmet Fox
The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Perfect Daughters by Robert Ackerman
Beyond Codependancy by Melody Beattie
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz (??)

That's all for now. I love reading inspirational stories about recovery. Stories that create a Sledgehammer moment are for me.

Greenman

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
-Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life
-Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Reinventing Your Life
- Jeffrey E. Young

Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss
-Hope Edelman

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last
-John Gottman

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
-John Gottman

Struggle for Intimacy
-Janet Geringer Woititz

How Can I Forgive You?: The Courage to Forgive, the Freedom Not To
-Janis A. Spring

NOT "Just Friends": Rebuilding Trust and Recovering Your Sanity After Infidelity
-Shirley Glass

VickiACA

In addition to the Gottman books for relationships - including all relationships - I'm a huge fan of "After the Honeymoon - How Conflict Can Improve Your Relationship" by Dan Wile.

Be sure to read the last chapter which has a nice summary of the book. The author has a really refreshing perspective. Here's a quote "I have always disliked the kind of book that I'm now writing -- books that promise, for example, 'ten ways to a better relationship.' How can relationship problems that reflect longstanding personal difficulties possibly be resolved by advice such as 'be tactful,' 'learn to compromise,' 'listen to your partner,' 'avoid unrealistic expectations,' 'never go to bed still angry,' and so on?

I now believe that there are, indeed 'ten ways to a better relationship.' Or as I would prefer to put it, there are ten (or, actually, forty-two) things to know that can help you work out your problems. What I think partners need to know, however, differs from what is generally suggested."

And he says later "Self-help books too often teach people how to be better at hating themselves."

It's a unique perspective. And one I appreciate as someone that never had healthy relationships modelled for me.

Vicki

NWGRITS

I laughed and cried my way through this book. I highly recommend it for daughters of alcoholic mothers. There is definitely a unique dynamic in an AM/ACoA daughter relationship.

From Survival to Recovery is the only Al-Anon book I've bought for myself, but I have post-its marking so many sections of it. Would someone be willing to condense our list and post it, or pm it to each of us? I saw a couple titles for myself and some for family members.

DesertEyes

Post it please, so I can add it to the "stickies"

Mike

NWGRITS

I'll try and get to it tomorrow. No reason I can't. My kids are in school, and all I'm doing these days is waiting for labor to start so I can get spawn #3 out. Lol

NWGRITS

I started on the list. I just need to find authors for some of them and organize it. Might take a little bit. I think this baby is coming very, very soon.

ACOA12

"Boundaries" by Henry Cloud

"Healing is a Choice" by Stephen Arterburn

Both have helped me in a variety of areas of my life.