The Tao of Sobriety: Helping You to Recover from Alcohol and Drug Addiction

by David Gregson, Jay S. Efran, G. Alan Marlatt (Foreword by)

Overview

The Tao of Sobriety shows how to apply eastern philosophy to enhance recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. With a few simple mental exercises, readers can learn how to quiet "The Committee," those nasty mental voices that undermine serenity and self-esteem. With leaders of the recovery movement enthusiastically endorsing this uniquely helpful book, The Tao of Sobriety is an invaluable addition to the recovery bookshelf.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312242503
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/21/2002
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

David Gregson is a counselor currently specializing in drug and alcohol misuse issues. He is the co-author of The Tao of Sobriety. He practices at West Coast Alternatives Society with the best crew in all of beautiful British Columbia.

Jay S. Efran, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Psychological Services Center at Temple University and has been a therapist for more than thirty years. He has served as President of the Academic Division of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association and is the recipient of several teaching awards. He also presents workshops for psychotherapists and family therapists here and abroad.

Also Known As:

Gian-Marco SchmidSeth BoydCalvin BroadusSnoop DoggMaryline BlackburnPamela Rodriguez

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	xi
	Foreword	1
Chapter 1	Introduction	7
	A Word About Twelve-Step Programs	8
	What Is the Tao?	8
Chapter 2	Alcohol, Drugs, and You	12
Discovery 1	Innocence in Spirit	13
	Aaron's Story	13
	Reality-Altering Substances	16
	More Gain Than Pain	18
	Beyond Alcohol and Drugs	19
Chapter 3	I Think, Therefore I Am	21
	Odd Insights About Us	22
	Who's the Boss?	23
	Journeying Deeper into Being	25
	A Practical Example	27
Discovery 2	Listening to the Internal Conversation	28
	Who Are You?	29
Discovery 3	The Space That Is You	29
	The One and the Other	30
	Higher Math: The One and the Many	31
Discovery 4	Discovering Who You Are	32
	Who's Got the Power?	32
Chapter 4	Managing the Mind	35
Discovery 5	Enhancing the Manager	36
	Biker Stan	36
Discovery 6	Making a Commitment	38
Discovery 7	Mindfulness and Detachment	41
	Practice Makes Perfect	45
Chapter 5	Conversing with Drugs and Alcohol	47
Discovery 8	Reflecting on Chemical Substances and You	48
	A Proof of Innocence	51
Discovery 9	A Heart of Innocence	52
Chapter 6	Attaining Balance	60
Chapter 7	Revitalizing Desire	65
Discovery 10	Identifying Mental Banditos	67
	Ted's Story	70
Chapter 8	Reexamining Transgressions	76
Discovery 11	Transgression Inventory	77
	Laura's Story	78
	The Hopelessness Monster	81
	David's Story	81
	The Possibility of Possibility	83
Discovery 12	Acknowledging Possibility	83
	Possibility and Patience	84
	The Pleasures of Irresponsibility	85
Chapter 9	Thoughts, Feelings, Actions	87
	Knowing More About Your System	88
	Furthering Detachment	91
Chapter 10	Practicing Detachment	95
Discovery 13	An Inch That's Greater Than a Mile	96
	David's Bugs	98
	Good Self-Talk	100
	Hacking a New Path	100
	Jack's Story	101
Discovery 14	Practicing Self-Talk	102
Chapter 11	Strengthening Commitment	104
	The Hoax of Winning	107
	Taking the Good with the Bad	110
Discovery 15	Attack of the Aliens	112
Chapter 12	Life as Theater	115
Chapter 13	Revising the Script	124
	The Power of Commitment	127
Discovery 16	Reflecting on Your Life as a Story	128
Discovery 17	A Replay with the Manager in Charge	130
Discovery 18	Self-Beliefs	133
Chapter 14	Reality and Illusion	135
	The Middle Way Revisited	137
	A Real-Life Video Game	140
Chapter 15	Plenty of Nothing	143
Discovery 19	One Is the Loneliest Number	147
	Bringing It Home	149
Chapter 16	Acceptance: Choosing Life	151
	Defining Acceptance	152
	Inclusion and Exclusion	154
	The Acceptance of Suffering	155
Discovery 20	Expanding Acceptance	158
	Avoiding a Steady State	162
Chapter 17	Retracing the Journey	165
	The Tao of Sobriety in a Nutshell: A Handy Crib Sheet	173
	References	175

What People are Saying About This

Robert F. Forman

This book has more ideas about recovery than you're likely to find in any other ten books. Highly readable, too.

Stephanie S. Covington

A clear, accessible, and insightful guide that draws on the profound wisdom of the Eastern world.

Editorial Reviews

"After a brief explanation of Taoism (a Chinese philosophy and religion whose practitioners seek inner peace), the authors present the Tao, a Chinese term meaning "the way," as an ideal vehicle for attaining and maintaining freedom from substance addiction. Replete with anecdotes, exercises (meditations, questions to explore, affirmations) and real-life applications of Taoist precepts (letting go of attachments to guilt and other "self-condemnation" behaviors that lead to substance abuse), this guide uses the firm but gentle approach that is the trademark of many Eastern practices." - Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher