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Recovering Spirituality

168 pages

Spirituality is a critical aspect of the Twelve Steps and other recovery programs. Yet, for those of us disposed to addiction, it can be easy to get so caught up in the idea of our Higher Power and the abundant joys of a spiritual life that we experience 'spiritual bypass'—the use of spirituality to avoid dealing with ourselves, our emotions, and our unfinished business.

In Recovering Spirituality, researcher and clinical psychologist Ingrid Mathieu uses personal stories and practical advice to teach us how to grow up emotionally and take responsibility for ourselves. Without turning away from the true benefits of an active spiritual program, she shows us how to work through life's challenges and periods of pain while evolving and maintaining an authentic relationship with our Higher Power.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements   xi
Introduction   1
PART ONE
   Chapter One   14
         Allison
    Chapter Two   28
         What Is Spiritual Bypass?
    Chapter Three   42
         Bill's Story Revisited
    Chapter Four   54
         Spiritual Bypass and Twelve Step Recovery
    Chapter Five   66
         Bradford
    Chapter Six   80
         The Softer Side of Spiritual Bypass
    Chapter Seven   94
          Chelsea
PART TWO
    Chapter Eight   110
          There Is No Finish Line
    Chapter Nine   118
          Lost in Translation
    Chapter Ten   126
          In My Defense
    Chapter Eleven   136
          My Way or the Highway
    Chapter Twelve   148
          Becoming Right Size
    Chapter Thirteen   158
         Integration Leads to Integrity
In Conclusion   164
    Putting It All Together
Epilogue   172
    The Hoop Is Wider Than You Think
Bibliography   179
About the author   185

About the Author:
Ingrid Mathieu, Ph.D., holds a Master's in transpersonal psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. As a psychotherapist and writer, she is interested emotional sobriety, holistic health, and authenticity. Since 2004, she has been working in diverse clinical settings including inpatient and outpatient dual-diagnosis treatment centers for alcoholics, addicts and their families. Ingrid's expertise in addiction led her to conduct research on spiritual bypass (the use of spirituality to avoid dealing with one's reality or emotional experience) in 12-Step recovery. She is the author of Recovering Spirituality: Achieving Emotional Sobriety in Your Spiritual Practice (Hazelden, 2011).

In addition, Ingrid is currently a co-facilitator of Beverly Berg's Conscious Couples Recovery Workshop. She maintains a private practice in Beverly Hills, California.

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