Main description:

Develop resources to overcome the obstacles preventing recovery

Not everyone facing difficult life situations has the resources to recover. Many times, we must deal with these problems alone or without a wide base of support. Becoming Your Own Emotional Support System provides practical ideas and encouragement to help people alienated from the consolation of others to become a community of one. This unique book guides individuals through the step-by-step process of developing the self-support system vital to the early stages of successful recovery.

Both comprehensive and easy to read, Becoming Your Own Emotional Support System is designed as a how-to manual for those who are coping with life's challenging circumstances but lack the necessary emotional support. It is an important tool that empowers while it educates. Through three easy-to-understand sections, this book presents a useable method for coping with tumultuous situations and making meaningful progress toward healing. The first section presents nine in-depth realistic case studies that dismantle familiar difficulties and explore successful responses to each. Section two tackles the various barriers that can arise in the process and considers how they affect a positive life perspective. The final section incorporates this useable knowledge into the specific steps that will help you to create a community of one. These realistic and easy-to-follow instructions form the sturdy foundation for a build toward real recovery.

Becoming Your Own Emotional Support System looks at topics such as:

divorce and what happens when new identities are forced upon us
chronic illness and ways of discovering our lost selves in the changes it brings
spiritual crisis and accessing the hidden treasure of our spiritual resources
sexual abuse and understanding some of the challenges stigmas pose
ADHD and the importance of identifying the unnecessary and letting it go
mental illness and expectations of real world goals
obesity and recapturing a worthiness of self
alcoholism and taking necessary risks to affect change
domestic violence and daring to make a leap of faith
barriers to recovery and what to expect when they arise
facing fear and moving on
correcting thought distortions
and many more!

With this process, Becoming Your Own Emotional Support System positions the reader in a community of one so that joining a community of many is again possible. It helps those working through life's difficulties engage in their own healing and apply the necessary skills so they can once more enjoy satisfying and mutually supportive relationships.

Both accessible and enlightening, Becoming Your Own Emotional Support System is an essential resource for anyone facing difficult situations alone as well as to mental health professionals, counselors, and anyone looking to find or offer understanding, comfort, and hope in times of suffering.

Contents:

Foreword (Clark D. Campbell)
Preface
Acknowledgments
SECTION I: THOSE IN NEED OF A COMMUNITY OF ONETHEIR STORIES
Chapter 1. One Is the Loneliest Number: When New Identities Are Forced Upon Us
Maryanne's Story of Divorce
Maryanne's Need for a Community of One
A New Identity Enforced by Divorce
Responses to Divorce That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 2. May I Introduce You?: Discovering Our Lost Selves
Joan's Story of Chronic Illness
Joan's Need for a Community of One
Changes Wrought by Chronic Illness
Responses to Chronic Illness That Could Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 3. Finding the Strength Within: Accessing the Hidden Treasure of Our Spiritual Resources
Dan's Story of Spiritual Crisis
Dan's Need for a Community of One
The Tarnishing of Spiritual Resources
Responses to Situations of Spiritual Crisis That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 4. The Truth About the Royal Family: Stigmas Can Make Finding Support a Challenge
Maggie's Story of Sexual Abuse
Maggie's Need for a Community of One
The Isolating Effects of Sexual Abuse
Responses to Sexual Abuse That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 5. Cleaning House: Identifying the Unnecessary and Letting It Go
Terry's Story of ADHD and Job Loss
Terry's Need for a Community of One
Repercussions of ADHD Such as Job Loss
Responses to ADHD and Job Loss That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 6. Goals for the Real World: Examining Expectations
April's Story of Mental Illness
April's Need for a Community of One
The Challenges of Realistically Living with Mental Illness
Responses to Mental Illness That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 7. Coming Out of Hiding: Cutting the Weighty Issue of Obesity Down to Size
Laura's Story of Obesity
Laura's Need for a Community of One
The Stigma of Obesity
Responses to Obesity That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 8. Skydiving and Other Necessary Risks: Stagnant Waters Only Grow Mold
Sue's Story of Alcoholism
Sue's Need for a Community of One
Risks Required to Conquer Addictions
Responses to Addictions That Lead to Creating a Community of One
Chapter 9. A Leap of Faith: Exploring Strange New Worlds
Diana's Story of Domestic Violence
Diana's Need for a Community of One
Daring to Take a Leap of Faith
Responses to Domestic Violence That Lead to Creating a Community of One
SECTION II: BARRIERS TO CREATING A COMMUNITY OF ONE
Chapter 10. Taking the World by Storm: Facing Our Fears and Moving On
Chapter 11. Guilt Must Go!: Guilt Can Be Good But Needs to Be Temporary
Chapter 12. Corralling Crazy Thinking: Correcting Thought Distortions
Chapter 13. Selecting Your Frame of Mind: Choosing Our Life Perspective
SECTION III: CREATING A COMMUNITY OF ONE
Chapter 14. Sitting with Suffering: Growing Through Grief
Chapter 15. The Value of Vision: Creating a Map for Future Direction
Chapter 16. Tools of the Trade: Skill Development
Chapter 17. Never Give Up: A Call for Hope
Epilogue. A Final Word
References
Index