Learning To Be You - It's an Inside Job
By Brenda Ehrler
To purchase this book from Chapters: Learning To Be You - It's an Inside Job
To purchase this book from amazon.com click on the picture.
Are you experiencing pain that is caused by circumstances outside of yourself? Are you a substance-addicted individual or do you love and care about someone who is? Then this book is for you!
Ehrler shares her personal experience of living with a drug addict/alcoholic for nine years and the subsequent nine years of clean and sober life.
In her introduction Ehrler writes: "There are no accidents in life just a continuation of experiences building toward a grand finale. If you think this book is speaking to you, it is." She goes on to include: "I ask for your non-judgment as you read this book. I will share many details about my own family's dysfunction as we struggled with the disease of addiction. I do so to help you to find further understanding with your life experiences."
The author shares herself in a warm, human and honest way that left this reader feeling as if we'd been sharing space in the same room, so close, sharing emotion, going through the pain, routing for each other. Reading this book is like developing a relationship. As you get to know Brenda Ehrler you will realize as you read the book that is it really more of yourself that you are getting to know in a much deeper and more meaningful way.
On page 19, Ehrler writes: "1. I could separate from the addict. I knew that leaving Joe wasn't the answer for me. I knew that without recovery for myself, I would turn around and draw someone just like him. It had been a regular pattern for me all my life." This is a prime example of the wisdom and insight that Ehrler shares and offers her readers.
Every substance-addicted person will adversely affect the lives of at least four people. The ramifications of addiction, including alcoholism literally affect millions of people. It was Ehrler's realization that her husband's sobriety didn't gift her with the peace that she felt she needed that led her to intensify her own personal journey toward recovery.
On page 102 Ehrler writes: "It must come from the inside. I can only try to help you uncover the self-love that lies within you. With a firm foundation of self-love the perception of events as painful will be lessened. When we have self-love, we have a foundation of confidence. With this confidence, those outside events no longer have the power to affect us."
With "becoming aware" and "taking responsibility" as the cornerstones of her journey Ehrler reveals an insightful and practical (down-to-earth) approach that supports recovery. This is a very profound and inspiring book. This book is a useful tool for individuals who are recovering from addiction and or who are in relationships with those who are addicted and or recovering. I highly recommend it.
© A.J. Mahari August 14, 2000
as of August 14, 2000