Reviews for Facing Shame: Families in Recovery

The average rating for Facing Shame: Families in Recovery based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-09-24 00:00:00 Kathleen G Dreusike Short but sweet. The opposite of an abusive family is not a perfect one: going for perfection is just as painful as direct abuse. Admitting you're only human and committing to deal with your issues removes the need to oscillate between the phase of control (over whichever compulsive behavior you use as a substitute for dealing with unpleasant emotions) and release (when you succumb to that behavior). The control-release cycle deepens the shame, and shame is an excellent fuel for the cycle. If you're curious about what a normal family relationship is and what you can do instead of the things you usually do, I'd recommend you read this book.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-12-02 00:00:00 Lew Klein Not necessarily the best starting place for reading about shame. It seems to be written for therapists. However it does go into much more detail of the shame-based compulsive behavioral patterns, and particuarly the family system aspects of it. Its clear this book comes out of a family systems approach to treating addiction, even though they clearly see and explain the perspective is applicable beyond addiction, to many compulsive and self-destructive behaviors. I picked this book up because John Bradshaw referenced it and spoke to its impact on him. I would definitely recommend reading Bradshaw's works first; they're more accessible, practical, and, I think, see shame in a larger perspective.