The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction by Laura Petracek, PhD, LCSW is a book I chose to review. Before David and I were together David had a problem with Drugs and Alcohol. Not only that my dad was also an alcoholic. Even though I don’t drink like I did when Suzzane was killed, I wanted to have a copy on hand to share with Charlie even though I don’t think he will ever drink or do drugs.
Knowing his brother Travis began using drugs at the age of 12 and he ended up in Prison because of his addition which caused him a couple years away from his family. Travis says he wasn’t drinking only doing Drugs, but I find that hard to be because he was caught in a store purchasing Beer as a teenager. As a stepmom watching our children managing a mental illness in someone we love is the hardest thing a parent has to face.
The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction is a must-have for anyone seeking to overcome addiction or whomever is recovering from addiction. The workbook’s engaging content and practical exercises provide clear, step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction is a five-star choice that can help make a real difference in the journey toward recovery. Offering 12 step skills and DBT skills in the most helpful of ways. Each chapter inside the book includes exercises to practice and skills to learn that are presented in an easy-to-understand way. Both adults and children can learn through this workbook and help save those they love. One of my favorite features is this book can be used individually, in conjunction with a therapist, or even as part of a group learning and healing experience.
Even if you or anyone you know isn’t struggling with alcohol or drugs you can still learn from this book and find tips to use in your lives as well as helping your friends and family. I believe this book should be in every Pastor and Counselors Offices. Not only that more students are drinking now more than ever so Principals should keep a copy in there offices to share with the parents of his students.
About:
When recovering from addiction and managing a mental illness, it can feel like both have the ability to take over your life. By applying the principles of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to the 12 Steps addiction recovery approach, this workbook equips you with the tools to regulate your emotions, develop self-management skills, reduce anxiety and stress, and feel yourself again.
DBT is a combination of CBT, mindfulness, and distress tolerance skills tailored to those who feel emotions very intensely. Exploring skills and strategies drawn from DBT that work in tandem with your recovery program, this book provides a new roadmap to reduce symptoms of emotional distress and to support your sobriety and mental health.
Written by clinical psychologist, Laura Petracek PhD, this ground-breaking workbook draws on the author’s clinical and lived experience of addiction recovery, bipolar disorder, and other mental health challenges.
Guest post:
Addiction and mental illness both have the powerful ability to consume and take over your life. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: “6 million people are in a marriage where one spouse is battling addiction.” Alcohol, drugs, and strong uncontrolled emotions can destroy your relationships.
Dr. Laura Petracek, Clinical Psychologist, Addiction Specialist, and author of the forthcoming workbook, The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction: Skills and Strategies for Emotional Regulation, Recovery, and Relapse Prevention [Jessica Kingsley Publishers; February 21, 2023] uses a method DBT [Dialectical Behavior Therapy], which includes emotional regulation and relapse prevention that stabilizes and strengthens recovery journeys to combat the emotions associated with Substance Use Disorder (SUD).
Laura Petracek, PhD, LCSW is a certified DBT therapist who, as a recovering addict herself, uses her own experiences with recovery and treatment to help others. Dr. Petracek received her Master of Social Work from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies.
She has worked in the field of psychotherapy for more than thirty years, twenty-six of which have been spent as a practicing Clinical Psychologist in California. Dr. Petracek is an LGBTQ+ member and ally. She believes that mental illness can feel like you’re in a freefall because you’ve lost control of your mind but emphasizes that it’s okay not to be okay.
She is committed to providing the highest quality psychotherapy services, as a psychologist and author, that honor where individuals are on their personal growth journeys. Dr. Petracek is the author of The Anger Workbook for Women and The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction.
About the Author
Align your body and mind to overcome addictions and reclaim your life. I’m Laura Petracek, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), as well as anger management and intervention earlier in life. I’ve authored workbooks based on my own career-overcoming alcohol addiction.
In private practice, I coach women on anger, anxiety, and depression. I believe that once you change the way you think, everything else will fall into place. I approach therapy from a strengths-based, client-centered perspective. My passion for this work is evident in my efforts to personally offer the best care and education possible to hundreds of patients.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
