1st Edition
Becoming Your Own Emotional Support System Creating a Community of One
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!
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.
- Foreword (Clark D. Campbell)
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- SECTION I: THOSE IN NEED OF A COMMUNITY OF ONE—THEIR 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
Biography
Simmons, Linda L.
