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I first encountered Charlotte Kasl when I read her excellent book If the Buddha Dated, which is about holding onto yourself and being authentic in relationship practices. I chose this book to read just after I finished Face to Face, partly because it was strongly recommended as a women's take on AA and partly because I knew I liked her writing style.
How do oppression and hierarchical societies feed into alcoholism and other forms of addiction? Is a codependency model appropriate for survivors of abuse? What was the original intent of AA founder Bill W, and how is that spirit being honored or ignored today? How can a model of maturing spirituality help us to understand the recovery movement? Why are sexual relationships within a support group problematic? Does one size really fit all for addiction recovery?
This book is over ten years old, but the ideas in it are still considered radical by many. Kasl's holistic approach to addiction recovery centers on the individual, doing what works for you. In explaining how she came to create it, she also discusses what is problematic for many women about AA and traditional recovery. While parts of it are dated (most folks no longer use the term "consciousness raising," for example) there are still ideas in this book that I haven't seen discussed anywhere else. This is a must read for any woman with a substance addiction problem, and strongly recommended for any who are interested in a feminist critique of the recovery movement. Five stars. (In my new system I would give this an A-, because it does have some problems - but it is a life-changing book.)
How do oppression and hierarchical societies feed into alcoholism and other forms of addiction? Is a codependency model appropriate for survivors of abuse? What was the original intent of AA founder Bill W, and how is that spirit being honored or ignored today? How can a model of maturing spirituality help us to understand the recovery movement? Why are sexual relationships within a support group problematic? Does one size really fit all for addiction recovery?
This book is over ten years old, but the ideas in it are still considered radical by many. Kasl's holistic approach to addiction recovery centers on the individual, doing what works for you. In explaining how she came to create it, she also discusses what is problematic for many women about AA and traditional recovery. While parts of it are dated (most folks no longer use the term "consciousness raising," for example) there are still ideas in this book that I haven't seen discussed anywhere else. This is a must read for any woman with a substance addiction problem, and strongly recommended for any who are interested in a feminist critique of the recovery movement. Five stars. (In my new system I would give this an A-, because it does have some problems - but it is a life-changing book.)