Transformation for Life: Healing and Growth for Adult Children of Alcoholics and Others

My therapist suggested I read books in the ACOA series. This book was one of several I purchased and it is a GODsend. It really helps you finally figure out why you are they way you are, especially in certain situations. There wasn't one chapter I read where I didn't say "Ah-ha, now I get it." The written or recorded assignments at the end of each chapter get you thinking deeper, and help you truly analyze yourself. I especially like the 7 day action plans at the end of each chapter because they help you get out of that comfort zone and progress closer to being "transformed." The book offers more daily exercises to improving your mental health than you can get in a several weeks of 45 minute therapy sessions. Therapy is great, but this book really helps you work on your issues in between visits. Highly recommend this book for anyone that grew up with one or both parents addicted to anything. Well worth the purchase.

From the first sentence of this book, I felt like it was written just for me-like Dr. Petit knew me. Coming from an extremely abusive ACOA home, I'm learning how to trust, to open up, and live, not just survive for the first time in my life. I emailed Dr. Petit to thank him, and he wrote back to encourage me, and let me know he will pray for me every day, which was such a blessing. I encourage every ACOA to get this book, to work through it, and to see the wonderful life God wants for us, to realize we are special, unique and worth caring a about. We don't get to choose our parents, but we can choose our future, and this book is helping me do that. It's hard to confront the past, but it's also wonderfully freeing, and for the first time in my life, I have hope for peace, and to live the life God wants for me.

This amazing book delivers information on how to heal yourself and develop life skills. It gets you to think about where you're at and where you'd like to be. By answering questions and learning skills through simple exercises, I've found that I increased both my self-awareness and self-esteem. It covers most of the characteristics that Janet Woititz identified and empowers you to work on your recovery. It also includes a positive spiritual component missing in other books. A few friends and I have started a support group working on one chapter each week. Doing this in a group is scary but wonderful and life changing. I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about growth and recovery because it shows you in detail how (with work) to arrive at a happier and more successful life,