"Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." This workbook, and it's companion book, is an essential read for anyone who has sat in the rooms and felt comfort from the program but sting from its delivery.

This guide acknowledges that addiction does not exist in a bubble away from trauma and offers choices while working the steps along with necessary information on practices designed to soothe the nervous system. If you are new to the steps, or coming back to them, Dr. Marich and Stephen Dansinger provides a way to have choice through the steps while maintaining fidelity to the program.

If you are a sponsor who finds yourself pausing to translate the Big Book"s language to a new sponsee and who seeks a way to mentor someone through the steps in a compassionate and practical way, "Trauma and the Twelve Steps" provides an opportunity for you to do so with an integrative approach.

For addiction counsellors and therapists, you can use this workbook as a way to speak a common language with clients who are a part of a 12 step program and integrate its classic approach within a modern setting.

Trauma and the 12 Steps is one of my favorite books around trauma healing and recovery written by Dr. Jamie Marich. The material is made accessible in language grounded in the 12 steps that honors everyone's individual process as they go about their healing journey. I was really thrilled to learn that Dr. Jamie Marich is releasing the workbook to Trauma and the 12 Steps and couldn't wait to read the arc copy!

Perhaps the greatest aspect of all in this workbook is Dr. Marich's ability to point out barriers trauma survivor's face when trying to implement the 12 steps. For many, particularly those with religious trauma, some of the concepts of spirituality within the steps can make the process difficult to move through, even re-traumatizing for some. What I really enjoy about this workbook are all of the reminders that you can assess where you stand as a reader prior to engaging in the work- that this process of clarifying your own values and opinions on the 12 steps is a vital and necessary part of engagement.

Dr. Marich writes: "Many trauma survivors have trouble with the concept of God's will because it may be nearly impossible to wrap their understanding around the notion that traumatic experiences they endured were somehow God's will."

These moments of acknowledging barriers readers face are incredibly healing in and of themselves and help readers on a healing journey to own their own stories and to recreate and re-imagine ways of engaging in healing work while using language that best fits their own needs and experiences. Dr. Marich writes about how important it was for her to reframe her idea of God as a Divine being and not a masculine entity. Language creates meaning and readers are encouraged to reimagine the language of the 12 step journey and engage with it on their terms while seeking out the sources of support and accountability that feel most safe for them.

At the end of each chapter are expressive arts options for readers to engage in expressive practices that feel most aligned with what they need to move through the material including free writing, poetry writing, dancing, acting things out and more!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!