Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery

Rating:
Summary: Healing and Hope
Review: As a 1988 (male) "graduate" of the Betty Ford Center I found a lot to dislike about this book. Most notable is the fact that Mrs. Ford never identifies addiction as a disease of the spirit, even though it is clearly evident in all of these womens' stories that they suffered from soul-sickness long before their addiction. All six came from abusive homes and upbringings, which surely accounts for their zero self-esteem-a malady equally prevalent among male addicts.

From start to finish I felt that I was reading a 272-page advertisement for the Betty Ford Center. I in no way denigrate the excellent work of the Center, but their treatment method is hardly unique or ground-breaking-hundreds of other treatment centers follow the same 12-step model. Mrs. Ford is proud of the special groups BFC has for women-grief, sexual abuse, and body image, among others-but the fact is, women just beginning to sober up are hardly ready for this powerful and painful work.

Call me a nitpicker, but both Mrs. Ford and the storytellers hardily subscribe to the "genetic predisposition to addiction" theory as hard fact. The truth is, no genetic link has yet been found or proven. These women bemoan the "fact" that addiction was passed on to them, but none mentions that using alcohol and street and prescription drugs was a personal decision. Even if a predispostion is eventually proved it still does not cause one to use.

These six stories are long, much too detailed, and often confusing in their layout. As an alternative to these stories I recommend the much more concise and powerful stories included in the AA "Big Book", Alcoholics Anonymous.

Rating:
Summary: Healing and Hope
Review: Betty Ford narrates the stories of six women who have battled alcohol and/or drug addiciton. Each person shares her pain and rebirth into sobriety. This book is a 'must read' for any woman who has or is suffered from addiction. It is very benifical to those who know and love these women. These women, including Mrs. Ford herself, are very open about the pain that addiction has brought to them and all members of their family. They share with us that healing takes place in all members of the family - not just the addicted member.

Rating:
Summary: Promising collection of inspiring stories of recovery
Review: The name Betty Ford is synonymous with addiction-recovery. The six stories in "Healing and Hope" do not disappoint. Millions of readers will connect with the hope, promise and power that spills from these pages. Each story gives a thorough look into the lives of six shattered women who came to Betty Ford's doorstep, looking for recovery from the various addictions that plagued them. In an unusual look into the unique psyche of female addictions, "Healing and Hope" is a must-read for any woman who has struggled with addiction. This is a truly powerful compilation of inspiring and encouraging stories of recovery unlike any I've encountered before.

Rating:
Summary: Truly inspiring
Review: This book made me appreciate for the first time how very difficult it is for an alcoholic/addict to get clean and stay that way. I have a friend who is a recovering alcoholic and this book made me understand at least some of what she went through--and still goes through. All of the women in the book are so impressive--An inspiring read!