cover image A Woman's Guide to Recovery

A Woman's Guide to Recovery

Brenda Iliff. Hazelden Publishing & Educational Services, $14.95 (301pp) ISBN 978-1-59285-479-0

For many chemically dependent men and women, the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is the bible of recovery. Iliff, director of Hazelden Women's Recovery Center, understands that there are significant differences between the genders in terms of both addiction and recovery. Gleaned from years of working with women struggling to stay clean and sober, this ""book of great hope"" gears the Twelve Steps to women's specific needs, offering insight into all aspects of recovery: health and wellness, relationships, spirituality, dealing with change and recovering bonds with children and other family. As women often are ""expected to be the center of stability in their families and communities,"" their struggles with addiction typically touch more lives; Iliff illustrates well how these added pressures make recovery for women more challenging than a similarly-afflicted male. Women in recovery will gain much from this; for their spouses, significant others, friends and children, it may prove indispensable.