Includes both the book and workbook of A Woman's Way Through the Twelve Steps

Recovery is not a man's world, and yet to a woman it can sometimes seem that way. Geared specifically to that woman, this book brings a feminine perspective to the Twelve Step program, searching out the healing messages beneath the male-oriented words.

Based on an open exploration and a flexible interpretation of the Twelve Steps, this new perspective takes into account the psychological development of women as it relates to addiction and recovery, as well as the social and cultural factors that affect women in particular. Acknowledging that recovery raises special issues for women--from questions about sexuality, relationships, and everyday life to anxieties about speaking up at mixed-gender meetings--A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps focuses directly on the feminine experience of addiction and healing. The author explores the Twelve Steps one by one, reiterating each in its traditional language, then explaining and illustrating it in a way that highlights a woman's experience--empowering the reader to take ownership of her own recovery process as well as her growth as a woman.

Designed to be used in conjunction with A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps, this workbook helps deepen and extend the understanding of the lessons taught in the book and brings them to life with simple exercises and journaling activities. It further empowers each woman to take ownership of her recovery by documenting her growth and recovery process in a personally meaningful way. Unlike many interpretations of the Twelve Steps for women, this workbook uses the original Steps language, preserving its spirit and focusing attention on its healing message.

Covington guides women to reinterpret the Steps to support their own recovery. "When we look inside ourselves and reframe the original wording in the way that works best for us, then each of us, individually, can discover the meaning for ourselves," she writes. In sections devoted to each of the Twelve Steps, Covington blends narrative, self-assessment questions focused on a feminine definition of terms such as powerlessness and letting go, guided imagery exercises, and other experiential activities.

Stephanie S. Covington, Ph.D., is nationally recognized as a clinician, author, organizational consultant, and lecturer. With many years of experience, she has developed an innovative, gender-responsive approach to address the treatment needs of women and girls that has been proven effective in public, private, and institutional settings.