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Awakening Your Sexuality: A Guide for Recovering Women
One of the most neglected issues for women in recovery from addiction and trauma is sexuality. With candor and compassion, Dr. Covington reminds readers that recovery "is about living life fully and completely, and sexual recovery is integral to the fullness of your life." Awakening Your Sexuality gives women the tools to process their sexual histories, understand their sexual selves, and create the fulfilling sexual lives they want. Honest, sensitive case studies and relevant exercises provide gentle, step-by-step guidance to help women confront guilt, shame, and addiction; become aware of their body images and behavioral patterns; honor and accept their pasts; and begin the liberating journey of sexual recovery and growth.
312 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 21, 2016
This book is for formerly-alcoholic women who were sexually abused as children. None of those things apply to me, but I learnt some interesting things about alcoholism and the effects of growing up/living in a dysfunctional family. The language in this book is quite flowery and awkward at times; I probably should have abandoned this book and swapped to a more facts-based one.
If you're in the target audience, I can't tell you if you should read this book because I don't actually know if it's helpful. If you're not in the target audience and just want to learn more about these issues, I'd recommend looking for a different book due to the language, narrow focus and repetitiveness of this one.
A summary of what's covered:
- 70 percent of alcoholic women were sexually abused as children (including rape and incest), and alcoholic women are more likely to experience abuse as adults.
- In the process of becoming sober, these memories may resurface and you may experience guilt from the experiences themselves and your coping mechanisms (e.g. avoidance, codependency, promiscuity).
- Address your past in therapy or a women's recovery group; don't try to avoid or deny it.
- Learn who you are and to accept yourself.
- Identify the problems in your family, and make sure you don't repeat those patterns.
- Live in the moment rather than feeling guilty about the past or anxious about the future.
- Sobriety is a long journey, especially when alcoholism was used to avoid memories of abuse. Don't try to rush your recovery.
If you're in the target audience, I can't tell you if you should read this book because I don't actually know if it's helpful. If you're not in the target audience and just want to learn more about these issues, I'd recommend looking for a different book due to the language, narrow focus and repetitiveness of this one.
A summary of what's covered:
- 70 percent of alcoholic women were sexually abused as children (including rape and incest), and alcoholic women are more likely to experience abuse as adults.
- In the process of becoming sober, these memories may resurface and you may experience guilt from the experiences themselves and your coping mechanisms (e.g. avoidance, codependency, promiscuity).
- Address your past in therapy or a women's recovery group; don't try to avoid or deny it.
- Learn who you are and to accept yourself.
- Identify the problems in your family, and make sure you don't repeat those patterns.
- Live in the moment rather than feeling guilty about the past or anxious about the future.
- Sobriety is a long journey, especially when alcoholism was used to avoid memories of abuse. Don't try to rush your recovery.
April 27, 2015
Gah. This was awful. I was given this by a friend for some reason. She hadn't told me until after I read it that she wasn't able to finish it. It's great if you're an addict and want to blame something. This was always talking about alcohol and drug dependency and just... not for anyone else. Awful. And paints women as helpless for the most part. Though to be honest, about half way through I put it down for good. Don't read this. I'm probably going to throw this book into a sewer.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews