Getting and Giving Help
In The Tao of Sobriety: Helping You to Recover from Alcohol and Drug Addiction, longtime therapists David Gregson and Jay S. Efran offer a self-help book designed either to work in tandem with 12-step programs or to help addicts get sober without group help. After a brief explanation of Taoism (a Chinese philosophy and religion whose practitioners seek inner peace), the authors present the Tao, a Chinese term meaning "the way," as an ideal vehicle for attaining and maintaining freedom from substance addiction. Replete with anecdotes, exercises (meditations, questions to explore, affirmations) and real-life applications of Taoist precepts (letting go of attachments to guilt and other "self-condemnation" behaviors that lead to substance abuse), this guide uses the firm but gentle approach that is the trademark of many Eastern practices. (St. Martin's/Dunne, $14.95 paper 224p ISBN 0-312-24250-6; Jan. 18)
Gene Hawes (Rx for Recovery) and Anderson Hawes, an alcohol-treatment professional, present Addiction-Free: How to Help an Alcoholic or Addict Get Started on Recovery, an exploration of six tried-and-true venues for managing addiction (including Alcoholics Anonymous, detox, workplace programs and therapeutic communities). Aimed at people who worry that a loved one, friend or colleague is addicted to alcohol or drugs, the book explains how to determine if someone is an addict, how to protect oneself from co-dependence while maintaining a relationship, how to get help for themselves and how to help the person with the disease. What if an alcoholic won't accept treatment? Is an outpatient or an inpatient program appropriate in a given case? How can one stop enabling an addict? The authors address these and other key issues in a practical and compassionate manner. (St. Martin's/Dunne, $24.95 240p ISBN 0-312-25182-3; Dec. 10)
Got therapy? If not, or even if you do but are unsatisfied with it, How to Go to Therapy might come in handy. Carl Sherman (Stress Remedies), a mental health reporter, walks readers through the process of deciding if they want to pursue therapy, choosing an appropriate type of therapy and then choosing a specific therapist. From psychodynamic therapy to pharmacotherapy to eye movement desensitization and retraining, Sherman breaks down this potentially intimidating but increasingly relevant aspect of modern life. Readers new to the therapeutic world as well as those in one kind of therapy who want to try another will appreciate Sherman's guidance. (Random/AtRandom.com, $15 paper 176p ISBN 0-8129-9187-7; $9.95 e-book ISBN 0-679-64723-6; Nov. 13)
Cents and Sensibility
A clear mission, innovative techniques, commitment, efficiency and visible outcomes are the name of the business game, and also happen to be exemplified by the Salvation Army. In "The Most Effective Organization in the U.S.": Leadership Secrets of the Salvation Army, Robert A. Watson, an officer in the Salvation Army for 44 years, and freelance writer Ben Brown mine the organizational riches of this familiar group and present them as a model for others in the nonprofit and for-profit worlds. Watson, who as a child was clothed, fed and kept busy by the Salvation Army, reveals the skills and principles he learned as an officer of a company that completes projects from top to bottom—from conceiving an idea and building a site to designing the financial plan and hiring, training and inspiring employees. The organization famous for its big heart also has plenty of sense. Proceeds go to the Salvation Army. (Crown Business, $25 256p ISBN 0-609-60869-X; Nov. 13)
Putting a twist on common leadership advice, Michael Useem (The Leadership Moment), professor of management at Wharton, targets employees in Leading Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win. Beginning with the importance of supplying "your commander" with an accurate and thorough picture of events in the trenches (illustrated with a Civil War metaphor), Useem dispenses specific advice on making your talents and skills evident, pushing your ideas for expanding a company, dividing your attentions between multiple supervisors and inspiring confidence in employers. He bases his insights on in-depth examples of real-life organizations such as Charles Schwab, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda and British Airways. Energetic and/or frustrated employees will benefit from this sensible and encouraging guide to showing your stuff in the workplace. (Crown Business, $25.95 320p ISBN 0-8129-3310-9; Nov. 6)
