Authentic recovery is more than an attitude. It is based on emotional work that involves an honest appraisal of one's life. It is through dealing with unresolved feelings of grief and anger that one can truly heal from addiction.

The emotional "bottom" of recovery. Just as one needs to hit bottom with drinking or using in order to begin recovery, eventually one will also hit an emotional "bottom" of fear, anger, and grief. And recovery can only start by first understanding how, when, and where those emotions took control. Author Barb Rogers challenges readers in recovery to investigate the unresolved grief and loss in their lives and helps readers navigate the impacts of those emotions--emotions that can lead back to using if not resolved.

Finding healing and happiness. Recovery from addictions involves more than getting sober. It involves finding happiness, which can only happen if the emotional work is done as well. Negative emotions have the ability to weigh on us and influence both our decisions and the way we handle life's challenges. If we continue to live with fear, anger, and grief, we aren't really free from our addictions. The steps to recovery--authentic and complete recovery--involve healing from the deeper issues in our life. Learn more about:

• The emotional healing that goes hand-in-hand with addiction recovery
• Dealing with grief and resolving underlying issues
• How to find happiness after getting sober

If you learned from books like This Naked Mind, Rewired, The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction, or A Gentle Path Through the Twelve Steps, then you'll want to read Addiction & Grief.