"Resentment is the number one offender. It destroys more alcoholics (and addicts) than anything else." Quoted from Alcoholics Anonymous (The Big Book), page 65. In quotes from the author. I have been working in addiction treatment for the past 14 years and I have seen many alcoholics and addicts who were unable to maintain their sobriety because they were still carrying resentments. Many of the best evidence based treatment methods were tried, but the one that appears to help heal resentments the fastest was forgiveness. Over these 14 years, I have been developing a simple yet powerful new therapeutic approach to use the awesome power of forgiveness that resides in all of us to heal our resentments. This approach was refined from working with thousands of clients and is now available for you in this easy to use workbook. In the workbook you will first learn and be able to identify what your resentments are and where they came from. This can be a very painful process, especially if they came from your parents. Second, you will be instructed how to identify, on a feelings list, exactly what the resentments are that have been fueling your drinking or drug use. Third, you will be instructed how to write a simple forgiveness prayer. The fourth part is all up to you and that is to repeat the prayer multiple times a day until your resentments are gone. How long does this take, you may ask? I have seen healing happen in one saying of the prayer. These incidents have truly been miracles. More commonly, a person repeating the prayer twice daily has shown marked improvements in 2 to 3 weeks. The good news is that you don't have to say this prayer forever. Your resentments can be healed by this straightforward simple work. And it is work to forgive. Last but not least is a forgiveness test to see if you have completely forgiven the offender. I, Wayne Kauppila, the author of this workbook have used this method to heal the resentments that I had for my abusive parents and the resentments I had from my wife of 31 years leaving me for another man. I can truly say that I am happy, joyous and free. Forgiveness has also contributed greatly to my 20+ years of sobriety in the 12 Step fellowship. I hope that you may also find this type of freedom in your sobriety. Peace and Love, Wayne Kauppila
About the Author: I am Wayne Kauppila MCAP, and my passion is teaching people how to forgive. Why is this my passion? Because I have seen so much positive change in people's lives who have practiced the methods of forgiveness that I teach. I also, have benefited from forgiving. I was raised by two physically abusive parents who were also emotionally unavailable due to their Scandinavian stoicism. As a result, I became an angry, rageful, defiant young man. I got married and continued the cycle of physical abuse of our own children. I was also becoming an alcoholic. I entered therapy and for three years worked on my issues with EMDR therapy, but I was still angry. I finally learned how to forgive and my anger was healed. I was able to forgive my parents and I came to believe that my own children could forgive me for hurting them. During this time, I was also attending the Graduate School of Addiction Studies at Hazelden in Center City, MN. I graduated with a Masters degree and then worked in several addiction counseling businesses. In working with addicts and alcoholics, I began to see the devastating effects of carrying resentments from all types of abuse. I would sporadically ask them to try forgiveness and almost without exception, they would experience tremendous amounts of healing in a short time. One of the clients asked me to put the process down in writing so that he could help his friends to find healing. So, I wrote my first book, Opening The Door To Freedom With Forgiveness Therapy. The workbook has already helped hundreds of people find healing from their resentments. My hope and mission in life it that this workbook will eventually help millions of people find healing. Peace and Love, Wayne Kauppila