Addictive Relationships

Terry Gorski answers vital questions about intimacy and recovery. What is normal in a love relationship? How do we build healthy, intimate relationships into our recovery program? Using a generous mix of humor and self-disclosure, Terry describes the different levels at which relationships operate. He explains the seven characteristics of addictive intimacy and why they feel so good in the short run and hurt so badly in the long run. He also gives hope by describing the characteristics of relationship building and transforming in recovery.

Terence T. Gorski is president of The CENAPS Corporation (The Center for Applied Sciences). CENAPS is a research, training, and consultation organization that specializes in the treatment of addictive and co-addictive disease. In his nearly twenty years of experience with the recovery process, Terry Gorski has developed a practical and no-nonsense approach to dealing with relationships in recovery. In this presentation to 600 recovering people at an Adult Children of Alcoholics convention in San Diego, California, Terry give four vital messages. First, relationships are not "all or nothing" propositions. They unfold on a variety of levels, and we need to enjoy all levels of relationships. His second message tells us to take our time building relationships. Solid love relationships aren't developed on the first date. Third, there are addictive styles and healthy styles of relationships. If we come from a dysfunctional family, we probably don't know the difference. Until we learn what healthy relationships are all about, we will be condemned to recreate our family of origin as adults. His final message is one of hope. There are skills and tools that can be used to build positive love relationships. We can recover. We can break the cycle of addictive intimacy.

Terence T. Gorski, is president of the CENAPS® Corporation, a research, training, and consultation firm that specializes in relapse prevention in chemical dependence and behavioral health problems. He is the clinical director of Relapse Prevention Certification School and is the author of numerous books and articles including Staying Sober: A Guide for Relapse Prevention, The Staying Sober Workbook, Passages Through Recovery: An Action Plan for Preventing Relapse, and Learning to Live Again: A Guide for Recovery from Chemical Dependence. He has conducted training workshops in the United States, Canada, and Europe.