I am a registered psychologist in Sydney Australia. In my work I provide therapy for people with serious mental health disorders in a way that develops their own self help process. I have been doing this work for over 35 years. Through running specialized therapy programs in psychiatric hospitals I have spent over 18,000 hours in groups with people needing help for addictions and abuse related emotional disorders and have had therapeutic contact with several thousand people.

Addiction is a dangerous and destructive condition; Recovery for a severely addicted person is a personal miracle and a miracle for the family if it happens in time. 

A large proportion of patients I have worked with, suffered from alcoholic parenting. In my private practice I have worked with many people who are in recovery but still have serious mental health problems, usually related to abusive childhoods. Most of my clients are involved in a 12 step organisation.  Many years ago it was clear how much family members were damaged by having an addicted loved one and so I wrote “When Someone You Love Is Addicted to Alcohol or Drugs” with the help of Helen Townsend. The book is written with the self help process of accepting and letting go of self as a guiding principle.
I will be pleased if you use the forum page to post your comments and share your experiences.

Kind Regards

Jim Maclaine