We made it. Goodbye 2020 and hello to a New Year with fresh beginnings. At this point, we could all benefit from a bit more rest, rejuvenation and renewal. It looks different for everyone, but for me it shows up through creative forms of emotional nourishment. Don’t wait for a vacation or for time off work (although they can help). In your daily routine, try to keep an open heart and mind to the simple gifts around us as we continue to heal from the collective trauma we’ve been facing. Here is a little ditty that was released several months ago but seems to hold even more meaning now. If you’ve heard it already, listen to the message of perseverance and perspective this song offers us and feel free to share:

The Keep Going Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs-ju_L9pEQ&ab_channel=thebengsons

The Insight Center Workshop:
Saturday, January 23, 1-5 pm

I’m very pleased to announce my 4-hour workshop, If You Build It, They Will Come: Developing and Sustaining Interpersonal Process Groups in Private Practice, designed to help you get your groups off the ground successfully. Having been a group leader since 1992, I’ve learned through trial and error how to put together a sustainable process group. This user-friendly workshop will offer you specific clinical tools and strategies including pre-group interviews, developing a group agreement, forms of resistance, early-stage tasks, and mindful marketing. Please join us or spread the word to others who may benefit. Click Here to Register.

January Podcasts: 1. Catch Your Breath 2. Brainspotting & Addictions

As we enter 2021, my podcast producer, Sue Merlino and I will be releasing our 40th podcast! It’s turned out to be a really fun project and I get to invite respected guests who happen to be specialists in the addiction and trauma field. This January we plan to release a podcast with Roby Abeles who is based in Sydney and has developed a customized Brainspotting approach to addictions. By popular demand, I also put together a special podcast called Catch Your Breat, which is a 3-minute relaxation exercise focusing on your breath. All podcasts can be found on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean or through my website, www.westsidetherapist.com.

Today in Recovery Blog:
The Necessity of Pleasure

Historically, my clinical radar has not focused as much on pleasure but moreso toward painful aspects of life. These past several years I’m looking to change this. Now my blog has become a consistent place for me to metabolize personal issues which relate to others healing from addiction and trauma. This month’s article is dedicated to pleasure and sexual health. These topics have become more central to my way of conceptualizing long-term recovery from sexual compulsivity. Please stay tuned for more ways I plan to infuse sexual health content into my podcasts, blogging and practice. My blog can be found at www.purposefulrecovery.com.

Call for Amazon Reviews: It’s Not About the Sex

I can hardly believe that my book was released 18 months ago, and I’m so grateful for the existing Amazon reviews, as well as the ongoing support I’ve received from so many encouraging people. Just a reminder that reviews help with visibility and ongoing traction for the book to be seen by a larger audience. If you feel so inclined, please go to Amazon and write a review of any length. I truly appreciate it! It's Not About the Sex can be found at Amazon.com.

Gratefully,
Andrew

Winter 2021

In This Issue:

• Keep Going On Song
  
• If You Build It, They Will Come
• It’s Not About the Sex Podcasts
• Blog: The Necessity of Pleasure
• Request for Amazon Reviews

Order Andrew’s Recent Book:
It’s Not About the Sex:
Moving from Isolation to
Intimacy after Sexual Addiction