110 Quotes by John Bradshaw

The more we know about how we lost our spontaneous wonder and creativity, the more we can find ways to get them back.

It is a mark of soulfulness to be present in the here and now. When we are present, we are not fabricating inner movies. We are seeing what is before us.

Most people who have survived abuse have great strength.

The drivenness in any addiction is about the ruptured self, the belief that one is flawed as a person. The content of the addiction, whether it is alcoholism or work, is an attempt at an intimate relationship. The workaholic with her work or the alcoholic with his booze are having a love affair. Each alters mood to avoid the feeling of loneliness and hurt in the underbelly of shame.

Guilt says I've done something wrong; ... shame says there is something wrong with me. Guilt says I've made a mistake; ... shame says I am a mistake. Guilt says what did was not good; ... shame says I am no good.

Recovery begins with embracing our pain and taking the risk to share it with others. We do this by joining a group and talking about our pain.

To truly be committed to a life of honesty, love and discipline, we must be willing to commit ourselves to reality.

We cannot heal what we cannot feel.

Our sadness is an energy we discharge in order to heal. …Sadness is painful. We try to avoid it. Actually discharging sadness releases the energy involved in our emotional pain. To hold it in is to freeze the pain within us. The therapeutic slogan is that grieving is the ‘healing feeling.’