Picking Up the Pieces Without Picking Up
Picking Up the Pieces without Picking Up A Guidebook through Victimization for People in Recovery
By Jennifer Storm
A compassionate guidebook for rebuilding your life without returning to addictive behaviors.
“A guidebook that I would highly recommend to any victim as he or she struggles to find a ‘new normal.’ Jennifer Storm has compassionately composed exercises that empower one to transition from darkness into light. Each chapter is written from Jennifer’s first-hand experiences with the anger, guilt, and shame of her own personal struggle to survive. The author’s devotion to her work is evident by her passion to assist others to follow her path from pain to recovery.”– Debra Puglisi Sharp, author of Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence
Jennifer Storm exposes a very real problem facing thousands in recovery today. Being victimized by a crime can be a life-altering, traumatic experience—one that can divert the course of recovery, pitching many back into the throes of addiction.
Rebuilding one’s life after the devastation of a crime or trauma, while avoiding relapse and promoting healing and self-awareness, is not easy. Through guided exercises, journaling, recovery reminders, and other helpful tools, readers will be empowered to move through their victimization with grace and strength.
Picking Up the Pieces without Picking Up offers a caring voice and expert guidance for those struggling with victimization and addiction, and also serves as a valuable resource for professionals in the treatment field, the criminal justice system, and the counseling arena.
“Hats off to Jennifer Storm for creating an educational tool that is both insightful and inspiring. She takes difficult subject matter and makes it relatable and meaningful to readers, nurturing and applauding their progress all throughout.”–Kim Goldman, New York Times Bestselling Author and Victims’ Advocate
Q & A with Jennifer Storm
Why did you write Picking Up the Pieces without Picking Up?
I wrote this book because there currently exists nothing like it on the market. There are no resources that walk a person through the criminal justice process and the healing journey, all while addressing co-occuring issues of substance abuse. I wanted to take what I do on a day-to-day basis in my work as an executive director of a victims services organization and put it in print. Books have always been my go-to resources, especially when I am not ready to talk to someone or reach out yet, so I wanted this guidebook to be available on bookshelves for people to access.
What makes this book unique?
There is not a workbook like this on the market—not one that addresses all of the issues I address in one clear and easy-to-read book. I make this book very concise, as to not add to the overwhelming nature of trauma and the effects it can have on a person. As a survivor and person in recovery, I have looked to guidebooks to aid me on my journey, and I have had to turn to multiple books to find all of the information I have included in this book.
Additionally, most “healing workbooks” I found were large and overwhelming just to pick up. I literally and figuratively felt the weight of these books, so I wanted to provide something more simple but effective.
How does Picking Up the Pieces without Picking Up address recovery?
In many instances, trauma and/or victimization is at the core of a person’s addiction and abuse history. For me, secrets kept me sick, and finding ways to heal from the reasons I used was a foundational piece of my long-term recovery. I truly believe that people who don’t fully address the “why” of their addiction are at a high risk for relapse.
Who is your target audience for this book?
All crime victims or witnesses and their loved ones who wish to heal from their experiences and maintain their recovery while doing so. Also, counselors, therapist, advocates, and anyone who works with victims to help them heal and recover will find this to be a book they will recommend or give to clients as an effective recovery tool.