FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

“I knew now that I wouldn’t be able to hide it from anyone anymore, least of all, myself. I finally had to face the fact that the “demon” inside indeed was homosexuality. I believed I needed to rid myself of it, at any cost.”

Each year, countless men and women struggle with their own sexual identity. The decision to keep this knowledge private, burying one’s true self underneath feelings of inadequacy or fear of rejection from society, family, and friends, can trigger an internal war for the individual with potentially dangerous results. Quite often, suicide and self-abuse become the only escape from the emotional stress he or she carries. This toll was all too common for Jon Derek Croteau, EdD, author of MY THINNING YEARS: Starving the Gay Within (Hazelden, September 2014, $14.95), who took his suffering to the ultimate level.

MY THINNING YEARS

Starving the Gay Within

By: Jon Derek Croteau

In this candid and moving memoir, Jon describes his turbulent childhood and rocky relationship with his emotionally abusive father, who regularly imposed his will on Jon to do things that would make him “a real man,” like play football and baseball. In his teenage years Jon starts realizing the truth about himself: “I was petrified that everyone would know what was ‘wrong’ with me, as if some sort of plague was marked on my head or they would be able to somehow see it in my eyes that I was gay,” and he becomes increasingly alarmed when he develops romantic feelings for his friend Chad. The confusion of his thoughts and feelings drives Jon mad, eventually pushing him to the edge. He cannot handle “the thought of being gay,” and his self-hatred causes him to attempt suicide, only to be saved by a family member. Like many homosexuals in denial, Croteau attempts to suppress the urge to be his true self but is unable to do so.

Jon then makes a decision that only compounds his anguish. In MY THINNING YEARS, Jon sharply details his growing obsession with his physical appearance and fear that he is “too fat.”

“What I saw in my reflection, and what was forever imprinted in my mind, was a pear-shaped chubby person. I loathed my Humpty-Dumpty figure, the one I’d inherited from my dad—skinny legs and an oversized, flabby torso.” He soon develops a deadly routine of starvation, exercise, and running to the point of withering away. Yet his anorexia has another disturbing purpose—to starve the “gayness” out. Jon is so disgusted and ashamed of who he is that he feels compelled to punish himself and force the thoughts and feelings out by physical exertion. He tortures himself because he believes he deserves it—and has no intention of stopping.

MY THINNING YEARS: Starving the Gay Within by Jon Derek Croteau is the emotional journey of a man who battled with his own sexuality and spent most of his life trying to win his homophobic father’s approval. Despite punishing himself to the point of starvation, Jon always maintained hope, and, ultimately, accepted himself and found true love. This inspiring true story proves that people can learn to embrace who they are and have the happy endings they deserve.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jon Derek Croteau (jonderekcroteau.com) is a consultant, educator, speaker, and writer. A Huffington Post contributor, he is the author of three books on leadership and numerous journal and periodical articles, as well as poetry, essays, and short stories. He is also executive producer of singer-songwriter Will Dailey’s fourth studio album, National Throat. Jon is a sought-after speaker on resilience, eating disorders and recovery, leadership and talent management, and LGBTQ issues. He has served on boards, committees, and councils for Emerson College, Point Foundation, his own COURAGE Foundation, The Home for Little Wanderers, Boston University, and The Trevor Project. In 2007, Jon married his husband, Justin, and they enjoy the arts, traveling, home design, gardening, skiing, and the outdoors. They reside in Vermont.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas, the Foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully-accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children’s program, and is the nation’s leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery.

My Thinning Years:
Starving the Gay Within
By Jon Derek Croteau
Hazelden Publishing
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
ISBN-13: 978- 1616495091
ISBN-10: 161649509X
Original Trade Paperback/E-book
Price: $14.95
Pages: 240 pp.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

“I wanted to find people who had purpose, who were grateful, and who had handled conflict rationally and with kindness. People who had integrity and a desire to leave the world and all its inhabitants better than they had found it.”
—Ali Berman

What does it mean to be truly happy? Why do some people appear to be completely at peace with themselves? How do some push fear and insecurity aside to grab what they desire from life? We all know that one person who never appears bothered or stressed by anything and is absolutely happy with the person he or she is. How do some people do this? And more importantly, how can we learn to do this ourselves?

One woman was determined to find out the secret. CHOOSING A GOOD LIFE: Lessons from People Who Have Found Their Place in the World (Hazelden; October 2014; $14.95) by Ali Berman is the journey of a woman who sought out the key to true happiness and inner peace by interviewing incredible people with diverse backgrounds who have all achieved a deep sense of balance and harmony in their lives despite unimaginable hardships.

With each person she interviewed, Ali learned something new about life and the world. Sungrai Sohn, a violin prodigy who was stricken with hepatitis B during childhood and is now a grown man on an organ donor list awaiting a liver transplant, told her, “I was at peace because I did everything I wanted to do and more. I did all the things as best I could.” Emery Jacoby, a Holocaust survivor who escaped a concentration camp, taught Ali the importance of resiliency. “To go on, you have to make an attempt to separate the future from the past . . .” he told her. Ali also learned the importance of gratitude and optimism from Daphne Yeager-Ostendorf, a woman who lost her husband and daughter. Instead of falling into a downward spiral like some people may have after such a tragedy, she did something productive by creating a documentary about her family in their honor and was appreciative for the time she had with them. These are just some of the amazing people Ali has encountered who all have found peace with the world and within themselves.

With CHOOSING A GOOD LIFE, you will have the tools and guidance to:

• Identify what you truly value

• Make use of the pain and trials of life to make you stronger

• Set priorities to find more time and energy for the things that bring you satisfaction

• Appreciate what you have with optimism for the future

• Reach for your dreams and never give up

It is possible to attain a sense of purpose, a feeling of fulfillment and a wealth of positivity. Harmony, balance and inner peace can be yours. CHOOSING THE GOOD LIFE contains the inspiring stories to help you discover the true happiness that you deserve.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ali Berman is the senior editor for the popular Ecorazzi.com, bringing attention to important social issues. She received her master of fine arts in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and has been published in numerous journals.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas, the foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children’s program, and is the nation’s leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Fear is a controlling and debilitating emotion that humans feel every day, from worrying about the health of loved ones to the threat of terrorism and the instability of a declining economy, and many other issues. How many times has fear prevented you from doing and saying the things that you wanted to? Why does fear impede us from experiencing life to the fullest? And what can we do to change how it all influences our thoughts and behaviors? THE FEAR REFLEX: Five Ways to Overcome It and Trust Your Imperfect Self (Hazelden; September 2014; $14.95; Original Trade Paperback) by Joseph Shrand, M.D., with Leigh Devine, M.S., is the go-to source for all of these questions and much more.

In this comprehensive guide, Dr. Shrand, a leading expert on the psychology of fear, teaches us how to use the rational parts of our brain to alter our perspectives and react logically to fears that we wrestle with daily. In fact, any one of the five senses can act as a trigger for fear and cause a reflex, such as sweating or increased heartbeat. However, some fears are created during adolescence and stay with us throughout adulthood. Regardless, Shrand contends that we are capable of reprogramming our perceptions of these reflexes and can better control our reactions to circumstances.

The best way to conquer fear is by utilizing the model Dr. Shrand created, called the I-Maximum or I-M Approach. When using the method, a person realizes that he or she is at maximum potential, doing the best that he or she can in that particular moment. As a result, inadequacy is relieved and self-confidence takes over. In order to better understand the depth of the I-M Approach, there are four domains Dr. Shrand examines in detail: The Biological Domain that dictates chemical reactions to fear, the Ic Domain that refers to how a person sees themselves, the Home Domain that explains how some fears are instilled in us by our upbringing, and the Social Domain that illustrates how we deal with fear when out in the world.

THE FEAR REFLEX then offers a clear solution for facing and overcoming fear by applying these five simple practices to your everyday life:

1. Find better ways to connect with others to reduce fear.

2. Transform fear into trust.

3. Explore our biological responses to fear.

4. Look at the role of social groups and society in fostering fear.

5. Examine the role of fear in our childhood and home life.

You can be the person you were always too fearful to be! If fear has ever held you back, then the I-M Approach in THE FEAR REFLEX will provide the tools and guidance you need to respond in a more rational way with resiliency, courage and confidence.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Joseph Shrand, M.D., is triple board certified in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and addiction medicine; is an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School; and is medical director of an intervention unit for high-risk teens at the High Point Treatment Centers. He is coauthor with Leigh Devine of Manage Your Stress. Dr. Shrand lives in Marshfield, Mass. Leigh Devine, M.S., has a master’s of science degree from the Columbia School of Journalism and is a journalist, writer, and producer who has created several award-winning educational and commercial programs and documentaries. Leigh lives in New York City.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas, the foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children’s program, and it is the nation’s leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Nationally recognized addiction counselor and interventionist Debra Jay is taking a bold step with a new approach to helping families in recovery. In her new book, IT TAKES A FAMILY: A Cooperative Approach to Lasting Sobriety (Hazelden Publishing; December 2014; $15.95), Jay introduces Structured Family Recovery, a specific process and framework with the power to keep addicts sober and families on track in their recovery for the long haul.

Structured Family Recovery outlines how each member of the household participates in the addict’s recovery beyond treatment. Many people talk in vague and general terms about how family members can help, detach with love, and be supportive, but now there is a clear path that will help everyone in the household reduce anxiety and trepidation when faced with addiction and the desire to achieve long-term recovery for the entire family.

In IT TAKES A FAMILY, Jay explains the effect that recovery has on the family, the price that families pay in terms of stress, and the difference between enabling addiction and enabling recovery. This revolutionary approach is broken into four separate yet equally important parts, and each section includes resources for family members:

• Part 1 outlines what families need to know to initiate desired changes, such as understanding the disease of addiction, why motivation isn’t the answer, and reasons for relapses.
• Part 2 focuses on what families need to do, such as put Structured Family Recovery into place, learn how to speak to the addicted person, and attend Twelve Step meetings.
• Part 3 provides opening and closing statements for Structured Family Recovery weekly meetings and templates with suggested topics.
• Part 4 has tools and checklists for creating a Recovery Plan, including family relapse warning signs, the Eight Essential Elements, and a relapse agreement.

With this invaluable book, family members can work together as they reinvent their relationships without the all-consuming dysfunction of active addiction. IT TAKES A FAMILY helps families by carefully explaining:

• What Structured Family Recovery is and its importance in rehabilitation.
• Tips for successful Structured Family Recovery meetings.
• The guidelines to help build an effective program of recovery for newly recovering addicts and alcoholics.
• Various challenges that families face and when to seek professional guidance.
• How each family member has a role in the recovery process and what to expect.

IT TAKES A FAMILY is the straightforward guide for how families can work collaboratively and as individuals to find an appropriate balance between personal responsibilities and building a circle of support to meet the challenges of aiding a loved one in recovery.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Debra Jay is coauthor with Jeff Jay of Hazelden’s best-selling Love First and is a certified addiction counselor and interventionist. She is also the author of No More Letting Go (Bantam, 2006) and numerous journal and magazine articles on addiction. She has appeared on Oprah several times and The Dr. Oz Show, among other TV shows, and is an in-demand keynote speaker and trainer at behavioral health conferences and treatment centers internationally.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas, the foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children’s program, and is the nation’s leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Hazelden Publishing, the leader of informative books about conquering addiction, is releasing for the first time, a recovery tool exclusively in the form of a graphic novel. SOBRIETY: A Graphic Novel (Hazelden Publishing; October 2014; $19.95; Original Trade Paperback), written by Daniel D. Maurer and illustrated by Spencer Amundson, is unique in its approach and captivating in its presentation. This reliable source helps those in recovery while supplying creative, visual stimulation for teenagers and adults alike.

This graphic novel focuses on five individuals, each battling his or her specific addiction while being part of a Twelve Step group. Larry has been a long-time attendee, believes in the principles of the Big Book, and remains sober, despite the recent passing of his wife. Debby, a working mother of two children, tried balancing it all but her drinking began controlling her. Matt, a user of crystal meth, began stealing to support his habit until he was taken into custody by law enforcement. Hannah, only a teenager, was once an honor student until she became hooked on pain medication. And Alex, a native of the United Kingdom now living in the United States, resides in a recovery house, where he is six months in recovery from opiates.

These individuals all have one thing in common: the desire for betterment with each other’s help through their Twelve Step group. By sharing stories of their struggles and providing hope for each other, Larry, Debby, Matt, Hannah, and Alex all realize that they are not alone in the battle to remain sober.

SOBRIETY: A GRAPHIC NOVEL stands apart from other addiction recovery resources because it:

• Appeals to teenagers and adults through its presentation as a graphic novel
• Uses well-developed characters to take readers deep into the world of a recovery group member
• Narrates the trials and tribulations of addicts who have diverse backgrounds and lifestyles
• Explains the challenges of recovery and how the power of the Twelve Steps can help overcome them
• Offers hope for addicts and proves that sobriety can be attained

Through rich illustration and narrative, SOBRIETY: A GRAPHIC NOVEL offers an inside look into recovery from the perspectives of five Twelve Step group members, each with a different set of addictions, philosophies, struggles, and successes while working the Steps.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel D. Maurer is a freelance writer, producer of graphic novels, and a former Lutheran minister. He is currently working on publishing an exposé to address the problem of human trafficking of boys in the United States. He is openly in recovery and lives in St. Paul with his family. 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Spencer Amundson, a graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, is a freelance comic artist and illustrator. He is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and lives in Minneapolis.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas, the Foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully-accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children’s program, and is the nation’s leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery.