In Every Bad, There’s Some Good─And A Lesson to Be Learned Twenty-four survivors recount their stories of living in a dysfunctional family. It isn’t always easy. You can’t choose your situation or where you come from, but you can choose the lessons you take away. Is there a silver lining to growing up in a dysfunctional family? Bestselling recovery author Karen Casey looks at stories of people who grew up in dysfunctional families and "the good stuff" that can come from the experience. "Throughout my many decades in recovery rooms I have interacted with thousands of women and men whose journeys reveal, in detail, the harrowing history of dysfunction that has troubled their lives," says Casey. "But what is also apparent in their stories is their eventual and quite triumphant survival, often against extreme odds." From 24 families rife with dysfunction. Casey interviews the survivors who emerged from the fires of a turbulent household to willingly share their stories and come to realize they had, surprisingly, thrived as the result of their often-harrowing experiences. In The Good Stuff from Growing Up in a Dysfunctional Family , Casey reveals the stories and the skills these survivors developed to live more creative and fulfilling lives. In this book find tales that help you to: Realize lessons in disguise - Acknowledge your personal growth - Point out your own silver lining If you enjoyed books like Daring Greatly , Codependent No More , or Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents , then you’ll want to read Good Stuff from Growing Up in a Dysfunctional Family . "Casey (Each Day a New Beginning), author of 26 books on addiction and recovery, theorizes that "when we grow up in a dysfunctional family, we have access to a host of benefits we otherwise might not be privy to." A workshop facilitator for the 12step recovery process and in recovery for 40 years herself, Casey grew up in a dysfunctional family dominated by her father's rage. As a result, she turned to alcohol, drugs, and men. Casey describes positive traits and qualities based upon her experiences in 12step rooms and interviews she conducted during her "small research project" with 24 interviewees who grew up in alcoholic, abusive, or otherwise dysfunctional families. Using her interviews as groundwork, she explores the benefits that result from surviving in a dysfunctional family, including resiliency, perseverance, a sense of humor, forgiveness, kindness, and the ability to discern real love. Simple but authentic points are enumerated at the conclusion of each chapter. With unrelenting optimism and a solid faith in God, Casey helps readers learn to let go of judgment and embrace acceptance. New readers as well as followers of the author's earlier works will be uplifted by her sunny interpretation of 'the good stuff.'" -Publisher's Weekly (Nov. 2013) ― Reviews Karen Casey is a writer and workshop facilitator for 12-step recovery. Her first book, Each Day a New Beginning , has sold more than 3 million copies. She has published 28 books since then including Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow , which was a finalist for the MS Society Books for a Better Life Awards. Visit her at www.womens-spirituality.com. The Good Stuff from Growing Up in a Dysfunctional Families How to Survive and Then Thrive By Karen Casey Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC Copyright © 2013 Karen Casey All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-57324-596-8 Contents Introduction, 1. Nourishing Resilience, 2. Choosing Perseverance, 3. Relishing a Sense of Humor, 4. Forgiving the Past and Growing Into the Present, 5. Surrendering the Need to Win, 6. Healing through Connection and the Power of Oneness, 7. Discerning Real Love, 8. Embracing the Strength of Kindness, 9. Honoring Detachment as a Life-Giving Force, 10. Listening from the Heart, 11. Seeing the Trap in Judgment and the Release in Acceptance, 12. Being Responsible and Letting Others Be Responsible, 13. Recognizing How Perfect Our Journey Has Been, 14. Going On, Going in Peace, CHAPTER 1 Nourishing Resilience Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightenedbefore you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you ...yet, someone survived ... You can do anything you choose to do. Maya Angelou In the face of humiliation, rage, degradation, fear of defeat, or simplyindefinable fear, being resilient weaves the fabric of eventual success.Rebounding and recovering from the personal insults that life hands uscontributes to our eventual growth. Whether these hard times are large or small,overt or covert, physical, mental, or emotional, whether they come from ourfamily of origin, our workplace, or even our circle of friends, these veryexperiences that could stunt our development instead strengthen it, if we areresilient. Resilience is standing tall rather than hanging our heads and shuffling awaywhen the invitation to give up beckons. Resilienc