Many adult lives are affected by the loss of their childhood. For some, as with the participants in Together We Heal: A Real-Life Portrait of Group Therapy (for adult children of alcoholics and others who identify), these losses were generated by chemical dependency in the family. But whatever the deprivation, the adult living problems are typically similar: relationships, sexual behavior and abuse, work, trust, and parenting. Many, in an effort to feel and function better, seek counseling.

This book takes the reader into the private practice of Szifra (Shifra) Birke. Each week, each meeting, these individuals share their experiences, strengths and hopes with one another. The group members talk about everything—sex and sexual abuse, fear of intimacy, jobs, spouses, difficulty trusting, and what to do about alcoholic parents and siblings.

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