About Kimberley La Farge Berlin, LCSW

It began over ten years ago when science started catching up with ancient spiritual practices, showing consistent results in evidence-based research. Neuroscientists like Andrew Newburg, MD, Mario Beauregard, PhD, Rick Hanson, PhD, and Daniel Siegel, MD, among others, began sharing their knowledge in a broad context.

For decades, I have practiced yoga, breathwork, mantra recitation, mindfulness meditation, chanting, and prayer. Often, I encountered skepticism or disbelief when I discussed incorporating these practices into my psychotherapeutic work with clients struggling with addiction, trauma, anxiety, or depression.

In 2014, science caught up with what the ancients have been advocating for millennia.

Thus, my thoughts, writings, and reflections on client self-reports laid the foundation for "Rise in Recovery: The Spiritual Path for Healing Addiction."

I include my personal story in the book to show the reader that there are many stories of addiction, suffering, and healing; if I was able to go from being a lost soul on this planet to become a thriving and successful woman, anyone can do this “recovery” thing.

The spiritual path in recovery proves to be life-changing, again and again. The first step can seem daunting, but using the guidelines from this book, anyone can craft their unique and transformational journey.

The spiritual path asks us to do things differently. To approach life with a different perspective. To regard our past through a different lens. If offers an opportunity to connect differently with ourselves and others without fear, reticence, blame, guilt, shame or regret. The spiritual path allows us to give ourselves the vital gift of self love. Because so many of us have never felt we were worthy of love and have had abiding contempt for ourselves, the concept of self-love can seem foreign or terrifying. Yet eventually, if we are to recovery fully, we must make a conscious decision to give this option a chance.

After all, what’s the best that could happen?