Thank you for visiting!
Introducing a new recovery workbook!
My name is Abagail Bernard. I am a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, and the author of 12 Steps to Sober Leisure. I'm excited to be sharing this one-of-a kind recovery workbook with you!
(Be sure to scroll down to learn about the new Therapist's Edition just published in May!)
About 12 Steps to sober leisure
A New Approach To Addressing Leisure In Recovery
12 Steps to Sober Leisure is a unique approach to substance abuse recovery with a distinct emphasis on leisure. It incorporates the concept of leisure into the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and brings to light the devastating impact substance use/abuse has on a person's leisure, and, conversely, the restorative impact that healthy leisure activities can have on a person's recovery. If you're someone who's treating people with SUD as a part of a recreation therapy program, or in other clinical approaches you can use this recovery workbook to help your clients gain insight about themselves and their leisure choices, and use that knowledge to develop a comprehensive recovery plan that promotes success. For a recovering person who desires more from their leisure, 12 Steps to Sober Leisure can be your guide toward a more enjoyable and satisfying life in recovery!
Also available in Spanish - 12 Pasos a Ocio Sobrio.
Now being printed in Australia! Available May 19, 2021
New Publication!
How do you know if you are thriving? What are the signs? Abagail Bernard, CTRS and Jeff Witman, Ed.D, CTRS have assembled a list of 16 Signs of Habitual Thriving and produced an upbeat workbook full of optimism created for people wanting to change their life! The reader will embark on a journey of self-discovery as they explore these signs and uncover the power of their daily habits. Use this book for yourself, a client, a friend or anyone you know who needs inspiration and motivation to develop new habits to help them THIRVE!
12 Steps to sober leisure: Therapist's Edition
Now available!
12 Steps to Sober Leisure: Therapist's Edition is now available for purchase on Amazon!
You asked for it - you got it!
Many of you have asked for ideas for implementing the material in the 12 Steps to Sober Leisure workbook. Now you have it! Inside 12 Steps to Sober Leisure: Therapist's Edition are group topics and exercises to accompany the workbook. I have been facilitating these groups with my clients, and their response has been very positive! They appreciate the opportunity to talk about and explore sober leisure in our sessions.
Casey's Review: 12 Steps to sober: Therapist's Edition
Thank you!
I have been a recreational therapist for 5 years working in an inpatient chemical dependency unit. When I first started this job, fresh out of school, I was thrown into the wildfire not knowing a whole lot of what to expect or the type of people I would be working with. Little by little, I put the pieces together, preformed my therapeutic recreation assessments and improved my group programs. One huge area of inspiration for my group programming was through social media recreational therapy pages. Through this, I discovered the Instagram and Facebook of 12 Steps to Sober Leisure! I was immediately inspired by the content and quickly incorporated some of the sober leisure steps into my practice. At this point, I didn’t realize just how much this page run by Abagail Bernard would inspire my practice! I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the SMART CEU retreat at Bradford Woods in Martinsville, Indiana a few weeks ago where Abagail was going to be presenting! I attended her 12 Steps to Sober leisure 2 part class at this conference, and let me tell you, I was blown away!! During the class, I was blessed enough to be one of the lucky few to win her newest 12 Steps to Sober Leisure, Therapist Edition book! Boy, was I excited to go back to work to get started on making a new group curriculum for my clients! Abagail’s new book is based off of her workbook and explains everything in precise detail on what goals and objectives are being worked on within each step. This includes different handouts, video links and groups ideas as well. Reading through each sober leisure step with a clear recreational therapy goal to be worked on is so helpful when planning out groups. Based on my facilities 28-30 day program, I was able to take Abagail’s books and incorporate them into a 4 week program to cover all the steps using some of her activities as well as adding my own! Having Abagail’s input and knowledge of 30+ years put into a workbook and therapist guide is truly an asset to a recreational therapist looking to grow their group programming and overall practice. I am so thankful I was able to get to meet Abagail in person and talk to her about life as a recreational therapist working with addictions. I highly recommend 12 Steps to Sober Leisure Therapist Edition to any person looking to grow your knowledge as a recreational therapist in the addictions field! Honestly this book is one of the most helpful tools I’ve used in my career! Thank you Abagail for everything!!!
Cassandra Santiago, CTRS
Yankton, South Dakota
Carrie's email
Thanks to you..
Soo, Abagail-
Thanks to you, I just received a positive ICE comment (which is HUGE here in the Army and taken
super seriously...and even published in our quarterly newsletter), saying that 12 Steps to Sober Leisure is AMAZING!!! I am just THRILLED and owe you a tremendous amount of thanks for coming up with this curriculum that is helping so many Service Members. This patient even identified on his exit survey that 12 Steps to Sober Leisure was what h enjoyed the MOST about the 6-week program, and that what he'd like to be changed about our program is to have more time to progress through more of the steps. All good, super exciting stuff. THANK YOU a million!!
Carrie Dunning, CTRS
Madigan Army Medical Center
additional Testimonials
Ed K. - Amazon customer
Purchased for a friend, when I realized my words could only get him so far. The workbook format was key. Taking steps and doing the work was exactly what was needed. I was glad to come across this book, the title was so on target. I'm recommending this because I see results. While sobriety can be a life long battle, this handy tool achieved what I couldn't. It gave him self confidence and a lot of awareness. In our friendship this was a win win. I'm so glad I purchased it.
Dale S. - Person in recovery
This book was purchased for me by my best friend Ed. It's extremely relatable and effective. A perfect recovery workbook for me. If someone you care about is struggling with recovery and leisure please order this workbook for them. Thank you Abagail Bernard for writing it and thank you Ed for caring enough to give it to me.
Monica W. - Recreation Therapist
Such a fantastic book, and I know I can trust it as the author is a CTRS. I will use this recovery workbook in my Leisure Education classes in a SUD facility. Thank you, Abagail, for writing this! I can't wait to use it.
Thomas S. - Author, Spiritual Adrenaline
This workbook is very important as it helps people develop a heathy lifestyle that includes people, places and things that will promote their recovery. As a person in recovery, working through this useful recovery workbook helped me evaluate how the lifestyle I am leading in recovery benefits me and keeps me from going astray. I have enjoyed this book immensely and plan to recommend it to anyone new to recovery or for those whose recovery lifestyle has become dull and lacking in reward. Abby really addresses an issue that needs attention and often gets overlooked.
Ray A. - Adjunct Professor
I recently received my copy of 12 Steps to Sober Leisure, and I have to say how impressed I am that a CTRS took the time to organize and create a very comprehensive program specifically for individuals in recovery. I enjoyed following each of the 12 steps and activities that were recommended. It's a clean, neat and organized program that I can adapt to my Leisure Ed program with my dual diagnosed patients on my inpatient psych unit! I also appreciate the educational component that I plan to use in my courses at Lehman College to have my students understand the value and the importance of leisure specifically for those who have established poor leisure choices and to help them realize the impact it has on the quality of life. Thank you Abagail.
Beth - Recreation Therapist
I bought it and I love it. I never would have thought to approach leisure this way and it makes so much sense. I showed it to our chem. dep. counselor and she bought it immediately. We're excited to use it!
Tim S. - Clinical Director
I highly recommend Ms. Bernard's book. One of the most difficult issues for people in early recovery is to manage their leisure time. Not managing leisure time often leads to relapse, so it's essential to have a good resource for it and this book is that resource.