Sober Play: Using Creativity for a More Joyful Recovery

by Jill Kelly, Bridget Benton (With)

Sober Play is for anyone looking to find more joy and meaning in recovery. You don't need talent or special skills to be creative. You just need the same things you need for recovery: willingness, courage, and perseverance. When we first get sober, we often don't know what to do with ourselves. We have a lot of time on our hands and anxiety in our bodies. I was no exception. Although I had never been an artist, doing creative play changed my life and strengthened my recovery. I hope creative play can do the same for you.

182 pages, Paperback

First published January 21, 2013

About the author

I am a child of the Pacific Northwest, born in a tiny village up the Columbia Gorge in a snowstorm. I grew up in and around Portland, Oregon, then lived for a number of years in California, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and France before settling into Portland again about 15 years ago.

For two decades I was a college professor of French, English as a Second Language, and writing. When I moved west, I reinvented my life, becoming a freelance editor and writer. Eventually I also developed myself into a visual artist (pastels) and an author (memoir, fiction). For some examples, visit my website.

Sober Truths was written over a 7-year period. I wanted to understand the patterns of my past and the various threads of my present. I wrote over 50 stories and included a bit fewer than half. Memoir can be tricky business as memories are unreliable. In the end, all we can do is tell about our own remembrances, our own realities. I hope you enjoy reading the book!