Reviews and Endorsements

“Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery is the most important book I have ever read about addiction issues and how to repair connections during sobriety. Dowd offers an enormous number of strategies and ways to move forward as people battling with this disease fight to reclaim their lives. Dowd beautifully describes the steps and emotions that survivors and family members experience throughout their healing process. I will be recommending this book to clients and colleagues, especially those who have been stuck in unaddressed grief and are looking for a resource that helps them understand and acknowledge their pain and reconnect with their loved ones.

—Shari Botwin, LCSW, therapist, trauma expert witness, law and crime network guest, media contributor, and author of Stolen Childhoods and Thriving After Trauma

“This book is a must-read for anyone struggling to repair and rebuild their relationships in recovery. It is a beautiful and sensitively written guide to help readers navigate the broken bonds often left in the wake of addiction. Janice’s voice is free of judgment but full of grace and honesty. She offers actionable and realistic steps and tactics for healing and reconciling, supported by her candid account of her own experience. She is as encouraging as she’s relatable and offers hope to those intimidated by the challenges to come. The book is a gift to the sobriety community, providing both education and inspiration on an often overlooked topic.”

-Hadley Sorensen, author of, The Dirty Truth on Social Drinking

A (Portion of the) Message to the Reader from My Children…

We sincerely hope this book can give hope to other families that things can get better. We have seen our mom create a vision and fulfill this dream. A dream that also took a lot of hard work. It has brought reality to the belief that dreams can be achieved with time and effort. Our mom is our role model, and we are so excited for her hard work to be shared with you. We hope it helps both those in recovery from mental health struggles as well as their loved ones. But most importantly, we hope that it gives you hope.

-Dennis, Katie, Matthew, and Michael

Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery is an absolute gem—so much more than a book about addiction recovery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be a fantastic guide for cultivating healthy relationships and navigating crucial conversations, regardless of whether you're in recovery or not. It’s packed full of essential tools that apply to all relationships—romantic, familial, platonic, and everything in between.

What struck me most was how often I forgot I was even reading a book specifically about addiction. The lessons and insights are so universally human. And yet, it also beautifully honoured the unique nuances and challenges of addiction-related dynamics.

If you're looking for a book that will not only teach you how to repair broken relationships but also help you reflect, release, and reframe your connection with people from your past—even those who are no longer here—this is it. An absolute must-read.

-BB Gabrile, Author of No Ordinary Love

Why I Wrote This Book

Rebuilding relationships affected by addiction or mental illness requires a different approach than repairing those strained by typical marital conflicts, such as money, communication, parenting, or infidelity. Sadly, guidance specifically tailored for individuals in recovery remains underrepresented in the self-help and addiction spaces. I firmly believe that there is a real and growing need for resources to help recovering individuals rebuild the support, love, and trust of their family and friends.

In 2021, over 25 million Americans sought treatment for Substance Use Disorder, Major Depressive Episodes, or Serious Mental Illness, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Many family members and friends of these individuals have been deeply affected, often resulting in fractured relationships that leave the person in recovery estranged or isolated from their support system.

While most treatment professionals acknowledge that family support plays a critical role in long-term recovery, very little guidance is provided—either to the recovering person or their loved ones—on how to start rebuilding trust and connection. Treatment programs often concentrate almost exclusively on the individual, with minimal time dedicated to mending damaged relationships. Some facilities offer short family programs, but these are typically brief (often just a week) and may exclude the patient altogether.

What makes this book different is its clear focus on helping individuals and families find a sustainable balance between recovery and relationships. It starts from the premise that healthy, inclusive family support isn’t just helpful to recovery—it’s essential. Drawing on both the science of addiction and the lived realities of relapse, this book offers direct, practical tools for healing. It addresses the needs of families, explains the disease concept in accessible terms, and presents exercises and insights designed to foster communication, accountability, and resilience.

Written in the plainspoken, no-nonsense tone characteristic of 12-step communities, this book combines tough love with compassion. It is honest, readable, and rooted in hope. Whether you are in recovery or love someone who is, this book provides a path forward—one that restores connection and empowers lasting change.