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"Drinking is everywhere in our culture-whether it's wine-o-clock or impromptini, alcohol often is a fundamental part of socializing and destressing. And it can seem black or white: you drink or you don't. If you fall into the latter camp, people automatically assume one of a few things: you're pregnant, you're taking antibiotics, or you're in recovery. There's not a lot of grey area. But a lot of women aren't given the tools to really take a step back and assess their relationship to alcohol in a way that is informative and clear-eyed, rather than absolute. Not Drinking Tonight is a book that helps women explore their relationship with alcohol in a new way and create a sober life they love. Written in a judgement-free and relatable tone, this timely guide seamlessly blends research from evolutionary psychology with easy-to-digest clinical tools and practices to help women assess then heal their relationship with alcohol from the inside out. The narrative threads are based on therapist Amanda White's three archetypal clients, following their journey in reevaluating their relationship with alcohol, understanding why they drink, and discovering how to stop. The women come from diverse backgrounds and range in the seriousness of their alcohol consumption, demonstrating a mild, moderate, and severe case of Alcohol Use Disorder. Each will come to a different conclusion about why they want to stop drinking by the end of the book, a framework that not only recalls Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, but also shares therapeutic tools and practices. Reflective questions help readers dig deeper into their personal experience and apply the concepts to their own lives. Where other sobriety or sober-curious books present various programs to stop drinking, Amanda's book first-and critically-addresses the root issues that cause us to reach for a drink, setting up the reader for long-term psychological healing and success"--
About the author
Amanda E. White, LPC is a licensed therapist and sought after mental health expert. She runs the popular Instagram account @therapyforwomen where she shares tools and insights on mental health and sobriety. She is the founder and director of Therapy for Women Center, a group practice in Philadelphia with therapists across the country. Her work has been featured in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Forbes, Shape, Women's Health Magazine and more.
Summary
In this honest discussion of mental health, the founder of Therapy for Women explores our reasons for drinking alcohol—and the benefits of taking a break.
When “retired party girl” and popular therapist Amanda White admitted she was an alcoholic, it wasn’t because she’d done something outrageous while under the influence, like land herself in jail or get married in Vegas. It was because she realized three things: 1. Alcohol was making her life worse. 2. Moderation wasn’t helping. 3. She could not be a therapist if she continued to use alcohol to numb her life. Something needed to change—not just her relationship with alcohol, but her relationship with herself.
Choosing not to drink can be daunting. It’s everywhere in our culture, our socializing, and our destressing. And it can seem black or white: you drink, or you don’t (and if you don’t, people ask why). That’s where Not Drinking Tonight comes in. Judgement-free and relatable, Amanda helps you unpack your relationship with alcohol by showing you how to:
- Find out why you drink. Whether it’s a glass of wine after work or a weekly bar crawl, your drinking habits can be the result of everything from biology to trauma.
- Heal your relationship with alcohol. Understand how your relationships have been affecting your life, and learn how to set boundaries and create true self care.
- Build the sober life you love. Learn what comes next—how to maintain your social life, navigate sex and relationships, and love yourself.
Not Drinking Tonight isn’t a program to stop drinking. It’s the first book to help you address the
root issues that cause you to reach for a drink, and create a life you love—one that is not perfect, but is messy and real and one you are fully present for.
Foreword
In this honest discussion of mental health, the founder of Therapy for Women explores our reasons for drinking alcohol-and the benefits of taking a break.
