Special Praise for The Joey Song
“The Joey Song is a deeply personal and intense account of a mother’s journey as she attempts to cope with and understand the downward spiral of her son’s life in the depths of his addiction. Her own recovery process is something that anyone with this kind of family crisis must read. As a clinician, I appreciated her insights; as a parent, I empathized; as a spiritual leader, I was impressed.”
—John Baudhuin, MA, CAP
Director of Spiritual Services
Caron Renaissance
“Sandra Swenson has created a heartfelt and tender book, full of courage, honesty, and, above all, love for her drug-addicted son Joey. The book will move and enthrall every reader with this powerful story of a mother captured between fate and hope. For me, as an interventionist, The Joey Song should be recommended reading for all parents of young people with a substance use disorder who are struggling to find recovery. A compassionate gem to be treasured and reread again and again.”
—Susanne Johnson
CAI, Certified Interventionist
Sober Coach and Lead Advocate for “Heroes in Recovery”
“Sandy Swenson tells the heartbreaking story of her son’s journey into addiction with beautiful, descriptive language that captivated my interest throughout. Her powerful tale of parental love and hope will heal the hearts of others who so desperately want to know that they are not alone. While the search for the truth will resonate with those who love a child, her story of strength, determination, and hope for a miracle will remain unforgettable.”
—Cathy Taughinbaugh
Parent Coach
Author of Parents to Ph.D.s: 28 Interviews with People Who Share Heartache, Wisdom, and Healing from Firsthand Experience with Substance Use Disorder
“Throughout The Joey Song, Sandy captures an array of emotions that are universal to mothers. Not all have experienced the devastation of an addicted child—but I can guarantee that most moms will relate to her poignant descriptions.”
—Judy Herzanek/Changing Lives Foundation
Coauthor, Why Don’t They Just Quit?
“Every parent knows the pain of letting go as their children emerge from childhood and move into adulthood. But not every parent knows the pain, the anguish, the guilt of trying to ‘heal’ a child with addiction and when it’s time to stop trying to fix it. In The Joey Song, Sandy Swenson gives everyone touched by a loved one’s addiction a gut-wrenching glimpse at her oldest son’s struggles and those of her family and the decision to let go to save their own lives. The Joey Song is a must-read, no matter where you are in your journey in trying to ‘fix’ your addicted child.”
—Patricia Rosen
Publisher, The Sober World Magazine
“A powerful story of love and addiction, The Joey Song is a glimpse into a world too many people don’t talk about. The reader is carried alongside Sandy Swenson as she comes to understand that her teenaged son is struggling with addiction, through overdoses and hospitals and rehabs, and, finally, letting go.
“Honest and heart-wrenching and unexpectedly hopeful, this is a must-read for anyone who loves an addict.”
—Barbara Theodosiou
Founder, “The Addict’s Mom”
“The Joey Song is a moving and touching story of the frustration and heartbreak caused by the disease of addiction. Sandy demonstrates with amazing warmth and wit that it is possible for the families of addicts to recover despite the inability of their loved ones to find recovery. The Joey Song will move you, bringing the terror, despair, and joy of recovery into your heart. It is highly recommended for all who want to understand and appreciate the impact of the family disease of addiction.”
—Bruce Eanet
Caron Board of Directors
“Sandra Swenson shares her gripping account of her son’s addiction and captures what it’s like to live and love someone spiraling through this brain disease . . . the constant lies, broken promises, plausible solutions . . . the dreams and hopes dashed time and again . . . I could feel her pain, anger, hopelessness, helplessness, and desperate need to be in control.”
—Lisa Frederiksen
Author of If You Loved Me, You’d Stop! and Loved One In Treatment? Now What!
Central Recovery Press (CRP) is committed to publishing exceptional materials addressing addiction treatment, recovery, and behavioral healthcare topics, including original and quality books, audio/visual communications, and web-based new media. Through a diverse selection of titles, we seek to contribute a broad range of unique resources for professionals, recovering individuals and their families, and the general public.
For more information, visit www.centralrecoverypress.com.
© 2014 by Sandra A. Swenson
All rights reserved. Published 2014.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
Publisher: Central Recovery Press
3321 N. Buffalo Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89129
19 18 17 16 15 14 1 2 3 4 5
ISBN: 978-1-937612-72-6 (e-book)
Author photo by Jonah Koch. Used with permission.
Publisher’s Note: This is a memoir, a work based on fact recorded to the best of the author’s memory. Central Recovery Press books represent the experiences and opinions of their authors only. Every effort has been made to ensure that events, institutions, and statistics presented in our books as facts are accurate and up-to-date.
To protect their privacy, the names of some of the people, places, and institutions in this book have been changed.
Cover design and illustrations by Deb Tremper, Six Penny Graphics
Interior design and layout by Deb Tremper, Six Penny Graphics
This book is dedicated to Joey and Rick.
My two miracles.
My raison de vivre.
Only by knowing where we’ve been and where we are now can we move in a different direction.
“If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.”
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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