Is It Love or Is It Addiction?

Real love is not addiction, nor is addiction love. But for many, these two experiences come together, resulting in tremendous pain and suffering. Through two previous editions, Is It Love or Is It Addiction? has helped countless people find their way from the trials and confusion of addictive love to the fulfillment of whole and healthy relationships. As psychotherapist Brenda Schaeffer reveals, we can begin to work through relationship difficulties with compassion and lasting effect by increasing our awareness of the ways that we express love.

In this expanded third edition, Schaeffer draws on years of feedback and new developments to foster an understanding of love addiction: what it is and what it is not, how to identify it, and, even more important, how to get out of it. Stories of real individuals struggling to develop sound relationships illustrate the characteristics of healthy love and help readers to free themselves to live life more abundantly. Included is the most up-to-date information about the biological basis of addictive behaviors and the impact of technology, sexual addiction, and relationship addiction on intimate relationships. The author also explores the influence of past abuse and trauma on the predisposition to love addiction.

Brenda Schaeffer D.Min., M.A.L.P., C.A.S., is a licensed psychologist, a certified addiction specialist, and holds a doctorate in Spiritual Psychology. She has extensive training and experience in a number of psychologies, including (but not limited to) child development, sexual addiction, and trauma. She has had further training in hypnosis, trauma, developmental psychology, transactional analysis, gestalt, sexual addiction, soul-centered, existential and transpersonal psychology.Dr. Schaeffer has appeared on a variety of national television and radio shows in the U.S. and Canada. She has been featured in magazines such as Elle, Fitness, and Lotus. She is author of Love's Way: The Union of Body, Ego, Soul and Spirit; the bestseller, Is It Love or Is It Addiction?; Loving Me Loving You; Signs of Healthy Love; Signs of Addictive Love; Power Plays, and Helping Yourself Out of Love Addiction. She is also the former host of the talk radio show "It's All About Love."She is the founder of Healthy Relationships, her private practice in the Minneapolis area where she conducts therapy, training and workshops