I’ve worked with thousands of people struggling with addiction,

and I’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to say no when the stakes

are high.

Although the work has often been challenging,
it’s also been one of the most meaningful decisions of my life.

I’ve had the privilege of witnessing breakthroughs, healing, and progress that many never see. Every person who turns a corner in recovery carries with them not just a changed life, but the possibility

of restored relationships, families, and futures.

This workbook was born from that long road.
I’ve spent decades trying to understand what actually works in recovery — especially when it comes to refusal skills. Because no matter how strong the insight or how good the intentions,

if a person can’t say no at the right moment, everything is at risk.

I pictured a toolbox when I created this.
Every exercise, every prompt, every section was designed to be a tool, something you can actually use when you need it. Tools for reflection. Tools for protection. Tools for real-life situations.

I hope you’ll write in these pages, return to them, share them, challenge them, and try them again. They’re yours now. And I hope they help.

— Barry Eitel