Books with author Michael Ricketts

Who wouldn’t want revenge upon their high school tormentors? Paying the bullies back for their misdeeds is a fantasy every terrorized kid entertains. Freshmen Aaron and Phillip have been on the receiving end of relentless bullying, and when a mysterious method to exact revenge comes their way, they jump in wholeheartedly, anxious to see the kids who beat and humiliate them get what they deserve.It goes way, way too far.When Aaron begins to have second thoughts, he finds himself trapped, wrapped up in a cultish group determined to keep him involved in secret meetings, executing horrific acts of revenge all over the school. As Aaron comes to realize that revenge isn’t what it’s always cracked up to be, he looks for a way out. When he finally discovers it, he finds himself in the middle of a battle between good and evil, where evil will stop at nothing to achieve its ends.

This book provides techniques, directives, ideas, and explanations on working with an addicted person whether their drug of choice is alcohol, street drugs, or prescriptions. Mike Rice applies Choice Theory, the new Reality Therapy, to the problem of substance abuse which consciously includes the client in creating their own customized treatment plan. As is the case for any change in behavior, when the client is involved in recognizing what needs to change, there is a much greater chance that the commitments will stick. The major difference in the approach Mike uses is to focus on his client's unhappiness. Clients began self-medicating with alcohol/drugs because of unsatisfying relationships with the important people in their life. Their drugged behavior, that eventually leads to biochemical dependencies, are actually making their relationships worse while believing they are making them better. The majority of other treatment programs will avow that the person relies on drugs or alcohol because of things that happened to them in their past and that the clients all have "unresolved issues." Mike’s approach, based on Dr. William Glasser’s Choice Theory, is that all long term unhappiness is the result of unsatisfying relationships that are occurring right now . . . in the present. Clients evaluate their own progress and choose their own methods to meet their basic needs satisfaction. Because clients do not feel coerced or mandated to change their ways, clients will be less resistant and make more conscientious efforts to acquire happiness and resolve conflict with others.