Unpacking Bill Wilson’s 1956 Letter on Emotional Sobriety

In 1956 Bill Wilson wrote a letter to a depressed friend offering him assistance in understanding depression. This was the second mention of “emotional sobriety.” He first mentioned emotional sobriety in the Twelve and Twelve when discussing the effect of working the Steps.

In this letter Bill gave an account of what he had discovered about the nature of his own depression and its underlying causes. Bill had approximately 21 years of sobriety when he penned this letter. You will find its content rich in both spiritual and psychological insights. It reveals Bill’s personal struggles with holding on to himself and in dealing with his emotional dependency upon others for his self-esteem.

Dr. Berger unpacks this important historical document as only he can, integrating psychological wisdom into the wisdom of Bill’s letter. He helps us understand the effects of emotional dependency on our relationships with self and others, and how you can unhook your dependency by holding on to yourself. This is one of Dr. Berger’s most popular audio programs.