Contact: Michael O'Brien, Nexus Media Managements LLC, 650-353-3240, press@nexusmediamanagement.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb.15, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- www.thornsintheheart.com, an online community and website for Christian's dealing with addiction and or pain launched today. The website is based on Dr. Steven Stiles' groundbreaking book Thorns in the Heart, A Christian's Guide to dealing with Addiction. It provides a forum and community for Christian's dealing with addiction, compulsion, co-dependency, alcoholism and other problems to share their experience, strength and hope in beginning or continuing their journey in recovery.

In addition, Thorns in the Heart recently became available in paperback and in Kindle format on Amazon.com. Dr. Stiles book is relevant to anyone who experiences addiction and pain. For most people they are easier to bury or ignore than deal with. Yet, it's only a matter of time before many of the things we run from must be faced. But how? In Thorns in the Heart, Dr. Steven Stiles cites actual cases to expose the physical, emotional and spiritual vulnerability of Christians when they avoid dealing with pain. But more than just case examples, this book provides those who suffer a path to recovery. It offers steps to recognizing and dealing with pain through topics such as: Addiction, Compulsion and Pain; Pain, Emotions and the Body; Coping with Depression; Co-Dependency and Pain; Pain from God's Perspective; and Coping with Compulsive Behaviors. Dr. Stiles explains there are no easy answers, but through understanding pain, addiction, and how God wants His people to respond, Christians can begin a journey of new hope and purpose.

For more information about Thorns in the Heart or Dr. Steven Stiles, please visit
www.thornsintheheart.com or contact Michael O'Brien.

About the Author
Dr. Steven Stiles, a pastor, is a faculty member at Bethany University in Scotts Valley, California, where he teaches addiction studies. He also teaches at Western Seminary in San Jose and has lectured internationally on addictions. He is the Clinical Director at New Life Community Services in Santa Cruz, California which provides emergency shelter and drug and alcohol treatment. He is a graduate of the American Baptist Seminary of the West (D.Min.) and maintains counselor certification through the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (CADCII).