A volunteer advocate for victims of domestic violence—which can affect up to 25 percent of U.S. families—describes how to safely leave an abusive relationship.
Deitz (Employed by God: Benefits Packaged with Faith, 2011) opens with several sobering statistics: In a single day in 2010, upwards of 70,000 victims nationwide reported incidents of domestic violence, and an estimated 70 percent of these involved alcohol. This guide focuses on the combination of abuse and alcoholism and is organized in three parts. “Drowning” shows how victims often lose their identity while trying to cope with their partner’s addiction. “Swimming” provides tips on how to withdraw from codependent behaviors and establish a separate identity. “Safe on Shore” advises readers how to stay strong and develop healthy relationships. Deitz uses the story of Lydia as a book-length case study: Lydia’s alcoholic husband threatened her physically, nearly killed her and emotionally abused her for 20 years before she left him. Deitz cites biblical scripture, though only sporadically: “I knew the Bible said God hates divorce. But … Scripture [also] says God despises ‘a man’s covering himself with violence.’” She provides deft analogies, as when illustrating the difficulty of leaving an abuser: Describing a car that has been violently vandalized, Deitz writes that “you certainly can’t jump in that vehicle and go. Before you can drive off, you have to make repairs. People who have suffered abuse also need time to recover and heal from shock.” Throughout, Deitz offers practical, specific guidance, such as having cash on hand as well as a list of important phone numbers and addresses. Each chapter ends with “Healing Practices” to encourage readers to apply what they’ve read to their own situations. Additional “Resources” of other helpful books and organizations, with phone numbers and web addresses, are also appended. Practical, helpful information presented in a positive, reassuring way.
Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2012
ISBN: 978-1466375215
Page Count: 214
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An intriguing approach to identifying and relating to one’s emotions.
An analysis of our emotions and the skills required to understand them.
We all have emotions, but how many of us have the vocabulary to accurately describe our experiences or to understand how our emotions affect the way we act? In this guide to help readers with their emotions, Brackett, the founding director of Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, presents a five-step method he calls R.U.L.E.R.: We need to recognize our emotions, understand what has caused them, be able to label them with precise terms and descriptions, know how to safely and effectively express them, and be able to regulate them in productive ways. The author walks readers through each step and provides an intriguing tool to use to help identify a specific emotion. Brackett introduces a four-square grid called a Mood Meter, which allows one to define where an emotion falls based on pleasantness and energy. He also uses four colors for each quadrant: yellow for high pleasantness and high energy, red for low pleasantness and high energy, green for high pleasantness and low energy, and blue for low pleasantness and low energy. The idea is to identify where an emotion lies in this grid in order to put the R.U.L.E.R. method to good use. The author’s research is wide-ranging, and his interweaving of his personal story with the data helps make the book less academic and more accessible to general readers. It’s particularly useful for parents and teachers who want to help children learn to handle difficult emotions so that they can thrive rather than be overwhelmed by them. The author’s system will also find use in the workplace. “Emotions are the most powerful force inside the workplace—as they are in every human endeavor,” writes Brackett. “They influence everything from leadership effectiveness to building and maintaining complex relationships, from innovation to customer relations.”
An intriguing approach to identifying and relating to one’s emotions.Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-21284-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
A highly readable account of how solid research and personal testing of self-help techniques saved a couple's marriage after...
Self-help advice and personal reflections on avoiding spousal fights while raising children.
Before her daughter was born, bestselling author Dunn (Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?: And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had to Ask, 2009, etc.) enjoyed steady work and a happy marriage. However, once she became a mother, there never seemed to be enough time, sleep, and especially help from her husband. Little irritations became monumental obstacles between them, which led to major battles. Consequently, they turned to expensive couples' therapy to help them regain some peace in life. In a combination of memoir and advice that can be found in most couples' therapy self-help books, Dunn provides an inside look at her own vexing issues and the solutions she and her husband used to prevent them from appearing in divorce court. They struggled with age-old battles fought between men and women—e.g., frequency of sex, who does more housework, who should get up with the child in the middle of the night, why women need to have a clean house, why men need more alone time, and many more. What Dunn learned via therapy, talks with other parents, and research was that there is no perfect solution to the many dynamics that surface once couples become parents. But by using time-tested techniques, she and her husband learned to listen, show empathy, and adjust so that their former status as a happy couple could safely and peacefully morph into a happy family. Readers familiar with Dunn's honest and humorous writing will appreciate the behind-the-scenes look at her own semi-messy family life, and those who need guidance through the rough spots can glean advice while being entertained—all without spending lots of money on couples’ therapy.
A highly readable account of how solid research and personal testing of self-help techniques saved a couple's marriage after the birth of their child.Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-26710-6
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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