Reviews (33)

Reading with Heavy Heart
This is indeed a valuable book, which I have not yet finished.I know I'll repeatedly return to it in this very difficult time in my life.Divorced after eight years, with two beautiful children, I hope to derive some healing and strength from it.
Life-changing
This book changed my life.If you have a relationship with someone and they are like Jekyll and Hyde, you're confused, you are depressed--Buy this book.You will understand more after you read it.It has helped me to end 10 yrs. of pain, being told that it was all my fault when I knew I wasemotionally sucker-punched on an almost daily basis-just didn't know why.This is the first time that I really believe it has nothing to do with me.He is sick. I have tried everything I knew to do to make things better-it never worked. Now I know it can't.
An excellent, truly helpful book
I'm not a big fan of the self-help genre in general, but The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists really struck home. I recently broke up with a narcissist for whom I was the codependent, and at a number of points in the book I just had to put it down for a moment and have a "Wow" moment. Not only Payson's descriptions of narcissistic traits (which made me a little uncomfortable, since I recognized some of my own behavior in them) but also her descriptions of the dynamics between narcissists and codependents have the ring of authentic experience; that's really what it's like being with an NPD sufferer. She also made me wonder: was this last one just the tip of the iceberg? Were there more before? Will there be more afterward? Some of this stuff gets pretty scary, but I really couldn't put the book down.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse    2. Borderline personality disorde    3. Christianity - Discipleship    4. Dysfunctional Families    5. Family & Relationships    6. Family & Relationships / Interpersonal Relations    7. Family relationships    8. Interpersonal Relations    9. Narcissism    10. Narcissists    11. Personality disorders    12. Psychology    13. Psychology, Pathological    14. Recovery    15. Religion    16. Self-Help    17. Self-Help / Abuse   

Editorial Review

Are you now, or have you ever been, in relationships with family, friends, or mates who have been verbally abusive? Is your happiness with someone you love continually threatened byinteractionsthat continually undermine your self-esteem? Do you feel trapped in a relationship that keeps decaying in a downward spiral of overt or passive-aggressive abuse?Read more

Reviews (186)

Still don't completely understand my husband.
Although the book was helpful...it's been a few years now since I've read it, I still don't understand why my husband has to repeat himself all the time.Especially if someone wants to converse with him.If he feels he hasn't finished his sentance and someone tries to participate he will completely and a little louder start all over again.

Saved My Life
This book really trully opened my eyes. Most books are so full of pop pychology we do not understand how it practically applies to us. Patricia Evans creates a roadmap and helps you see what you may feel but not recognize. My jaw dropped eith each page and I read it twice. Once I went back and the abuse continued so I read it again and realized I had to leave. This is the number one book I would reccomend to any woman who feels her relationship is not right....

The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize it and How to Respond
Very helpful book. I wish I read it five years ago. A rare book that can definitely change someone's life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family Violence    2. Human relations    3. Interpersonal Relations    4. Interpersonal communication    5. Interpersonal conflict    6. Psychology    7. Verbal self-defense    8. Social, group or collective psychology    9. Violence in society   

Reviews (113)

Insightful, Educational, and Very Important
This book is a must read for anyone who has experienced domestic violence or cares about someone who is experiencing it.No other book does as good of a job explaining why abusers do what they do.It is key to understanding the dynamic of these people and avoiding further damage.

Made me want to leave my husband!
I can't really say that I hated this book or that I really liked it. I can say that it makes an abuser look REALLY bad and make you almost hate that person. It made me feel like my husband, even though he doesn't physically abuse me, knows what he's doing when he manipulates and frightens me. I have chosen to seek god for myself but it would be a sin to leave him. My husband is also a recovering alcoholic. Is he an abuser or an alcoholic? I don't know know, maybe he's both. Or maybe his parents were so screwed up with their own lives that my poor husband never got a chance to live a spiritual life. I do know that my husband as little to no self esteem and that is something that can be worked on I am sure. Men are delicate creatures in their emotions. Woman are much stronger, contrary to popular belief. A man will give an emotional answer to a practical question a lot. I would like a christian point of view when it comes to angry men and why they do the things they do and how to manage your family around it. I mean do I just let my husband yell at us ALL the time? The bible tells me to act one way but as a mother I feel it is my duty to stand in front of them and protect them from an emotionally abusive attack. So with that said, anyone have any suggestions? I am going to try Angry Men and the Women who love them. And see if that one is any better. I have heard it's great.

A timely and extremely valuable eye-opener. Life and sanity saving!
This book was a Godsend. It was extremely useful in helping me understand the reasoning and motivation behind my husband's abusive behavior, and it gave me clear and compelling guidance about how to deal with it from the man recognized as the leading expert in this field. I have shared it with my pastor and intend to give copies to several dear counselors and friends who mean well and love me but aren't really familiar with the issues surrounding domestic violence and abuse. This book will give a great deal of valuable insight to anyone in need or interested in supporting others in crisis (both the battered and those who batter). I feel like it has truly been a life-line. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abusive men    3. Dysfunctional Families    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family violence    6. Gender Psychology    7. Personality    8. Psychology    9. Social Welfare Services For Special Classes    10. United States    11. Wife abuse    12. Self-Help / General   

Reviews (9)

excellent.......
I am a family lawyer and this book is one of the best that I have read.

It saved my soul
I have been abused again and again - over and over and overby practically everyone in my life - friends, family, teachers, and lovers.I always felt like I was a magnet for hurt and deception.One day I looked at myself in the mirror and I wasn't there - my soul was gone - in hiding.I had to do something - I walked to the bookstore since my husband had taken away the keys to the car - another example of EMOTIONAL ABUSE - and I found this book.I read it cover to cover and changed my life.Now I have the weapons to stop any emtional abuse.now I am the agressor - and my soul is back - and dancing.

someone who cares..
Hi I would like for you to know that this is a very good book. I was emotionally abused by my boy friend for 2 years and I would always have a reason for why he treated me that way. After reading this book it has really helped me to find my self and to love me again. ((Please buy the book))You will see what I am talking about..... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Family Violence    3. Interpersonal Relations    4. Self-Help    5. Marriage & relationships    6. Self-Help / Abuse   

Reviews (217)

And I thought The Lovely Bones was hard to put down...
I rarely find a book I just Cannot Put Down.One of the rare ones was The Lovely Bones--and it wasn't just the plot.It was the language, the crystal-clear voice-in-your-head narrative that spoke and spoke of pain and sadness and resolve.It was infused with a realism and was both beautiful and haunting.Like the lean, hard and seemingly lengthened muscles of a runner, Sebold's voice is discernable above the din of modern fiction yet it is not haughty or self-involved... Hearing her voice is like the moment you know you are going to be really good friends with someone you just met:comforting and clear, it makes you want to lean closer to absorb it.It made me a devoted fan of Sebold as I am sure you are, too.
A difficult, but engaging read
I suspect I'm like most people who have read this book.I read an interview with Sebold and she said as she was writing "Lovely Bones" she was struggling with the rape scene.Because she had been raped herself, she wasn't able to write about it effectively in "Lovely Bones" until she had dealt with her own stuff.She put down "Lovely Bones", wrote "Lucky", and then picked up and finished "Lovely Bones."Very interesting.
An Incredible and Worthwhile Read, But ...
I was disappointed by the ending. It seemed quite hastily concluded. I wanted more details on her recovery process--how she was able to save herself. That would definitely help readers who have been through similar experiences. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Case studies    5. General    6. Personal Memoirs    7. Rape victims    8. Trials (Rape)    9. United States    10. Women   

Reviews (30)

It doesn't get better than this book.
In this excellent workbook, Laura Davis shows each survivor of child abuse {of all kinds}how to turn the traumatic and the shocking into the simple and the ordinary. A thorough and very important book championing the quiet and personal recovery of the child and the adult while advocating for the social recovery of a society stuck in its own ignorance and injury. Very simply, every man and women needs to own this book.
Workbook is my Guide to Healing
Just as The Courage to Heal was my Bible in helping me get through the crisis stage of sexual abuse revisited, helping me to decipher what it was I was feeling, and that it was perfectly normal, probably more normal than anything in my life ever had been, and letting me know what I may be going through next, and how people might react to me, ect.....This Courage to Heal Workbook is my homework in learning to become the person I should have started out as. I do a chapter a day, but you can do it a chapter a week, or at your own pace. Pre-reading The Courage to Heal is not necessary, either. It's all self-explanatory. Encourages one to give lots of deep thought to differing topics and to answer honestly and in depth. I strongly recommend this workbook to anyone struggling to heal the wounds of childhood sexual abuse. It allows you to get to know the real you inside all of the protective layers that have been unconsciencously piled on over the years....not who you want people to know, but who you really are, and who you were really meant to be.A bright shining star!

This book is hard work but good
I am not sure why people whose lives are being "ruined" or hurt by "unfounded" repressed memories are being so hard on the authors of this book.Sounds like the psychiatric professionals that their loved one or they themselves are seeing need to be held to task for the "bringing forth the memories" problem - not the authors of this book.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - Sexual    2. Adult child sexual abuse victi    3. Adult child sexual abuse victims    4. General    5. Psychology    6. Reference    7. Rehabilitation    8. Self-Help    9. Self-help techniques    10. United States    11. Women's Studies - General    12. Child abuse    13. Coping with personal problems    14. Health & Fitness / General    15. Sexual abuse   

Editorial Review

Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations.Read more

Reviews (220)

The Gift of "The Gift of Fear"
The book is not an easy one to read. The subject is real, the examples are deeply difficult, but the truth in it will, as they say, set you free. You'll find yourself growing stronger and stronger with each chapter. On the very last page, at the very last period, you'll close the book and realize that you are a completely different person than the one who began it.
Interesting book on understudied topic
De Becker's book is an interesting introduction to a topic that we rarely give critical thought to, namely our survival instincts, fear, and ways of coping with dangerous situations that most Americans are likely to face.The dangers that De Becker talks about are more likely to affect women and celebrities (i.e. stalking, rape), but he also talks about robberies, teen suicides/murders, intra-family crimes of violence, etc.He repeatedly talks about how predictable crimes are based on people's past behavior, as well as the simple measures we can use to determine whether or not strangers likely mean us harm or have intentions other than those stated by them.My main critique of the book is that it sometimes came off like a big advertisement for his firm, which specializes in security services and consulting rather than as a guide for everyone.Nevertheless I recommend the book, especially for younger and middle aged women.

Great information for everyone
This is a book that I frequently talk about with my family and friends. I think most people can relate to the situations and Gavin De Becker teaches you how to interpret your fears and react. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crimes against    2. General    3. Psychological aspects    4. Psychology    5. Safety    6. Self-Help    7. Victims of crimes    8. Violence    9. Violence in Society    10. Women    11. Self-Help / General    12. Stalking    13. Crime    14. Domestic Violence    15. Violent crimes    16. Fear   

Reviews (12)

Identifies Problem, but Doesn't Provide Solution
I felt this book identified the problem extremely well.I could see how a relationship I've been in fits the description of a betrayal bond nearly perfectly.However, I was disappointed in that I did not think the solution was very clearly explained.In fact, p. 35 says that trauma bonds "can be formed almost instantaneously, but they can last forever," leaving me to wonder if there is any hope.p. 165 identifies the dimensions of recovery as healthy bonds, boundary development, role development, trauma resolution, systems change, sense of self, key metaphors, and a recovery plan.However, I did not feel that these dimensions (except perhaps the recovery plan) were adequately explained in the book.One final criticism is that the suggestion to develop healthy bonds seems to focus only on developing healthy bonds with a therapist and support groups.Not everyone is going to feel the need for therapy and support groups, if they have adequate support from significant people in their life.Why doesn't the author address the importance of forming healthy bonds with family and friends?I would think a trauma survivor would be better off with healthy, supportive relationships in their life in the form of family and friends, than to become dependent on a therapist and support group.I am not much of a believer in psychotherapy, so I did not find this particular book very useful.I would have liked concrete suggestions for how to detach from the person who I have this unhealthy bond with.

A Must Read !!!
If you are looking for a book about toxic relationships, and healing from them, you have found an excellent choice in reading.Patrick Carnes speaks so plainly, he is easy to unerstand, and will definately assist in your journy in healing from horrible relationships.
Great Book
Doctor Carnes is a visionary. This book has explained so many important issues. I have have recomended it to friends who struggle with guilt about the relationships they had with their molesters. However, it is a good book for anyone in recovery. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Betrayal    3. Exploitation    4. Family & Relationships    5. Family/Marriage    6. Interpersonal Relations    7. Psychological abuse    8. Psychological aspects    9. Psychology    10. Relationship addiction    11. Family & Relationships / Abuse    12. Marriage, family & other relationships   

Reviews (8)

Really Love This Book!!
Don't let the size fool you.If you have been diagnosed with DID, then this little book of 109 pages is what you need.It doesn't go into the hows and whys of DID, the DID Source Book is great for that.What "Got Parts?" gives you is a day to day manual for getting through life with DID.I carry it in my backpack where ever I go. There are times that DID just gets me down, so I pick up the book, thumb easily to the section I want, take a minute to read about what I need to do, then I remember and do it.Another great thing about this book is that it is written by someone who has DID, who lives and fights in the trenches of DID.This brings authenticity to the book.It also has an index and is easy to locate the subject you are looking for. The writing style of the author is very easy going and she doesn't ever break into stories of her past.There is a page, however in the very back entitled, "About the Author" who remains unidentified.Even then she never talks about the details of her abuse.It's just plain good advice from someone who knows.I have several DID books, but this one is my favorite when I just need to get through the day.When I have moments of feeling crazy, I open the book.When I feel overwhelmed with emotion, I open this book.It helps me to clear my thinking and gives me immediate direction.In short, I really love this book.

Must Have for sufferers of DID
Excellent information, step by step excersises, easy to read, non complex book. Must read for all patients and mental health providers of DID!

Amazing!
When I first got this book, I was a bit ticked that I paid thirteen dollars for a book that was only around a hundred pages. But once I read it, I knew it was well worth the money. Every sentance is informative. It confronts many daily aspects of life that are affected when one has DID and how to overcome that. Its not full of psycho-mumbo-jumbo but how to handle everyday thigns like taking medicine, raising the kids, sexual activity, work, and respect among the alters. It is truly an owners manual for those with DID. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Depression    3. Inner Child    4. Mental Illness    5. Psychology    6. Psychology & Psychiatry / Pathological Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Self-Help / Abuse    9. Abnormal psychology    10. Dissociative disorders    11. Multiple personality    12. Personality disorders    13. Post-traumatic stress disorder    14. Psychopathology - General    15. Recovery   

Reviews (19)

A helping hand
A beautiful book containing many simple yet profound insights.A very helpful tool for those exploring the within for the purpose of healing.

Legacy of the Heart
Just what I expected it to be. It's a practical application of spiritual principles. Very easy to follow and very poigniant.

Best book of it's kind!
This book helps readers to identify in what ways they may be hampered by their past and gives amazing practices to help overcome being stuck there. The author is compassionate but unerringly insightful about the defences we use to stop ourselves from incurring futher pain, yet he makes us want to move from that place by realizing how much we are cutting ourselves off from the joys of life.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Adult children of dysfunctional families    3. Consolation    4. General    5. Religious life    6. Self-Help    7. Spiritual exercises    8. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    9. Romance   

Reviews (13)

Great resource
I felt that this book effectively serves two purposes. First, it is an outstanding resource for survivors of sexual abuse and their partners to feel that they are not alone in their struggles and experiences. Second, as a clinician, this book gave me great insight to the experience of a sexual abuse survivor and gave me direction to use with clients who are survivors. After I finished reading it I loaned it to a client right away. Her response to reading it was as positive as mine.

Very Good and hard to find material
It's hard to find actual exercises for you and your partner like in this book. They work even if you figured out a few on your own, it's nice to know why they work so well. It's also good to hear the male side, I wasn't really sure how many men had been abused before, now I know. It's too bad more of us don't talk about it in the open we talk about everything else! Review
I bought this book, which is titled The Sexual Healing Journey, when I started healing from being abused in my childhood. When I first read this thorough book I felt able to relate to many of the topics. The topics included discussion on different types of sexual abuse, problems actual survivors developed as a result of abuse, positive assertion of the topic sexuality.Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - Sexual    2. Adult child sexual abuse victi    3. Adult child sexual abuse victims    4. Recovery    5. Rehabilitation    6. Self-Help    7. Sexual Instruction    8. Sexual abuse victims    9. Substance Abuse & Addictions - General    10. Health & Fitness / Sexuality    11. Sex & sexuality    12. Sexual abuse   

Reviews (3)

Katz is right on--this is the next step in ending violence.
Jackson Katz believes that an end to violence (of all kinds, but particularly violence against women) must come from a new definition of masculinity that does not support violent behavior.His book explains clearly why this is and how to begin to make it happen and is some of the most positive and forward-thinking work in this field.This book is very accessible--it is not accusatory or preach-y and is very honest.I have bought a second copy of the book because so many people have been interested in borrowing it.Jackson Katz is a real innovator and his book is insightful and inspiring.

Buy this for the men in your life....
I wish I had 200 copies of this book. There are so many men I know that can find themselves depicted in Katz's clear and insightful reflections on male culture today. Why has the violence women suffer at the hands of some men been called a "woman's issue"? Where's the curiosity and creativity of more men when it comes to looking at why violence and sexual violence in particular are so epidemic? Or even, more dangerously, glamorized in aspects of the pornography industry? Forget "Pretty Woman" or "The Girl Next Door" and dive into real life. Katz has done his research and articulates a vision that should make every man stand up and collectively work to make this a world they are proud their daughters and sons will inherit. I really wish I had 200 copies....

Great job, Jackson
I've always been a big fan of Jackson Katz' work and his latest book is no exception. This is a really accessible, well written, and thorough piece that takes a critical look at the hegemony in our society that makes violence against women by men, men's destructive and violent behavior become a culturally normal thing. Katz does an incredible job in piecing together his argument in a clear manner that doesn't alienate the audience..and in any sort of anti-violence work, that's a really difficult thing to do because the subject matter is such a serious and taboo one. I would highly recommend this book for any parent, any educator, anybody that wants to take proactive steps against men's violence in america and think critically about those issues. I would also suggest Jackson's video, the bible of any men's anti-violence work "Tough Guise" (www.mediaed.org). As a student in the women studies department at the University of Washington, I can say that Jackson's work is always highly respected and popular among the students and faculty.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Crimes against    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family/Marriage    5. Men's Studies - General    6. Psychology Of Men    7. Self-Help    8. Sex crimes    9. Sociology    10. Violence (Sociological Aspects)    11. Violence against    12. Women    13. Self-Help / Abuse   

Reviews (8)

An Emotional and Inspirational Journey of Healing
This is the perfect book for those who have suffered from childhood sexual abuse and for those who are interested in understanding the effects on their loved ones. An easy to follow journey through one girl's nightmare to her final joyful destination. Erin is a strong, courageous, extraordinary young woman. Her story is definitely worth reading.
An Amazing Memoir
A riveting and very sober account of the harrowing experience of child abuse as told by the victim.In the end this memoir ia an uplifting account of how perseverance overcame the fear of telling the truth.An amazing book.

Tells The Story Of Many
Giving voice to unspeakable abuse is what prevents it from propagating. Only when it remains in the dark is its sinister purpose accomplished. This young woman was able to finally put aside her own fears and come out of the shadows to illuminate the disconsolate corners of her life that had been concealed from her parents and even her own sister.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abuse - Sexual    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Childhood Memoir    5. Merryn, Erin    6. Self-Help    7. Women    8. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (6)

Excellent Resource
This book succintly provides critical information for judges, therapists, parent evaluators/GALs, and most importantly parents trying to protect their children from harm.It highlights the many misconceptions present in the legal system that enable abusers to continue to victimize their children and spouses, and explains how these situations should be addressed, backed by data to support the authors' conclusions.This is a credible well-written book that provides a rational counter to the awful theories of Richard Gardner.

For Public Consumption
As a former severely battered wife and for two decades as an advocate for social justice: this book is long overdue. Specifically, the authors address the untenable situation of a
Male "victim" is obviously a perpetrator
Anyone with real experience and knowledge in the realm of domestic violence can clearly see that Bancroft is on target. He is one of the few authors who truly understands the dynamics of abuse and can accurately assess those who are truly abusers ... many of whom call themselves the "victims." There are definitive signs of men who abuse, though they work so hard to hide it that they get angry when they discover their attempts don't work with Brancroft.
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Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abusive men    3. Criminology    4. Dysfunctional Families    5. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    6. Family violence    7. Interpersonal Relations    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. United States    11. Victims of family violence    12. Wife abuse    13. Domestic violence    14. Family & Relationships / Abuse   

Reviews (14)

The best book ever written on emotional abuse
I have read many books on emotional abuse and this book, by far, is the best. Dr. Stosny must have been a fly on our wall over the last 25 years to be able to reiterate "verbatim" some of the conversations and events that have happened in our home.
Extremely valuable and helpful book!!!
An angry or emotionally abusive relationship is overwhelming and confusing to both the husband and wife.Steven Stosny gives you a method with specific steps to take to get yourself out of this horrible situation, with both of you healing and hopefully saving your marriage.It is a remarkable book that has changed my life for the better.I have also been to his boot camp, which I highly recommend.Thank you Steven for giving my husband and I the tools to profoundly change our relationship back to a happy and loving one.

You Don't Have To Take It Anymore
Steven Stosny has found a way to help each and every one of us do better in our relationships and to become the loving beings we were born to be.The book is extremely well written and gives practical advise for all of us on how to do better, whether we are irritated and a little resentful or in full blown emotional abuse. I recommend this to everyone who wants to be more confident, more compassionate and healthier in all relationships. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Abuse - Psychological    3. Abuse - Spousal Abuse    4. Abusive men    5. Anger Management    6. Applied Psychology    7. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    8. Interpersonal Relations    9. Marital conflict    10. Psychological abuse    11. Rehabilitation    12. Self-Help    13. Psychology & Psychiatry / Family Therapy   

Reviews (13)

Content hit home
Currently divorcinga partner with BPD, and this book is a wonderful self help effort. I highly recommend it. It puts SO much into perspective.

Very useful information, but does have some shortcomings
This is a unique book in that it presents how to become disentangled from a relationship with someone who has borderline personality disorder.Most books are aimed at the person with BPD and not the people on the receiving end of the dysfunctional behavior.I can see where this is very helpful, for many people and the advice is sound.
A Truly Helpfull Book.

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Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family/Marriage    3. Interpersonal Relations    4. Mental Illness    5. Personality    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help / Abuse    8. Self-Help / Codependency    9. Abuse - Psychological    10. Abuse - Spousal Abuse    11. Borderline personality disorder    12. Domestic violence    13. Family & Relationships / Interpersonal Relations    14. Psychology-Mental Illness    15. Psychology-Personality   

Reviews (26)

things my mother never told me
this book is a gold mine of information about verbal abuse and domestic violence relationships...how to tell if you are in one...types of verbal abuse...how to respond and protect yourself...and how to get out of the relationship

Verbal Abuse--Survivors Speak Out
I read this author's first "Verbal Abuse" book last year.It was the best I found on the subject.I just read her 2nd book "Survivors Speak Out."I can't say enough about how it gave me the strength I needed to begin recovering from verbal abuse. I'm a independent successful businesswoman, who learned the hard way how low grade consistent verbal abuse caused long lasting damage to my stomach. Both books are a "must" for any woman feeling she & her mate are "talking a different language" (see back cover of first book.)

Educating Yourself about Verbal Abuse
This book is a good tool for counselors as well as people in recovery. It identifies verbal abuse in the many forms that it takes. It also gives insight on some of the patterns and dynamics involved as well as how some have turned their lives around. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Family violence    3. General    4. Interpersonal Relations    5. Interpersonal conflict    6. Invective    7. Psychological abuse    8. Psychology    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Bullying    13. Social welfare & social services   

Reviews (12)

The Best Forgiveness Book on the Market
I received the Ph.D. degree in one of the most research-oriented universities in the country.Therefore, any time an author purports to have discovered a new and effective program, I tend to ask, "Has this program been scientifically tested?"Most "self-help" books are based on impressions and opinions only, not science. This book, however, is the grand exception. Forgiveness Is a Choice is based on years of research into how people forgive. The research is strong and the results also strong. I gave this book as a gift to a friend who had a very serious break up with someone years ago. After reading the book, she decided to take the risk of forgiving and reconciling with the other person from whom she was estranged for years. The book provided the necessary help to get the reconciliation process started. My friend credits this book with the success."I am sold on the power of forgiveness," she said. The reader is given systematic exercises in the forgiving process. You start with exploring the anger you have,then you turn to a decision to forgive, including a clear exposition of what forgiveness is and is not. Next, you are given cognitive/thinking tasks to aid your forgiving, followed by affective/feeling tasks. In the Discovery Phase of forgiving (the final phase of the forgiveness process), the reader learns a great deal about oneself, the other person, and relationships. The author's encouragement of the reader's journaling as a means of reflection is very useful. Although the author makes the point that forgiveness benefits the forgiver, he is clear that forgiveness itself is not at all a self-focused process. Instead, as the author notes, forgiveness is a moral process in which you reach out with compassion and understanding to the one who hurt you. This book has received much national attention. I read an article in USA Today favorably reporting on this book. I also caught the radio program, Talk of the Nation, on National Public Radio in which this book was featured. I highly recommend this thoughtful and helpful book.

Too simplistic for some victims & it's not for everyone
This book is an invaluable aid to those who feel forgiveness is their best way to find healing, or for those whose personal beliefs demand this, but it's too simplistic to work for every trauma victim. Some victims find the pressure to forgive their tormentors to be an additional burden, or an addition to their pain, or an insult to their suffering. Therapy must be tailored to the individual and this method just doesn't work for everyone.

so encouraging
I found this book mentioned on the Nightmares Echo book site as one of the books bought with, so I purchased both. This book is so encouraging, so helpful...so uplifting. I would tell the reading audience to buy both Nightmares Echo and Forgiveness is a choice....I have learned so muchRead more

Subjects:  1. Abuse - General    2. Anger    3. Emotions    4. Forgiveness    5. Mental Health    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Popular psychology    9. Psychotherapy   

Reviews (12)

Captivating
I read this book in a day and a half.It was an unusual way to approach a book about scientific research, because it really reads like a novel.I am fascinated with this story, and I would reccommend anyone interested read it.

Genie deserves better.....again
What do you do when you find a girl as abused and isolated as Genie? When a girl has been locked away in solitude for so terrifyingly long - the only life she'd known since birth? When she is physically disabled as a result of her abuse? When she is disturbed beyond comprehension?......Why, make her the subject of linguistic research of course.
Cannot recommend this highly enough
Although this is one of the saddest books I've ever read, it's also one of the finest. Genie comes alive as an individual despite the fact that she has no language; the author portrays a unique spirit and yet does a brilliant job of demonstrating how captive that spirit is without expression.The scientific theories at work are well-described, intelligent and thorough without being difficult for the lay reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1957-    2. Abuse - General    3. Abused children    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. California    8. Case studies    9. General    10. Genie,    11. Linguistics    12. Research    13. Scientists - General    14. Biography: general    15. Child abuse    16. Language acquisition    17. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    18. USA