12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Treasure, A Gem, A Jewel...Priceless!, September 2, 2004
This review is from: The Art of Helping: What to Say and Do When Someone Is Hurting (Paperback)
This book satisfies a thirst many of us do not even realize we have! Have you ever avoided and older relative because they had a terminal illness and you just didn't know what to say to them? Have you ever had a friend abuse their spouse or child or an elder, and you did not know how to help not only the victim but also the abuser? Have you known someone who suffered a miscarriage but had a hard time relating to their situation? Have you had a pet die and wished that more people could understand how deeply you grieve? This book truly offers real help for these times.
The book is VERY easy to read, divided into short mini-chapters titled "Chronic Illness", "Loss of a Pet", etc., so it's easy to quickly refer back to. And each chapter is divided into even smaller sections: What Not to Say, What to Say, What you can do to Help, What you wish people understood, What you can write in a card, etc. It is very easy and inspiring to pick up anytime and read. What's more, the suggestions offered come from people who have actually experienced the hurt, and they tell what people said and did that helped them or else what was unhelpful or possibly even more hurtful.
The suggestions offered are easily accessible, very real-life, do-able things you can do to help others. So go ahead and enjoy those times with your ailing relative; go ahead and be there for your friend with the miscarriage; go ahead and speak to the abuser rather than sweeping it all under the rug. Reach out into your community and really BE a neighbor and a friend. Now you have the tools to help you do it right, to give you confidence that you actually CAN help.
The book also contains some recipes of easy to fix meals you can carry over to peoples' houses in times of grief, and offers suggestions on ways to package the food to make mealtimes one less burden for the bereaved.
Thank you Lauren Biggs for this invaluable one-of-a-kind treasure. This is a topic no one is usually able to teach us, espeically in today's world.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You hit the subject right on the head, July 20, 2003
This review is from: The Art of Helping: What to Say and Do When Someone Is Hurting (Paperback)
I have read this book and more people need to read it. Most people do not know what to do or say when someone is hurting. They just ignore the person or even avoid the person with a problem and that really hurts. This book gives many practical ideas for helping others. My experience in loss has been very traumatic, but I have learned to help myself it helps to reach out to people who are hurting and I feel like I can deal better with my own grief. Lauren you are so special and you have helped me more than you will ever know, Love Esther
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Words that Heal, February 24, 2004
This review is from: The Art of Helping: What to Say and Do When Someone Is Hurting (Paperback)
The art of helping is the most used reference book on my shelves these days. It gives practical advice for those of us want to comfort others in times of trouble and aspire to do more than just say "I'm sorry." This book gives one the tools to move beyond the obligatory words and get to the "heart of helping." The chapters and writing style make it very user friendly. I would highly recommend this book for any caring person's library.
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