Customer Reviews

The Art of Helping: What to Say and Do When Someone Is Hurting

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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.

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

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.

So many times we do not do anything because we do not know what to do during times of loss in people's life. This book give wonderful advice to readers to help them help others and understand what might be going on even if we cannot personally relate to the loss. I recommend this book to my Christmas Organizing members because so many people do not know how to handle the holidays when loss has occurred. You will not regret getting this book - and you will refer to it often.

This book is the best tool I have had in a while. The last three weekends I have spoken for women's conferences where I carried this book on my book table. It completely sold out each time!!! I had a friend dealing with someone in deep depression, so I turned to that chapter in "The Art of Helping". There we found the most wonderful encouragement in Psalm 40:1-2 asking God to lift me out of the pit of despair, set my feet on a hard, firm path and steady me as I walk along. Lauren shared to write "Help Me" in the margin of your bible by that verse. Then there will come a day when you can say, "He did it!" Oh, what a glorious promise to claim for this precious friend. Thank you Lauren for a book so well put together!!

This book is a must for those times you don't know what to say and you want to be there for your family and friends. The authors give real, practical, down-to-earth help for those times you really need it. I highly recommend this book!

The is the book to have with you as you seek ways to reach out and help a friend or family member when words or actions escape you. This book is one that you will use over and over again as life unfolds and those moments call for more than the simple card.

Often in a difficult situation such as divorce or infertility or with elderly parents or any type of loss, the right words don't seem to be there. You are trying to write a brief note and have nothing to say. What do you do? You want to reach out to this friend or neighbor or family member but you are stuck.

Here's the perfect reference tool. Get this book and have it on your shelf for these types of situations. Everyone needs a copy of Lauren Briggs' book. She will help you know what to do--and what not to do in these key situations of life.

I highly recommend this book.

No more foot in the mouth during those awkward times. This book is fantastic to have as a resource when you know someone who has lost a parent, spouse or child. You will know how to be sensitive to the feelings of those you know and love when you hear the news their husband left them, a pet died or they their job. Now, you can know what to say and do! It offers practical way you can help those you know and love during a very difficult time. A book like this has been needed for a long time. Great hospitality tool for those in church and ministry, too.

I heard about this book on the radio. I decided to purchase this book because I knew it would be helpful in the volunteer work I do for our Health Ministry team of our church. Part of the title is, "what to say and do when someone is hurting." Because I found this book to be so helpful I have recommended it to many. Our parish nurse purchased some as a gift to the women serving on the committee. I have also shared it as gifts. It is outstanding. Thank you Lauren Briggs for writing it.