Customer Reviews

Martha, Martha: How Christians Worry

5 star:		(4)
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This is a book (chiefly about anxiety disorders) that can be helpful to a wide audience. It uses a vignette to describe in conversational language the various types of anxiety disorders. It then gives a discussion of the disorder in more technical terms, but still quite understandable by a lay reader. I especially liked the end of each chapter where there are applications for ministers, the church and friends.

The book addresses the guilt associated with anxiety in the Christian culture. (How can I be anxious when I'm trusting God?) It has a gentle doctrinal touch that is inclusive of virtually all Christians. It's a hopeful, positive book.

I'd like to see a sequel on depressive disorders.

Many faith-based groups are afraid that use of psychiatry will undermine their theology, or be a pharmacologic cover up for a deeper issue. Elaine Eng's book beautiful integrates solid medical principle's of psychiatry, the appropriate and judicious use of medications, the value of cognitive behavioral therapy (Counseling), and the biblically based world view. I have given away copies of this book to patients, friends, and colleagues as a gentle way to understanding their own problems - and how they might find help for their concerns. The believable case studies help the reader identify with material, and hopefully, will lead to some self discovery about what forms of therapy will help them most.

As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in southern California, I heartily recommend this book to professionals and non professionals alike. Dr. Eng is as articulate a writer as she is a speaker. While she has the credibility of her professional standing as a psychiatrist, Dr. Eng.'s personal story (losing her eyesight well into adulthood) gives her message the more important credentials of hard experience. Two thumbs up on this book.

Wonderfull book, with great information...a great read, and a sure recomendation to anyone.