Customer Reviews

Mythopoetic Perspectives of Men's Healing Work: An Anthology for Therapists and Others

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I was recently blessed with the opportunity to read and review this book. I found it to be very readable and an extremely thorough study of men's work and its impact on society. The book is a collection of contributions from different writers divided into four parts. The first part is an introduction to mythopoetic men's work and its place in the contemporary men's movement. The first chapter is written by Editor Edward Read Barton and speak to those experienced in men's work as well as those who are not in its discussion of the various types of men's work and the similarities and differences. This first portion of the book is a lengthy discussion of the meaning of masculinity and the various ways that men perceive themselves and each other in their journeys towards meaning and integration. Mythopoetic men's work in particular uses myth, symbol and ritual to delve into the male psyche. The second part of the book discusses this type of men's work in therpeutic settings and is geared toward the counseling community. Still, an interesting ready for anyone interested in the male psyche. The third part of the book is a fascinating study of the men's organization The Mankind Project and its weekend initiation called The New Warrior Training Adventure. Collaborative research and studies follow men through these experiences and discuss the impact on those men. This work has tremendous value for men and the women and children in their lives. The final section of the books is a discussion of feminism and a search for common ground amongst gender movements. The primary theme is that of similarity between the different paths towards meaning and integration. I am a New Warrior. I have experienced the weekend adventure and I continue to be involved in ongoing work of integration. I have done more work towards becoming the man I can and want to be within The Mankind Project than in over a dozens years of therapy and other recovery work. While this book has enormous value for therapists and counselors working with men, I recommend this book as a valuable resource to any man who is interested in looking towards mythopoetic men's work as a means towards self-exploration and integration.