SELF-INJURY
INSIDE A CUTTER'S MIND
UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING THOSE WHO SELF-INJURE
By Jerusha Clark with Dr. Earl Henslin
233 pp., Colorado Springs, CO: Nav Press, 2007, $12.99, paperback.
Review: Jerusha Clark, who works with teenagers in ministry with her pastor husband, and Earl Henslin, PhD (psychology) and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, have woven together a compassionate book of real stories and solid research to help those who self-harm and their loved ones begin the journey toward wholeness. The authors help those of us who don't understand self-injury gain insight into this complex phenomenon. In recent years, I've encountered self-injury among friends of my three teens, in youth work at church, and as a staff nurse in behavioral health. This book opened my eyes to how self-injury begins and why the cycle of injury becomes a basic survival instinct. Clark and Henslin deflate the myths surrounding self-injury by taking us into the painful world of those who self-harm. Many who self-injure begin doing so accidentally, such as Blake who shared, "I was hopeless and full of rage. I started to light up a cigarette. Next thing I knew, I was plunging the hot metal of the lighter into my arm. The burn didn't even hurt. It felt clean and pure. And I was instantly calmer. Burning felt like opening a safety valve for my pain" (p. 36).
Through many stories like Blake's, we learn that those who chronically self-injure do so because it brings feeling into emotional numbness or relief from pain. The stories document the physiological responses to self-injury that spur the behavior on and describe the environmental and physical conditions that often accompany self-injury. The authors teach us what to look for and how to understand the messages self-injurers are sending, like "Notice me," "I can't feel anything," or "I'm bad." They help us learn how to help, doing everything from listening, emphasizing, and loving; to suggesting faith as a blessing rather than a weapon; and modeling healthy self-perception and living.
What I like best about this book is how Clark and Henslin balance the need for simultaneous spiritual, physical, and emotional healing. They recognize the crucial importance of spiritual healing, addressing issues of forgiveness and grace, salvation, and the role of friends, family, and the church in healing. Recommendations are made for professional help, both physical and psychological, and numerous resources are given in four appendices-Finding a Therapist, Additional Resources and Contact Information, Alternatives to Self-Injurious Behavior, and A Discussion Guide.
At the end of this book I found myself concluding with the authors who wrote, "He (Christ) yearns for all of us to recognize the broken neediness of our bodies, minds, and spirits. He aches that we might know His strength and find it to be sufficient. This is where healing, for the self-injurer and for every human, begins" (p. 201).
KSS
WHEN PAIN FEELS GOOD
By Edward T. Welch
40 pp., Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2004, $2.99, paperback.
Review: This booklet is a part of the Resources for Changing Lives series from The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation, offered as a self-help resource for those who self-injure and friends who want to help. Although it is a quick, easy read, the booklet offers good insights into the cycle of self-injury, going deeper into what self-abuse is really saying, and ways to express the deep cries of the heart by calling out to God. Welch concludes by offering concrete action steps that can be referred to again and again. Similar to a tract handed out to seekers, this booklet could be a useful tool for reaching out to someone who is self-injuring to help them see there is hope and healing, and begin the process of accessing further assistance.
KSS
THE SCARRED SOUL
UNDERSTANDING & ENDING SELF-INFLICTED VIOLENCE
By Tracy Alderman
224 pp., Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1997, $17.95, paperback.
Review: This book is the seminal work that launched understanding of self-injury behavior and treatment in psychology and in popular literature. Alderman created a landmark resource on self-inflicted violence (SIV) that continues to be referred to in current scholarly and popular publications and research. She delineated a clear definition of SIV, promoted understanding of SIV behavior that helps people cope and survive, outlined the nature and cycle of SIV and comorbid conditions, and developed a treatment plan for addressing SIV. Alderman makes solid suggestions for family and friends of self-injurers on how to help and how not to help, and offers recommendations for therapists, including strategies and specific issues of concern for psychotherapy.
Although written over 20 years ago, Alderman's work remains the classic text, popular resource, and therapist's guide on self-injury behavior. Because of the value of Alderman's work, her book remains in print and widely available today.
KSS
LYSAMENA PROJECT ON SELF-INJURY
CHRISTIAN-BASED SELF-INJURY INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
http://www.self-injury.org/index.html/
Review: Although this is a basic "no frills" colorless Web site, the pages are rich with information, insight, and solid help, and are easy to navigate. Lysamena comes from the Greek word luo, the verb to free, and means having been freed. The Lysamena Project is about freeing those who self-injure.
The home page offers links to clinical information, resources, and Christian helps. Especially helpful are the pages, "Things to Do Instead of Self-Injury," "Diversions and Distractions," and "How to Cook Without Knives." Some of the information is unique to this site and very practical. Clearly, the author is trying to provide hands-on assistance to self-injurers and their friends. The "Scripture and Self-Injury" and "What God Is Doing in Me" pages offer multiple Scriptures and biblical insights about the problem of self-injury, the Gospel, and atonement. However, this disclaimer is included: "The material on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is in no way meant to replace or take precedence over the advice of a doctor, therapist, or any other medical, psychological, or psychiatric professional."
The webmaster of this project seems to identify with self-injury behavior in an intimate way, I suspect either as a self-injurer or due to close affiliation with a self-injurer. Either way, site visitors are richer in knowledge about this complex problem because this person has chosen to share his or her journey.
KSS
VIOLENCE AMONG US
MINISTRY TO FAMILIES IN CRISIS
By Brenda Branson and Paula J. Silva
176 pp., Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press, 2007, $14.00.
Brief: Dr. Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, praised this book as "the best work to date" on the subject. Healthcare professionals, counselors, church leaders, and parents will find this book helpful. Practical help for identifying abusive situations, strategic counseling tips, and a good list of resources is included. The section outlining red flags for teens, a safety plan for women and children, and assessment plan are well-done. This is an excellent resource book.
CAREGIVING
WE WILL BE HEALED
SPIRITUAL RENEWAL FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
By Susan J. Bliss
160 pp., Skokie, IL: ACTA Publications, 2006, $9.95.
Brief: "How can we be merciful to ourselves and still get our professional work done? In his short ministry, Jesus left us a trail of clues about the mystery of healing, and the difference between mercy and sacrifice[horizontal ellipsis]. [Jesus] didn't heal every sick person in Israel. It does not seem that was his primary mission. Why do we think it is ours?" (p. 12). Bliss, a pharmacist, offers insider information and understanding on the stresses of healthcare professionals. Each brief chapter offers keen insight and concludes with a prayer. Whether you've been practicing for awhile or are new to healthcare, this book encourages, challenges, and offers suggestions to help you separate work from the rest of your life.
COMPASSIONATE CAREGIVING
PRACTICAL HELP AND SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT
By Lois D. Knutson
256 pp., Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2007, $14.99.
Brief: Knuston, a caregiver and former chaplain and current pastor, offers insight into taking care of oneself while caring for others. Readers will find practical advice and encouragement, as well as workable solutions and confidence-building support. Knutson offers suggestions on how caregivers can care for themselves, spiritually and psychologically. The appendix covers caregiving Web sites, biblical passages for caregivers, and a care recipient information form.
HEALING FROM THE HEART
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CREATING EXCELLENT EXPERIENCES FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
By Timothy Dawes
168 pp., Bellevue, WA: Interplay Press, LLC, 2006, $21.97.
Brief: Dawes helps caregivers turn their best instincts into deliberate actions to create rapport with their patients. Using the ALIVE model (A ssess your rapport, L isten for a call for help, I ntend to connect, V erify what's alive, and E ncourage a request that enriches life), the workbook helps caregivers make their compassion known to their patients. Stories, role play, coaching dialogues, and questions are used to illustrate the concepts, and exercises help caregivers apply the skills. The text includes workbook space for practical application.
WHERE IS GOD WHEN WE SUFFER?
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT SUFFERING
By Lynn Gardner
381 pp., Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 2007, $29.99.
Brief: Gardner, a former biblical professor and dean at Ozark Christian College, writes from his experiences of suffering. The book offers solid practical and theological information, and offers insight for those who are suffering and those who help. Sections include: A Biblical Approach to Suffering, Facing Suffering with Faith, Joy, and Hope, The Problem of Evil and Suffering, and Helping the Hurting. Each chapter ends with a list of thoughtful questions to help readers process the information. The section on what to do and what not to do/say is most helpful. While the book is not written from a nursing perspective, the information is solid and would provide a good tool for those facing suffering or those wishing to help.
PROFESSIONALISM
PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN NURSING
LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE PATH OF A PROFESSION, VOLUME II
By Beth P. Houser and Kathy N. Player
462 pp., Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International, 2007, $29.95, paperback.
Review: This is the second of 2 volumes in an electrifying series about nursing- what it is, who nurses are, how we have changed the world. The stories of 11 nursing leaders, current and past, some you know and others you don't, make up this book. The leaders exemplify the Daffodil Principle, based on the immense and beautiful 5-acre Daffodil Garden in southern California where one woman planted bulbs one at a time over 40 years. The Daffodil Principle suggests moving toward a goal one step at a time, loving the doing of one's goals, and understanding the power of accumulation over time.
Take for example, Richard Carmona, who transcended the poverty and ghetto that threatened to engulf him to become a nurse, a surgeon, and ultimately the Surgeon General of the United States. Or Ruth Watson Lubic, who made families the focal point of her career, helping to establish birthing centers in the United States, and went on to become the first nurse awarded the MacArthur Fellowship "genius" grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Judith Shamian survived the ravages of three wars during her formative years and learned that the only way to achieve her goals was to stay strong and hold on to her values. This approach led her to the top echelon of the Canadian healthcare system.
There's something for every nurse in this book, something to make you feel passion and energy for our calling in nursing.
KSS
CONVERSATIONS WITH LEADERS
FRANK TALK FROM NURSES (AND OTHERS) ON THE FRONT LINES OF LEADERSHIP
By Tine Hansen-Turton, Susan Sherman, and Vernice Ferguson
224 pp., Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International, 2007, $29.95, paperback.
Brief: The "conversations" inside Conversations with Leaders began with a simple desire to bring leadership principles and lessons to a small gathering of community health professionals working in the heart of Philadelphia. Over the years, local and international leaders added their voice, and the gatherings grew in size and might. This book is an accumulation of 22 conversations with nursing and healthcare leaders who share their personal and professional experiences. In clear, frank, and concise fashion, each leader offers the unique wisdom earned by the sweat equity that is behind all achievement.
PERSONAL GROWTH
DEEP-ROOTED IN CHRIST
THE WAY OF TRANSFORMATION
By Joshua Choonmin Kang
192 pp., Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007, $15.00, paperback.
Review: Originally published in Korean in 2006, this is Joshua Choonmin Kang's first English publication. Kang is a well-published Korean author and pastor of Oriental Mission Church in Los Angeles, California, where 7,000 attend each Sunday. This is a book about spiritual formation and disciplines, but it is different from any book I have read on the subject. Kang offers a collection of 52 writings that call us to empty ourselves, be filled with the fullness of God, become deeply rooted in Jesus, and grow fully in God's grace. Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline, writes in the foreword that Kang's book and his book "echo each another" (p. 13). Although Kang's book isn't organized like Foster's, with chapters about the spiritual disciplines (solitude, simplicity, service, prayer, worship, etc.), it is a book about spiritual discipline as the means of God's grace for the transformation of our lives. In quiet, humble words, Kang invites us to lay down our lives and discover God's ways of fruitfulness and transformation.
Kang writes from the heart of someone who has been walking the way of spiritual transformation for some time. In the reading, "Plumbing the Depths" Kang explains, "There is a hidden world: a world we cannot see. That's where God is calling us to come. He's calling us to take part in deeper things, spiritual things. He wants us to set out for deep waters" (p. 47). Kang continues to unfold this concept of "deep waters" and "spiritual depths" as places where we'll be challenged, changed, and transformed. He writes in such an inviting way, I found myself longing to go deeper. Kang explains, "How do we enter the deep places of the spiritual world? First of all, it is the Word. The Word of God is the only tool that can bring about our spiritual formation[horizontal ellipsis] Second, the Holy Spirit is what brings us to maturity and depth" (p. 48-9).
This is a great book for anyone considering going deeper into the inner spiritual world. The book is quite "doable" because the chapters are only two to four pages in length, and Kang writes in an inviting way. But the messages are profound, offering considerable food for thought.
KSS