This is a repost from 2009 while a Therapist at Imagine Hope Counseling Group
My book recommendation is “Healing is a Choice” by Stephen Arterburn. Just the title alone speaks volumes. Healing IS a choice. We have to decide to keep doing what we are doing and getting the same results or take the big step of making a choice to do things to heal our lives. This book helps you focus on what you need to heal as well as offering steps to heal your pain. I like that Stephen uses biblical advice and incorporates spirituality into the recovery process. However, he warns against using “lies” that we as Christians are often taught to cover our pain. Some of those lies include:
1. All I need to heal is just God and me.
2. Real Christians should have a real peace in all circumstances.
3. It does no good to look back or inside.
4. Time heals all wounds.
5. If I act as if there is no problem it will finally go away.
6. There is no hope for me…
Just to name a few.
Stephen asks a lot of questions that are good to ask ourselves. He also talks about forgiveness and using your pain to help others, something we are a huge advocate of. My book is dog-eared, highlighted, and constantly being taken off my shelf. It, also, is a great book to purchase rather than borrow as you will want to make notes in it.