Daralyse Lyons reviews From Depression to Contentment

I just finished reading From Depression to Contentment by Bob Rich, PhD. “Reading” is probably a misnomer. From Depression to Contentment is a practical guidebook to revamping our behaviors as a means of changing our inner life. It is not only engaging; it is meant to be engaged with.

I received the book roughly a week ago after a string of back-and-forth emails with the author inspired me to want to experience his work. I loved the book! It’s not perfect. One thing I find problematic about it is that I do believe that, in a small number of cases, depression requires medical intervention and the book seems to present all depression as a repetitive loop of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. But, that said, this strikes me as incredibly helpful for anyone who wants to feel better about their experience of life. It takes complex concepts and synthesizes them down to actionable items, bolstered by memorable anecdotes. I’d have devoured it in less than a week except that, as mentioned, there are to-do exercises that I want to say “slowed me down” but that actually speed up the path of my emotional uplift.

The practices in Bob Rich, PhD’s short but substantial book, are something that I hope to integrate into my life on an ongoing basis and I highly recommend this book as a resource for anyone struggling with depression. Or not! This book can help even those of us who feel pretty good about life. Some of its practices are intuitive and others aren’t, but intentionally incorporating more joy into our lives seems to me to be something that can and will benefit anyone!

And You Can Love Me

978-1-61599-424-3
$12.95
In stock
1
Product Details
UPC: 978-1-61599-424-3
Brand: Loving Healing Press
Binding: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Author: Sherry Quan Lee
Illustrator: Teagan "Trif" Merrifield
Pages: 32

And You Can Love Me is a story for everyone who loves someone with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). It is the fictional story of Ethan, a nonverbal autistic child, based on the author’s observations and experiences with her grandson. The bounce of a ball is not only a metaphor, but also how the author imagines that the child is releasing his innermost physical and emotional challenges. It is a love story that can be recognized by parents, caregivers and teachers; a story that embraces Ethan, a nonverbal child, who may never/or not yet be able to write his own story, yet he lives it every day and tells it by his actions and by bouncing a ball– any ball, any size, any color.

And You Can Love Me is also a picture book that a child with ASD may, in some way, recognize within himself/herself. It doesn’t try to explain, define or even educate; it is merely Ethan’s story - the story of one particular nonverbal autistic child; one of the many stories that will add to the diversity of ASD stories.

ACCLAIM FOR AND YOU CAN LOVE ME

“As a mother and grandmother, this story speaks to me about the power of unconditional love we bring to any situation. This book is an excellent resource for adults who have a child or grandchild with autism. It acknowledges the different ways a loved one with autism may communicate and reminds me that we love completely. As a former special education teacher, I am able to keep sharing with people, through this story, about the wonderful diversity that we see in the world. Everyone has gifts.”
--Deb Holtz is a former special education teacher, a current end-of-life doula and a mother and grandmother.

"In And You Can Love Me, Sherry Quan Lee gives us the world of Ethan, a little boy with autism. Although Ethan is mute, his daily routine of bouncing a ball and expressing his needs, as well as his interior life, are revealed through simple sketches and lovely lines, like Today I am another year of being me. A welcome and wonderful addition to the as-yet-tiny body of work about children with autism, And You Can Love Me is a beautiful, profoundly moving book.”
--Alison McGhee, New York Times bestselling author of many books for children and adults.

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