Official Review: Resilience: A Workbook

Please use this sub-forum to discuss any non-fiction books such as autobiographies or political commentary books.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
Post Reply
User avatar
Alice Heritage
Review Team Guidelines Team Leader
Posts: 6565
Joined: 29 Apr 2017, 02:00
Favorite Author: Wilkie Collins
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: 50 Masterpieces of Gothic Fiction
Bookshelf Size: 378
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alice-heritage.html
Latest Review: Keys to Healthy Communication by Bobby R Patton,Rusalyn H Andrews and Jennifer Page Daily
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 1
fav_author_id: 1
Signature Addition: Mod

Official Review: Resilience: A Workbook

Post by Alice Heritage »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Resilience: A Workbook" by Kathryn Den Houter, Ph.D..]
Book Cover
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


I’ve been going through a life situation that’s unquestionably tough for quite some time now. I became determined at an early stage to stay strong and positive and am always looking for ideas and inspiration. Perhaps many of you are also confronted with challenges in today’s world. I am so lucky to have found Resilience: A Workbook by psychologist Kathryn Den Houter. She notes that people don’t come to therapy because things are going well, but because of pain. However, being broken can be a powerful catalyst for change. Den Houter wondered why some individuals could not sustain therapy gains while others triumphed over their circumstances and went on to do well. She identified seven qualities shared by the strong and the durable.

Part One is devoted to the seven resilient qualities. Each is illustrated in a chapter pairing Den Houter’s clients who leveraged that quality with a famous person who did likewise. In Part Two, the focus switches from theory to practice. The tools include relaxation exercises and activities to help raise self-esteem by cultivating positive yet realistic self-talk. Each chapter is rounded off with study questions that can be answered alone or, preferably, discussed in a group setting.

Sometimes, I felt that Den Houter was stretching the similarities between the qualities of the famous people and her clients a bit too far. However, I enjoyed thinking laterally to understand the connection. In the best examples, it became clear that the author was considering the resilient quality from different angles. The chapter on what she terms dark walking, for example, is about fear of literal darkness as well as of the dark side of our nature. I was awed by how moved I was by the story of Stevland Morris (Stevie Wonder). Told that he had 'three strikes' against him because he was black, blind, and poor, he chose to consider himself worthy, talented, and rich in imagination.

I appreciated the opportunity to transform my own dark thoughts in Part Two. I loved the way the book became interactive here. The tools are arranged meaningfully into chapters with eloquent, memorable headings. ‘Reverse the Curse’ helped me to find alternatives to feeling doomed in my current situation, for example.

A red thread throughout is the significance of faith and spirituality in resilient people’s lives. In that connection, I found the book overly centred on Christianity. This is not to say that it’s peppered with biblical material; its substance is story and evidence-based psychology. However, I was missing an acknowledgement that strength and encouragement can be derived from other religions, or from non-religious sources. Diversity was apparent in Den Houter’s selection of noteworthy biographies. She featured both men and women and people from different backgrounds. In the story about a transgender person, however, there seemed to be considerable emphasis on finding a medical cause. Both there and in the story about someone who was worried about being homosexual, I was missing a clear statement that there is nothing wrong with being transgender or homosexual.

I believe, however, that this was an oversight rather than an expression of prejudice. The book appeared professionally edited and was virtually typo-free. As it is an excellent resource that is quick to read yet packed with valuable information and exercises, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs guidance on staying strong in tough circumstances – you will truly find what you need. Although the book is worthwhile for individuals, the study questions are aimed primarily at groups, so I recommend it to those as well. If you really dislike biographies or can’t stand self-help books in general, this might not be the book for you.

******
Resilience: A Workbook
View: on Bookshelves

Like ButterscotchCherrie's review? Post a comment saying so!
This post was brought to you by the word "specifically".
Mod
User avatar
inaramid
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1222
Joined: 04 Nov 2017, 11:22
Currently Reading: Siege and Storm
Bookshelf Size: 144
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-inaramid.html
Latest Review: The Fourth Kinetic by Brady Moore

Post by inaramid »

I love the idea behind this book, particularly since it seems so different from other self-help books that pervade the market these days. The author's background certainly lends credibility to this work. It's also great how stories of real clients and famous people are used to demonstrate the author's points. Thanks for a great review!
User avatar
gen_g
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 3115
Joined: 22 Apr 2018, 10:31
Currently Reading: 1984
Bookshelf Size: 104
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-gen-g.html
Latest Review: The Diary That Will Change Your Lives Forever by Georgios Zelelidis

Post by gen_g »

Thank you for the extremely detailed and informative review. This seems like a great book for those who need help, and I am glad that there is diversity present. Also, I hope that things will get better for you much sooner rather than later!
User avatar
Alice Heritage
Review Team Guidelines Team Leader
Posts: 6565
Joined: 29 Apr 2017, 02:00
Favorite Author: Wilkie Collins
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: 50 Masterpieces of Gothic Fiction
Bookshelf Size: 378
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alice-heritage.html
Latest Review: Keys to Healthy Communication by Bobby R Patton,Rusalyn H Andrews and Jennifer Page Daily
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 1
fav_author_id: 1
Signature Addition: Mod

Post by Alice Heritage »

inaramid wrote: 02 Jun 2018, 03:08 I love the idea behind this book, particularly since it seems so different from other self-help books that pervade the market these days. The author's background certainly lends credibility to this work. It's also great how stories of real clients and famous people are used to demonstrate the author's points. Thanks for a great review!
Yes, there are biographies and books with exercises out there, but I don't think I've seen the two combined quite like this before. There's a lot packed into what isn't a very long book.
This post was brought to you by the word "specifically".
Mod
User avatar
Alice Heritage
Review Team Guidelines Team Leader
Posts: 6565
Joined: 29 Apr 2017, 02:00
Favorite Author: Wilkie Collins
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: 50 Masterpieces of Gothic Fiction
Bookshelf Size: 378
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alice-heritage.html
Latest Review: Keys to Healthy Communication by Bobby R Patton,Rusalyn H Andrews and Jennifer Page Daily
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 1
fav_author_id: 1
Signature Addition: Mod

Post by Alice Heritage »

gen_g wrote: 02 Jun 2018, 04:19 Thank you for the extremely detailed and informative review. This seems like a great book for those who need help, and I am glad that there is diversity present. Also, I hope that things will get better for you much sooner rather than later!
Thank you! In the absence of some miracle the objective circumstances aren't likely to change very soon, though you never do quite know. A good thing is that I am now especially receptive to books like this that give me real tools for working on my attitude.
This post was brought to you by the word "specifically".
Mod
User avatar
Dael Reader
Posts: 684
Joined: 05 May 2018, 08:39
Currently Reading: The Story of Arthur Truluv
Bookshelf Size: 53
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-dael-reader.html
Latest Review: Extraordinary Stories From Everyday People (and me) by Les Clark
Reading Device: 1400697484

Post by Dael Reader »

Just a note. You commented on the strong Christian-centered nature of the book. I checked out the author on the Barnes & Noble website and discovered that she attended Calvin College, which is a Christian college operated by a fundamentalist denomination. (And yes, they do believe that homosexuality is a sin.) Whenever I'm looking for a self-help book, I make sure to check out the author first. Obviously, people of any faith can write a book worthy of reading. But it's always good to have an heads-up about the authors bias, especially in books that include sections on faith and spirituality.
User avatar
MrsCatInTheHat
Posts: 3817
Joined: 31 May 2016, 11:53
Favorite Book: Cry the Beloved Country
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 376
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mrscatinthehat.html
Latest Review: Marc Marci by Larry G. Goldsmith
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 0

Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

ButterscotchCherrie wrote: 01 Jun 2018, 07:25
A red thread throughout is the significance of faith and spirituality in resilient people’s lives. In that connection, I found the book overly centred on Christianity. This is not to say that it’s peppered with biblical material; its substance is story and evidence-based psychology. However, I was missing an acknowledgement that strength and encouragement can be derived from other religions, or from non-religious sources. Diversity was apparent in Den Houter’s selection of noteworthy biographies. She featured both men and women and people from different backgrounds. In the story about a transgender person, however, there seemed to be considerable emphasis on finding a medical cause. Both there and in the story about someone who was worried about being homosexual, I was missing a clear statement that there is nothing wrong with being transgender or homosexual.
I don't think I could get past there not being an acknowledgment of how useful other world religions and spiritual ideologies are also effective. And a medical cause for transgender people? In 2018?
Life without a good book is something MrsCatInTheHat cannot imagine.
User avatar
Alice Heritage
Review Team Guidelines Team Leader
Posts: 6565
Joined: 29 Apr 2017, 02:00
Favorite Author: Wilkie Collins
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: 50 Masterpieces of Gothic Fiction
Bookshelf Size: 378
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alice-heritage.html
Latest Review: Keys to Healthy Communication by Bobby R Patton,Rusalyn H Andrews and Jennifer Page Daily
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 1
fav_author_id: 1
Signature Addition: Mod

Post by Alice Heritage »

Dael Reader wrote: 02 Jun 2018, 20:48 Just a note. You commented on the strong Christian-centered nature of the book. I checked out the author on the Barnes & Noble website and discovered that she attended Calvin College, which is a Christian college operated by a fundamentalist denomination. (And yes, they do believe that homosexuality is a sin.) Whenever I'm looking for a self-help book, I make sure to check out the author first. Obviously, people of any faith can write a book worthy of reading. But it's always good to have an heads-up about the authors bias, especially in books that include sections on faith and spirituality.
Thanks for your comment! That doesn't surprise me, though I have to say that the religious content of the book was not overstated, for all that.
I love your picture by the way. I'm not religious but I believe in coffee!
This post was brought to you by the word "specifically".
Mod
User avatar
Alice Heritage
Review Team Guidelines Team Leader
Posts: 6565
Joined: 29 Apr 2017, 02:00
Favorite Author: Wilkie Collins
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: 50 Masterpieces of Gothic Fiction
Bookshelf Size: 378
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alice-heritage.html
Latest Review: Keys to Healthy Communication by Bobby R Patton,Rusalyn H Andrews and Jennifer Page Daily
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 1
fav_author_id: 1
Signature Addition: Mod

Post by Alice Heritage »

[/quote]

I don't think I could get past there not being an acknowledgment of how useful other world religions and spiritual ideologies are also effective. And a medical cause for transgender people? In 2018?
[/quote]

Thanks for your comment. Yes, good point. There are so many other faiths out there. The author mentions a breathing exercise at one point that she seems to attribute to Christianity, but to the best of my knowledge, it comes from Buddhism. I also found that part of the transgender person's story odd.
This post was brought to you by the word "specifically".
Mod
User avatar
Dael Reader
Posts: 684
Joined: 05 May 2018, 08:39
Currently Reading: The Story of Arthur Truluv
Bookshelf Size: 53
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-dael-reader.html
Latest Review: Extraordinary Stories From Everyday People (and me) by Les Clark
Reading Device: 1400697484

Post by Dael Reader »

ButterscotchCherrie wrote: 03 Jun 2018, 01:00
Dael Reader wrote: 02 Jun 2018, 20:48 Just a note. You commented on the strong Christian-centered nature of the book. I checked out the author on the Barnes & Noble website and discovered that she attended Calvin College, which is a Christian college operated by a fundamentalist denomination. (And yes, they do believe that homosexuality is a sin.) Whenever I'm looking for a self-help book, I make sure to check out the author first. Obviously, people of any faith can write a book worthy of reading. But it's always good to have an heads-up about the authors bias, especially in books that include sections on faith and spirituality.
Thanks for your comment! That doesn't surprise me, though I have to say that the religious content of the book was not overstated, for all that.
I love your picture by the way. I'm not religious but I believe in coffee!
I'm a liberal Christian without a church. So I spend my Sunday morning at St. Arbucks enjoying what I call a Coffeehouse Sabbath. It's where I get a lot of reading done. Good luck to you in your quest for resilience.
User avatar
CommMayo
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1648
Joined: 22 Oct 2017, 14:19
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 80
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-commmayo.html
Latest Review: Changed by Vicki Stiefel
Reading Device: B00G2Y4WNY

Post by CommMayo »

I get a kick out of the description of people as being strong and durable. Are they absorbent too? Sorry, just sounds like an ad for paper towels.

Seems like a lot of the gist is that life is all about how you react to it.
User avatar
Alice Heritage
Review Team Guidelines Team Leader
Posts: 6565
Joined: 29 Apr 2017, 02:00
Favorite Author: Wilkie Collins
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: 50 Masterpieces of Gothic Fiction
Bookshelf Size: 378
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alice-heritage.html
Latest Review: Keys to Healthy Communication by Bobby R Patton,Rusalyn H Andrews and Jennifer Page Daily
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Publishing Contest Votes: 1
fav_author_id: 1
Signature Addition: Mod

Post by Alice Heritage »

Seems like a lot of the gist is that life is all about how you react to it.
[/quote]

Yes, there is a focus on the observation that different people can view the same event quite differently, which comes up in CBT. Thanks for your response!
This post was brought to you by the word "specifically".
Mod
User avatar
stacie k
Posts: 918
Joined: 01 Feb 2018, 17:04
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 192
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-stacie-k.html
Latest Review: River Kids by Jennie Linnane

Post by stacie k »

I think it would be interesting to learn about the seven resilient qualities and how the author identified them in clients as well as famous people. This sounds like a worthy read. Thanks for the great review!
“The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable.” Proverbs 15:2a
User avatar
kandscreeley
Special Discussion Leader
Posts: 11683
Joined: 31 Dec 2016, 20:31
Currently Reading: Believarexic
Bookshelf Size: 486
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kandscreeley.html
Latest Review: The Elf Revelation by Jordan David

Post by kandscreeley »

I'm sorry you are finding yourself in such a difficult circumstance. I myself am going through a tough time, and this book sounds like it could have some good information to offer. I could use a self esteem boost for sure. Thanks for the wonderful review.
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
User avatar
joshfee77
Posts: 1019
Joined: 03 Apr 2018, 02:11
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 251
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-joshfee77.html
Latest Review: In Time Forever by Stefan Raicu

Post by joshfee77 »

Sounds like an excellent resource for building strength and resilience to triumph over adversity. Valuable tools for just about anyone. Great review!
Post Reply

Return to “Non-Fiction Books”