4 out of 4 stars
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Every parent fears the loss of their child. For Julia, this fear became her reality. Author Gina Campbell shares the story of how Julia learned to cope in Hope in a Corner of My Heart: A Healing Journey Through the Dream – Logical World of Inner Metaphors.
In the 1980’s, counseling psychologist David Grove developed a counseling and coaching process called Clean Language. This method prevents the re-traumatization of patients and clients. Instead of revisiting the trauma, the counselor encourages the trauma survivor to discover and explore their inner metaphors. For example, if you are feeling very sad and someone asks you how you feel, you might say, “It feels like a vice is squeezing my heart.” Using the Clean Language method, the counselor would encourage you to visualize or draw this vice squeezing your heart. The literal visualization gives the client control of their situation. It is now up to the client to visualize a change and create the next step. Author, counselor, and life coach Gina Campbell and her clients have found the Clean Language method to be very helpful.
Julia, a woman in her mid-sixties, is married to a man fifteen years her senior. Most of Julia’s time is spent caring for her husband as his health continues to fail. Also, Julia’s daughter tragically died in a car accident. With Gina, Julia begins a journey of discovery and exploration of her internal metaphors in hopes that she will find peace again.
I was skeptical of this method of therapy when I began reading this book. However, I decided to try it, as the author suggested I should. There are instructions in the book to guide the reader through the therapy. I must admit that I found the practice to be relaxing and satisfying. Still, I think that a person in need of serious therapy would benefit from the coaching of a professional like Gina Campbell.
Julia was the perfect choice of subject for this book. Most parents feel that they could never cope with the loss of a child. It was inspiring to witness her journey to find peace and contentment. Julia was a likable and relatable person. I was emotionally invested in her treatment, and I hoped for her to find happiness again.
This is a well-written and well-organized book. There are two misspelled words in this book. These errors caused no distractions. The author takes care to explain each step of the therapy. It is plain to see that, as a counselor, Gina Campbell truly cares for her clients. However, I don’t think that it is a good idea to encourage people to work through this therapy on their own. Most likely, to find success with this method, one would need the guidance of a professional.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Julia’s heartbreak created an engaging story and presented a true need for successful treatment. I tried this method and found that it can work. Anyone seeking help to find inner peace would enjoy this book. It highlights the idea that we can all find peace and contentment within ourselves.
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Hope in a Corner of My Heart
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