ARA Review by Dr. Patricia A. Houchin of Ending Fear

[Dr. Patricia A. Houchin]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Ending Fear.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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I just finished reading Thomas R. Wakechild's Fear: The "7R" Formula for Fearless Awakening: How to End the Blame, Shame, and Guilt Game and Recover Your Joy, Power, and Inner Peace. Now, isn't that an intriguing title for a book? I look forward to a fearless awakening with great anticipation; many books have been written about conquering fear, so I know I am not alone.

The author makes some interesting observations about how we move through life and develop a fear-based thought process without even realizing it. We become earners of the approval of others instead of learners eagerly seeking knowledge about the world around us. He emphasizes that each person is a decision-maker in control of their creative powers, and how they choose to use them is their responsibility. Understanding that we are responsible for our happiness helps us break free of the manipulative cycles of shame, blame, and guilt that unhealthy relationships facilitate. I found these ideas insightful and thought-provoking, and they were presented from a refreshingly different perspective than many of the books I have read on conquering fear.

The 7-R formula contains well-explained, easy-to-understand, useful concepts and ideas for reflection and action. The book is well-written and easy to read. Without giving away too much valuable information, I will give another example. Mr. Wakechild asserts that we have the power to forge our own identities. He returns to our shift from learner to earner of approval, as mentioned previously. If we shift back to being a learner, we can reinterpret, reframe, and find meaning and purpose through observation. He refers to this process as a feedback loop in which we can, among other things, observe ourselves as participants in past experiences and reattribute meaning and purpose to what transpired. By reinterpreting the past, we can move forward with greater self-knowledge, more confidence, and less fear.

I rated the book 5 out of 5 stars for the reasons mentioned above and for the many other gems within it that you may wish to read for yourselves. As a veteran reader of many books on the subjects of fear and anxiety, I appreciate how Mr. Wakechild created an easy-to-remember framework with the 7-R formula and gave it all a greater meaning with a discussion of love and spirituality.

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