Review of Teachable Moments

[Caroline Anne Richmond]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Teachable Moments" by William Stephenson.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Teachable Moments - Lessons to Enrich Our Mental Health, Our Spiritual Journey, and Our Relationships by William Stephenson is a book designed to enhance spiritual growth and suggests strategies to cope with life’s turbulent moments. Parables, Bible scripture, and the author’s professional and personal experiences are abundant to emphasise themes.

The author is a psychotherapist and has predominantly worked with families with children with life-threatening and terminal illnesses. Through this body of work and the author’s faith in God, he has comprised a book of teachable moments to assist the reader in personal and spiritual growth. First and foremost, forgiveness is crucial. Forgiveness is hard work, and finding it can cause resentment. Resentment comes before healing occurs, and in this healing process, forgiveness can enrich lives and is more beneficial for ourselves than the person we forgive as we move past pain and not let resentment define us.

We all have challenging days. Some days contain betrayal, conflict, tragedies, and indecision. These problems are common, and other people have gone through the same issues. In times of trauma, we should take time to breathe and be calm. In the Bible, God sent men and women out into the wilderness to make hard decisions and to be alone with these decisions. We can all benefit from this strategy.

This book is suited to Christian readers as the author has used Bible scripture and parables to emphasise points. The author has done an excellent job of choosing verses to highlight his ideas and provide metaphors. I liked how the author added scripture and points for journaling and conversation. The book is ideal for conversation and group work. I loved the intelligent writing style. It is thought-provoking, clear, and concise. The lifetime of work and experience shines through in this collection of teachable moments.

I loved the personal stories from the author’s body of professional work. The stories include end-of-life accounts of various children. These accounts have beautiful moments of hope, acceptance, and are heartbreaking at the same time. I enjoyed a memory of a group session of individuals dying from AIDS. In a bleak moment, a Jewish patient shared bread with the group, bringing the group together in divine hope.

The book offers plenty of opportunities for self-reflection. I loved how the author allowed me to look at the positive parts of loneliness, forgiveness, and failures. Redefining these terms is where we can learn the most. Another great point made is that we are never alone in our problems. Someone has always been through the same thing, and this connects us. Also, sometimes, we need to scratch beneath the surface with emotions. For example, jealousy may be masking a fear of abandonment.

The book is exceptionally edited. I loved the professional and personal experiences the author has shared, and I enjoyed the aptly paired scripture to chapter topics. The journaling and conversation points are ideal for individual or group therapy. I thought the author delivered heart-wrenching stories in a sensitive and inspirational way. I found nothing to dislike about the book, so I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

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Teachable Moments
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[Naimah Agboluaje]

Ya know, based on this review, it seems like "Teachable Moments - Lessons to Enrich Our Mental Health, Our Spiritual Journey, and Our Relationships" by William Stephenson is a wicked good read! It's got them parables, Bible scripture, and stories from the author's own experience to really drive home the themes. It's all about findin' forgiveness, dealin' with life's challenges, and growin' spiritually. The author, a psychotherapist who's worked with families facin' some tough situations, knows his stuff. Plus, there's plenty of room for self-reflection and journaling. I'd give this book a solid 5 outta 5, no doubt! Emotional resonance, touched my heart deeply.

[Olalekan Rahmon]

This review provides a comprehensive overview of "Teachable Moments - Lessons to Enrich Our Mental Health, Our Spiritual Journey, and Our Relationships" by William Stephenson. The reviewer highlights the author's expertise as a psychotherapist and the inclusion of parables and Bible scripture to emphasize key concepts. The book offers valuable insights on forgiveness, coping with life's challenges, and finding hope in difficult times. The personal stories shared, especially those involving children with terminal illnesses, touch the reader's heart and inspire reflection. The review also praises the intelligent writing style and the thoughtful inclusion of journaling and conversation points. Overall, it appears that "Teachable Moments" would be a compelling read for Christian individuals interested in personal and spiritual growth. On a scale of one to five, this book receives a rating of 5 out of 5. Gripping suspense, kept me on tenterhooks.

[patricia MGBEMENA]

The fact that the author is a psychotherapist makes me believe in this book's authenticity. I actually appreciate that he had worked with families with children with serious illnesses.