From Depression To Wholeness : The Anatomy of Healing

Rating:
Summary: Layman Explains Healing of the Soul; Christian Worldview
Review: Although I have never suffered with depression, I worked and trained in the field for 10 years. Debbie gives a very accurate account of the ins and outs of depression and also the industry itself. Unfortunately it is up to the individual to heal themselves. For the most part medication can take the edge off, but clearly her spiritual life, determination,and support family/group were her lifeline. I would recommend this book for all to read so that we can learn to recognize this problem in people before it gets too far along, or treatment ends up in the wrong hands. I appreciate her sharing such an intimate and private part of her life for all to benefit from.

Rating:
Summary: Layman Explains Healing of the Soul; Christian Worldview
Review: Debbie Thurman has given us a much-needed book that, if anything, is well-organized and clearly written. The reader from Cleveland couldn't have read the book carefully. I take this person to be a post-modern revisionist, typifying those individuals who can't allow themselves to accept godly wisdom and the truth that Jesus Christ represents. It's easy to write off any attempt at illumination as being "preachy" or "short-sighted." The author clearly states she is offering a Christian viewpoint and lays out her thesis intelligently, acknowledging all the while that many people won't get it, a reality that Christ, himself, was well aware of. Thurman talks about the differences between relief and true healing. One may come from medications and various therapies while the other is the result of a spiritual quest, she says. Both avenues are pursued through choice, but the concept of grace is what ultimately separates them. The title of the book isn't "From Depression To Coping." The author chose the word "Wholeness" for a reason. Thurman makes beautiful use of scripture and classical literature to enlighten and comfort. She has clearly done her homework. Don't let fear or ignorance of the Christian worldview keep you from reading this valuable book.

Rating:
Summary: If you're a Christian, this book will be helpful
Review: Depression is one of the worst of all human afflictions, so any book that provides genuine help to sufferers is a blessing. Without question, Debbie Thurman's book will provide significant help to a great many people.

The author generously shares the details of her private life, detailing her own road to recovery. That may not sound like interesting reading, but Thurman is a marvelously skilled writer who keeps us turning the pages. This isn't just dry theory--we can see what worked for her, and what can work for others.

As a devout Christian, Thurman's own recovery is closely linked to her religious beliefs. Therefore, her book will be most helpful to people who accept Christian faith. Her insights are probably transferrable to other belief systems, and one could argue that the usefulness of the book would become more universal if the author were more ecumenical in her writing. However, she chose to write to fellow Christians, thereby probably strengthening the messages for her selected audience.

Rating:
Summary: Intuitive social observations
Review: From Depression To Wholeness: The Anatomy Of Healing is Debbie Thurman's personal, articulate, and engaging story of the complex and multiple issues of depression. Debbie combines a personal narrative with intuitive social observations and psycho-theological commentary, rendering From Depression To Wholeness accessible, insightful, enthusiastically recommended reading that will be of intense interest to the professional and pastoral care community as well as the non-specialist general reader trying to come to grips with their own emotional conditions.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: I highly recommend this book to anyone who has gone through depression, or knows someone who is going through it. A very well written book that can help a lot of people.

Rating:
Summary: full of wisdom and heart
Review: I'm really impressed with Debbie Thurman's book. She shares not only from the depths of her own experience but also from a wealth of wisdom and knowledge about the subject of depression. Interspersed with her personal experience is scientific knowledge about the topic of depression. This is the kind of book I want to reread because there's so much to absorb. I highly recommend this book for those who suffer from depression and those whose loved ones suffer.

Rating:
Summary: full of wisdom and heart
Review: I'm really impressed with Debbie Thurman's book. She shares not only from the depths of her own experience but also from a wealth of wisdom and knowledge about the subject of depression. Interspersed with her personal experience is scientific knowledge about the topic of depression. This is the kind of book I want to reread because there's so much to absorb. I highly recommend this book for those who suffer from depression and those whose loved ones suffer.

Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Resource
Review: My husband and I have both read the book and have found it very well written. We have recommended this book to some of our friends and they have been extremely impressed by the frankness and the eloquence of the entire book. This book should be read by anyone who has been touched (either personally or through others) by depression. We will be giving a copy to our pastor as well, since it can be of great help to anyone who does counseling.

Rating:
Summary: Healing for the Walking Wounded
Review: This is a beautifully written book that not only addresses the clinical aspects of depression, but one that goes to the heart of the problem and speaks to the soul. Having worked with "wounded" individuals as both a counselor and an educator, I have seen the collective pain they carry.

Depression is more prevalent today than ever. Debbie Thurman knows this and writes with an urgency and a heart of compassion that reaches out to those who live in the darkness that once enveloped her. This book belongs in a class with the finest books that have been written on this topic. It is practical, thoughtful, compelling and encouraging.

I recommend "From Depression To Wholeness" for anyone who works with young people and for anyone in a leadership capacity. It is a must-read for counselors.

Rating:
Summary: From Depression to Wholeness
Review: This is a very interesting book. It takes you through a spiritual process that cannot be experienced except by one that has survived. The end result is knowing anyone can make it. The reading was captivating.