Rating: 
Summary: Great guidance for life's tough situations
Review: A wonderful and healing book in itself, Nance Guilmartin's Healing Conversations gently guides the reader to the appropriate and caring thing to say when you don't know what to say. One of the most important things that it teaches is knowing when to keep your mouth shut and just listen. Sometimes just listening is the most critical part of a healing conversation. Sometimes we struggle so hard to find the right thing to say that we don't listen to what they are saying. Often if we had just listened to what they were saying we would have known the appropriate thing to say.
Excellent advice that anyone can use, it is divided into sections entitled "When you need a friend", "Health matters", "Healing conversations at work", "Transitions" and "Lost loves". While these are fairly broad categories, they are subdivided into detailed sections that cover just about every situation you might come across. From putting a pet to sleep to helping children understand illness to being fired or retiring the book is complete and reveals a dept of understanding and empathy not easily found in such books. A highly recommended read.
Rating:
Summary: Great guidance for life's tough situations
Review: A wonderful and healing book in itself, Nance Guilmartin's Healing Conversations gently guides the reader to the appropriate and caring thing to say when you don't know what to say. One of the most important things that it teaches is knowing when to keep your mouth shut and just listen. Sometimes just listening is the most critical part of a healing conversation. Sometimes we struggle so hard to find the right thing to say that we don't listen to what they are saying. Often if we had just listened to what they were saying we would have known the appropriate thing to say.
Excellent advice that anyone can use, it is divided into sections entitled "When you need a friend", "Health matters", "Healing conversations at work", "Transitions" and "Lost loves". While these are fairly broad categories, they are subdivided into detailed sections that cover just about every situation you might come across. From putting a pet to sleep to helping children understand illness to being fired or retiring the book is complete and reveals a dept of understanding and empathy not easily found in such books. A highly recommended read.
Rating:
Summary: This Book is for Everyone!
Review: As a recent graduate from Tufts University ('02), I took a Communication class that Nance Guilmartin (Tufts '75) taught. By far, I learned more from Nance's class than in any other class. Everything she taught us could be used in everyday conversation. How to really listen and hear what someone is saying to us - and that there is a difference between what someone says and what we hear and how to recognize the difference. There were students in the class who thought they were good listeners but realized throughout the course that we really weren't. Nance's book should be bought by the trunk-full and given out as gifts. I bought copies and gave them to friends. This book isn't just for executives or those in the healthcare profession - it's for anyone who wants to having "healing conversations". From college students to parents to teachers to neighbors.
Rating:
Summary: Connecting during Painful Times
Review: Nance Guilmartin has a gentleness that has guided me to be there for others as they face their greatest challenges. This book is NOT a "how to" manual. Instead, Ms. Guilmartin leads the reader through anecdotal experiences. Rather than providing direct advice, she leaves room for the reader to draw their own conclusions. Personally, I find this to be more helpful and natural--infering from her words my own way of being with others during their painful experiences.
Rating:
Summary: Making the Difference....
Review: Nance's book is one that I keep with me all the time. It seems that every time I come across a tough patch of communication with someone about a difficult situation or subject, there is always assistance in this book. It opens up a huge new world of communication and support for those people we want to help, or when we need help. If everyone had this book, we would no longer be afraid to commmunicate, both in speaking and listening.
Rating:
Summary: If you feel compassion for others - read this book!
Review: This book is a must read for anyone whose work centers around pastoral care and pastoral concerns. Often the most asked question is "what do I say when...." and this book gives you the answers through the telling of a story in such a way that one remembers what to say when. Not matter what faith community you are a part, this book belongs in your library and in your own home whether you do pastoral work or not. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: If you feel compassion for others - read this book!
Review: This book is a must read for anyone whose work centers around pastoral care and pastoral concerns. Often the most asked question is "what do I say when...." and this book gives you the answers through the telling of a story in such a way that one remembers what to say when. Not matter what faith community you are a part, this book belongs in your library and in your own home whether you do pastoral work or not. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: Thanks Nance!
Review: This book is a practical, powerful resource to turn to when you're at a loss for words. By simply reading a story that's often only 2-3 pages, you can quickly gain the confidence you need to comfort someone who's going through a tough time. When a colleague's husband was diagnosed with cancer it hit close to home for us. I found myself reading several stories and they reminded me that comforting someone else is really about pausing to get in touch with heartfelt common sense and about being a good listener...something it's easy to forget when bad news strikes. Whether you are a professional, a patient, a friend or a family member--this book gives you easy to use insights that will help you help someone else know that you care.
Rating:
Summary: Healing Conversations
Review: This book serves a dual purpose: you will read and enjoy the wisdom today-- perhaps you will give it to friend in need. Then you will want to have it on your bookshelf in the refence section (yes, with the Medical Encyclopedia and Home Maintenance Manual) and know that it will be there to help you help others, when life's challenges call for your sensitive and appropriate response.
Rating:
Summary: Healing Conversations
Review: This book serves a dual purpose: you will read and enjoy the wisdom today-- perhaps you will give it to friend in need. Then you will want to have it on your bookshelf in the refence section (yes, with the Medical Encyclopedia and Home Maintenance Manual) and know that it will be there to help you help others, when life's challenges call for your sensitive and appropriate response.
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