Social Help

In his four decades of urban ministry, Robert D. Lupton has experienced firsthand how our good intentions can have unintended, dire consequences. We fly off on mission trips to poverty-stricken villages, hearts full of pity and suitcases bulging with giveaways - trips that one Nicaraguan leader describes as effective only in "turning my people into beggars." In Toxic Charity, Lupton urges individuals, churches, and organizations to step away from these spontaneous, often destructive acts of compassion and toward thoughtful paths to community development.

Ancient, time-tested wisdom: Okinawa, Japan, is a tiny, tiny island south of the Japanese mainland where people live their life's purpose every day. How is it possible for so many to live each day in such meaningful ways? The Okinawan concept of Ikigai. Magical reality come to life: David Michiels stuttered severely well into his adulthood. In clinical terms, his stutter was difficult to treat. But David started to work in a liquor store. Before long, his focus turned to one specific section of the sales floor: the scotch section.

Not a day goes by without our being called upon to help one another - at home, at work, on the street, on the phone. We do what we can. Yet so many questions come up to complicate this natural response. In this practical helper's companion, the authors explore a path through these confusions and provide support and inspiration for us in our efforts as members of the helping professions, as volunteers, as community activists, or simply as friends and family trying to meet each other's needs.

In the compelling popular science tradition of Sapiens and Guns, Germs, and Steel, a groundbreaking and eye-opening exploration that applies evolutionary science to provide a new perspective on human psychology, revealing how major challenges from our past have shaped some of the most...

The Assertiveness Workbook contains powerfully effective skills grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you communicate more effectively, improve social interactions, and express yourself with confidence and clarity. You'll learn how to set and maintain personal boundaries while staying connected, and discover ways to be more genuine and open in your relationships. Finally, you'll learn to defend yourself calmly if you're unfairly criticized or asked to submit to unreasonable requests.

Over years of developing and teaching their renowned Mindful Self-Compassion program, Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer have found MSC to be uniquely helpful for people struggling with the soul-draining depletion of burnout--from health care professionals, teachers, and caregivers, to tapped-out business owners and employees.

Grace Kinsella is social. But she likes the anonymity of being a blue bird on Twitter, where she can shoot arrows of pithy filth at her favorite movie star. Virtual love is right up her alley. Vaughn Asher is dominant. But only in private. A former child actor turned mega-movie action hero, Vaughn knows how to navigate a world filled with paparazzi, avoid the tabloids, and have his fun, too.

In times of crisis, countless women have turned to Simple Abundance for comfort and joy -- and now this mega-bestselling guide is updated and expanded for everyone who loved the original book, as well as a new generation that needs it now more than ever. First published in 1995, Simple...

From a renowned psychiatrist comes the first book to explore the otrovert personality—someone who feels like an outsider in any group, regardless of its members—revealing all the advantages of being an otrovert and ways they contribute to the world. Were you the kid who never wanted to join...

When Ada Calhoun found herself in the throes of a midlife crisis, she thought that she had no right to complain. She was married with children and a good career. So why did she feel miserable? And why did it seem that other Generation X women were miserable, too? Calhoun decided to find some answers. She looked into housing costs, HR trends, credit card debt averages, and divorce data. At every turn, she saw a pattern: sandwiched between the Boomers and Millennials, Gen X women were facing new problems as they entered middle age, problems that were being largely overlooked.

Disrupt and push back against capitalism and white supremacy by connecting to the liberating power of rest, daydreaming, and naps as a foundation for healing and justice. Tricia Hersey, aka The Nap Bishop, encourages us to elevate rest as a form of resistance and a divine human right. What would...

Men today face a crisis of identity. While we can see how the old paradigm of patriarchal dominance needs to go, is the solution really to deconstruct the very idea of masculinity out of existence? No—that's not the answer. From the Core sets out a clear roadmap for men who want to live, love, and lead from the most profound places within. His techniques will help you adapt to a changing world while staying in touch with your masculine essence. If you're willing to spend at least thirty minutes a day, you can transform your entire approach to love, success, and relationships.

At some point over the course of the average American woman's life, she will find herself alone, whether she is divorced, widowed, single, or in a loveless, isolating relationship. And when that time comes, it is likely that she will be at a loss as to how to handle it. As a society, we have an unspoken but omnipresent belief that a woman alone is an outcast, inherently flawed in some way. In this invigorating, supportive audiobook, psychotherapist Florence Falk aims to take the fear, doubt, confusion, and helplessness out of being a woman alone.

How Can I Help? portrays a week in the life of Dr. David Goldbloom as he treats patients, communicates with families, and trains staff at CAMH, the largest psychiatric facility in Canada. This highly listenable and touching behind-the-scenes account of his daily encounters with a wide range of psychiatric concerns - from his own patients and their families to Emergency Department arrivals - puts a human face on an often misunderstood area of medical expertise.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER “A comprehensive, entertaining, and compelling argument for how rebuilding social infrastructure can help heal divisions in our society and move us forward.”—Jon Stewart NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR “Engaging.”—Mayor Pete Buttigieg, The...

Drawing together the worlds of classroom practice, school leadership, and scientific research, this is an essential how-to guide for initiating and maintaining a school improvement journey based on the science of learning.

Karl Albrecht defines social intelligence (SI) as the ability to get along well with others while winning their cooperation. SI is a combination of sensitivity to the needs and interests of others, sometimes called your "social radar", an attitude of generosity and consideration, and a set of practical skills for interacting successfully with people in any setting. Social Intelligence provides a highly accessible and comprehensive model for describing, assessing, and developing social intelligence at a personal level.

Sun Tzu's Art of War for Women helps women find the peaceful path to success through strategies made famous in the ancient Chinese text, The Art of War. Female wisdom, or common sense, is about avoiding needless confrontation, conserving energy for the things that matter, and seeking an outcome in which everyone wins. And for women, as for Sun Tzu, success doesn't come simply from knowing what to do, but from knowing who you are.

Inspirational author Og Mandino shares the blueprint for a successful life as told to him by his friend Simon Potter, a "ragpicker" and salvager of human lives. This treasure of wisdom includes what one must do in order to mount the 7 rungs of life's ladder - from material achievement and worldly success to the highest spiritual development. Whatever your dream may be, Og and his good angel Simon will show you the way to bring it within reach.

We either seize the opportunity or lose the chance to be great. We can spend all our lives preparing to be winners, working so hard for the glory of success in our careers, relationships, professional and personal lives, but often fear, anxiety and self-sabotages get in the way. Here is the good news! There are powerful ways to combat all that and everything else standing in the way of your goals. Gerard Shaw, a communication coach and creator of this powerful series, explores the science of success of people who discovered the secrets of winning through effective communication.