Most Popular Books by Robert J. Wicks

One of the greatest gifts helping professionals can share with others is a sense of their own peace. However, retaining and renewing a sense of a healthy perspective requires not only self-care strategies, but also an awareness of basic profound, yet simple, wisdom themes. The Inner Life of the Counselor presents classic and contemporary wisdom that examines and explores each of these themes in a way that both professional and non-professional helpers will find revealing and meaningful in understanding their own journey. Informed by the author''s over thirty years of experience as a therapist, mentor, and clinical supervisor of professional helpers?as well as by his expertise in resiliency and prevention of secondary stress?The Inner Life of the Counselor thoughtfully looks at those elements that encourage sustained personal growth and professional development, such as self-care, stress management, and mindfulness. Lively, practical, and marked by an elegant sense of simplicity, this nurturing book demonstrates how exploring the inner life can lead counselors to new wisdom and inner peace?not only for themselves but also for those who come to them for relief and insight. It is an invitation to pause, reflect, renew, and navigate one of contemporary society''s most challenging yet rewarding professions.

Introduction: Continually Creating New Inner Psychological Space. An Ongoing Process of Mindfulness. 1. Sensing the Dangers: Chronic and Acute Secondary Stress. 2. Enhancing Resiliency: Strengthening One''s Own Self-Care Protocol. 3. Replenishing the Self: Solitude, Silence...and Mindfulness. 4. Daily Debriefing: Mindfulness and Positive Psychology as an Integral Part of the Clinician''s Ongoing Reflective Process. Epilogue: Clinician. Clinician: An Honorable Profession, a Meaningful Life. References. Appendices. 1-1. Causes for Burnout. 1-2. Daily Burnout: A Sampling of Key Signs and Symptoms.

"Resilience is an evergreen topic of interest. People are naturally drawn to information on how to improve self-care, develop a rich circle of friends, gain and maintain a healthy perspective, as well as become more attuned to ways of uncovering and productively spending periods of alone time. Such opportunities help improve self-awareness and understanding. They help improve our emotional intellect so we don''t immediately react but instead pause to reflect and process life as it unfolds. Self-care, friendship, a healthy perspective, and reflective periods also aid us to balance independence and collaboration as well as know how much psychological safety is needed so we can risk without being rash"--

With total book sales of more than 200,000 copies, spiritual teacher Robert J. Wicks brings his characteristic warmth and insight to his newest book, an "inner workshop" for the soul. He shows readers that personal transformation is attainable through a simple, day-by-day process of identifying and turning the next corner of his or her spiritual life. For Robert Wicks, forward motion in the spiritual life is "no problem." All it takes is the right perspective and a little bit of knowledge--both of which he provides through his book''s three-part structure: twenty lessons, three doorways, and thirty daily exercises. Wicks''s twenty lessons are bite-sized and practical, and he shows how the two great commandments (love God, love others) and the parable of the Good Samaritan form doorways to spiritual riches. In part three, Wicks provides the tools and coaching for readers to conduct their own inner workshops. In these thirty spiritual exercises, Wicks invites his readers to acknowledge, accept, and start where they are, employing simple practices and assuring that God''s grace will carry them around the next spiritual corner.

For generations, classic wisdom literature has taught that a healthy perspective can replenish our thirst for a meaningful and rewarding life. From its inception clinical psychology has followed suit, revealing that how we see ourselves and the world is more important than what we see or have-in essence, that a healthy perspective is tantamount to possessing the psychological "pearl of great price." Robert J. Wicks, world-renowned psychologist and author of Bounce: Living the Resilient Life, has written a powerful guide for discovering and regaining a balanced and healthy perspective. Combining classic wisdom with cutting-edge research in cognitive behavioral therapy and positive psychology, his new book, Perspective, offers concrete steps for overcoming doubt and resistance to openness, so that beneficial life changes become possible. Drawing on the psychology of mindfulness, gratitude, and happiness, Dr. Wicks also reveals how a healthy perspective makes us more aware of the beneficial things already present in our lives. Perspective teaches us to see ourselves more completely and will inspire us to become the calm within the storm, better able to enjoy our experiences, maintain balance in our professional and personal lives, and reach out to others without being pulled down in the process.

This book is an invitation to come home to your authentic self in a world that is frequently mesmerized by "spin," narcissism, fantasy, and exhibitionism. Psychology and classic wisdom literature have, in various ways, long recognized the value for simply becoming who you are (i.e., ordinariness). However, this call is becoming increasingly drowned out by the many other voices that emphasize publicity and image-making over authenticity and humility. Renowned therapist and author Robert Wicks has written The Tao of Ordinariness as a way of beginning to address these tendencies in contemporary society. In this new countercultural work, the strength and joy of exploring who you are - and proceeding to share yourself with others in a way that they too can reclaim themselves - is revisited from a range of vantage points. The author specifically reexamines themes of humility, simplicity, letting go, self-awareness, "alonetime," resilience, and mentoring. In an era when people increasingly measure self-worth by external measures, such as the number of likes and views and followers on social media feeds (which have many individuals chasing impossible fantasies and living with a constant fear of "missing out"), Wicks offers a return to your authentic self.

"I remember encountering a young colleague who came in to discuss a psychotherapy patient she was treating. She looked fatigued and almost sad, so I said to her, "Before we get into the case you wanted to discuss, how are you doing? You look drained." In return, she got teary, and said in a quiet, hoarse voice, "I think my soul is tired." In response, I smiled slightly, leaned back and said, "Well, we can''t have that, can we. Why not tell me what has been going on over the past weeks or months that strike you as particularly draining since are normally quite positive and filled with great spirits.""--

In his most intimate self-portrait, Robert J. Wicks--bestselling author of Riding the Dragon and respected spiritual guide, therapist, and speaker--reflects on childhood summers spent away from New York on his family''s farm. He mines those memories for lessons in finding contentment amidst hectic contemporary life. Author, speaker, psychologist, and spiritual guide Robert J. Wicks opens a window into his personal life, relating stories of the people and places that shaped his spiritual perspective in youth and early in his professional career. Now in paperback, Streams of Contentment shows Wicks as a New York City boy spending summers on his uncle''s farm in the Catskills. He highlights the resonance between life in the country and the insights of spiritual writers on gratefulness and mindfulness, concluding: "The crucial calling for me now is to be content with who and where I already am."

For almost thirty years, Availability has been a trusted guide for cultivating openness and being present to God, self, and others. In this new edition, Robert Wicks describes availability as a challenging but spiritually rewarding way to live a more balanced life. Drawing insights from his spiritual mentors Henri Nouwen and Thomas Merton, Wicks shows how freely entering into the turmoil and joy of other people''s lives can lead to deeper self-knowledge and a powerful encounter with Christ. In this simple, accessible book written in his characteristic warm and direct style, Wicks shows how self-awareness, compassion for others, and prayer are but different turns on the same road of finding and living the Truth. Wicks looks at the three dimensions of spirituality through the lens of availability. Looking first at self-awareness, he offers brief chapters on forgiveness, clarity, and the uniqueness of each person. In part two, he examines availability to others as a twofold challenge: negotiating the difficulties inherent in relationships and entering into others'' pain. In part three, Wicks explores availability to God, focusing on letting go and experiencing him.

This repackaged edition of Dr. Robert J. Wicks''s most popular book will revitalize his message of ordinariness, self-esteem, and friendship for a new generation of spiritual seekers. Infusing the wisdom of ancient and contemporary Christians with his own vast experience as a parent, teacher, and counselor, Dr. Wicks demonstrates that the simplicity and openness of truly ordinary people is a meeting place with God. Dr. Wicks''s wise guidance includes descriptions of the four types of friends we need for the spiritual journey, principles of self-respect, checklists on openness and listening, skills for stress management, and much more.

We''ve all had times when bouncing back from the ordinary stress of daily life or an unexpected tragedy seems to be an insurmountable challenge. We need a way to recover resilience. If you''re facing difficult times, Dr. Robert Wicks is here to help you regain your balance by discovering resources you may have been taking for granted. Through 30 daily reflections, you can gradually find your way back to a place of serenity and renewed energy. Wicks draws on the wisdom and insight of great teachers and healers throughout the ages, as well as the wealth of insight from the Scriptures to show how a renewed spiritual life can bring you to a place of psychological strength.

Building on the groundbreaking original work with the same title, these articles focus on current issues, such as certain life stages, special populations, the devalued and abused, the addicted and special issues of the 1990''s.

Now reissued, this book encourages and enables readers to discover simplicity with single-mindedness in the midst of life''s turmoil. +

Publisher description: Robert Wicks addresses the need to prepare spiritually, rather than financially, for retirement. Wicks encourages readers to focus on three areas of preparation: building interior lives with prayer, caring for others from a deeper place in the soul and nurturing their own soul and hopeful heart. Wicks carefully mixes ideas, quotations, stories, humor and original prayers to provide practical spiritual advice and keen psychological reflection. He offers refreshing new ways to pray, including learning how to enjoy solitude, practicing "spiritual letter writing," developing one''s own parables and practicing the gift of presence. All these help readers embrace God at the center of their lives.

Written as a partial antidote to the isolation and potential alienation of people living in a world that is moving too fast, this book adapts insights gleaned from the pastoral counseling profession to help everyday people hone and heighten gifts that can help them reach out to others in a more Christian and transformational form of caring. The authors offer concrete means to help readers enhance their talents in the areas of listening, being supportive, problem solving, dealing with crises and knowing when and how to refer in order to equip them as they seek to offer care to others in daily encounters.

The mental and physical health of caregivers impacts more than just that individual worker. It affects the health of their patients, it impacts their families, it shapes communities, it influences politics, and it plays into international relations. Medical and nursing professionals working in today''s health care settings must be prepared to offer support in dangerous times despite staffing shortages, financial pressures, and complex legal requirements. The nature of this work puts these professionals in harm''s way not only physically, but at greater risk for secondary stress, trauma, burnout and other emotional impacts exacerbating the need for self-care. There is no better time to revisit the problem of secondary stress among caregivers than on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. Times of challenge and change test health care professionals'' self-care insights, strategy, and reserves. New learnings and ways of maneuvering through difficult professional practice situations and life in general can become permanent elements in our self-care cache. This book will enrich the reader''s insights and strategies with respect to secondary stress leading to enhanced resilience of mind, body and spirit. This second edition draws on content in the first edition and information from classic literature and research findings about the phenomenon of secondary stress experienced by nurses, physicians and physician assistants. This book highlights the importance of interprofessional communication and support in ameliorating the stressors of clinical work, an effort enhanced by interdisciplinary co-authorship. Educators and front line clinicians have come to the realization that the recognition and self-management of secondary stress and burnout will contribute to a high functioning, caring health care delivery system in the future that prevents attrition and major health problems for those in clinical careers. Overcoming Secondary Stress in Medical and Nursing Practice is an indispensable resource for medical and nursing professionals, students, and the counselors and therapists who work with them.

Stories, ideas and truths that show how to nourish the human spirit--our own and that of those we meet along life''s journey.

"From the inspiring chapter quotes, to relevant historical and current research, to practical clinical directions, Primer on Posttraumatic Growth takes a giant step toward both grounding us and moving us ahead with strong hope for adjustment and growth in the post-trauma/loss world. This is a comprehensive, practical, and readable work that should be at hand for any mental health clinician, pastoral care professional, or student preparing for these professions." —J. Shep Jeffreys, EdD, FT, author of Helping Grieving People—When Tears Are Not Enough: A Handbook for Care Providers, Second Edition A guide for helping your clients overcome negative events, based on the latest research on posttraumatic growth Drawing on the growing empirical and theoretical material on posttraumatic growth—an outgrowth of the positive psychology movement—Primer on Posttraumatic Growth provides insight, depth, and treatment recommendations for both the clinicians who work with those who have experienced dramatic negative events in their lives and for other professionals who support victims of trauma and extreme stress. This essential primer examines: The connections between meaning and growth The impact of cognitive processing on posttraumatic growth Positive emotion and posttraumatic growth Posttraumatic growth and an "open" personality The human drive to be in positive and important interpersonal relationships Forgiveness: can it be extended towards all areas of posttraumatic growth? Posttraumatic growth and religious and spiritual variables Wisdom and posttraumatic growth

Discover new freedom through this step-by-step approach to living life with a sense of joy, compassion, hope, and commitment. The author offers helpful hints to quietly overcome the resistances that limit our ability to become the persons we were meant to be. Featured in the Washington Post.

Pastoral counseling is one of the fastest growing ministry specialties in the emerging world church. ''Pastoral Counseling in a Global Church'' vividly presents the experiences of people involved in ministry in different cultures, in Asia, Africa, and Latin America as well as Europe and Australia. Its practical, narrative-style approach complements more theoretical treatments of cross-cultural counseling. In our increasingly global and multicultural world, sensitivity to the ways in which families and cultures are central to growth in Christian life is essential for pastoral counselors. This is especially true since, in many cultures, the pastoral ministry is the first one people turn to for help, before mental health or other professionals. Those who can apply culturally-relevant and sensitive pastoral skills can provide real help to those in need: whether in a multicultural parish in North America, or anywhere in the world.

Now in paperback, Prayerfulness,by Robert J. Wicks--therapist, speaker, and bestselling author of Riding the Dragon--examines what it means to live fully in the present moment, with eyes wide open to life and to God. Blending insights from Christian contemplation and Buddhist mindfulness, Robert J. Wicks offers a brilliant guide to cultivating a receptive and reflective attitude to life. A rich array of insights--including seven practical steps, a thirty-day at-home retreat, and a "spiritual mindfulness questionnaire"--helps readers develop a loving, clear, and balanced outlook. Drawing from classic and contemporary spiritual writing, Wicks explores seven steps to growth in prayerfulness, including creating simple rituals, honoring life''s fragility, facing difficulties directly, and befriending anger. Thirty days of reflections, quotations, and questions also guide readers to form or strengthen a practice of daily prayer. A special feature is the innovative spiritual mindfulness questionnaire, a set of thirty open-ended questions that lead to a clearer sense of how present one is to daily life. Filled with practical wisdom and rooted in sound psychological principles, Prayerfulness is a clear and simple manual to living fully in the present moment.

“Riding the Dragon gives the reader the chance to look for the lessons that are often hidden in our sorrows.”—Goodreads reviewer Twenty years and 70,000 copies after it was first released, Riding the Dragon—by popular author, speaker, and psychologist Robert J. Wicks—continues to help thousands each year to confront the “dragons” of stress, discouragement, burnout, and unexpected change that everyone struggles with in their daily lives. Instead of pretending these difficulties don’t exist or trying to remove them entirely, Wicks offers ten lessons to help us face them, overcome them, and grow from them. These simple yet profound lessons draw on the wisdom of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions as well as Wicks’s experience as a psychologist, and include pairing clarity with kindness, seeking perspective daily, and building a barrier of simplicity. Riding the Dragon is a concise, compassionate, and knowledgeable guide for anyone experiencing or supporting someone facing personal or professional challenges. This twentieth anniversary edition features a new preface from the author, highlighting how Riding the Dragon is, perhaps now more than ever, an indispensable spiritual and psychological companion for all of us who are yearning for our lives to be transformed.

Caring for our family members, friends, and others is a central part of a rewarding life. For those in healing and helping professions such as medicine, nursing, education, psychotherapy, social work, ministry, and the military, the potential for a meaningful way of being may even become more possible. But, compassion is not easy. At times, concern for others can be personally devastating when we don''t possess the right attitude and approach. Reaching out (and reflectively within) without being pulled down requires the wisdom that only arises out of the right combination of humility and knowledge. Night Call offers the stories and principles gleaned over many years of writing and mentoring for those in the helping and healing professions. The stories are offered in ways that foster compassionate caring while encouraging initiative in those who seek to personally deepen and share their lives with others -- especially in times of significant need. With this in mind, Dr. Wicks presents information on: - being a healing presence - mining fruits of the failures all of us must experience at times - the need to enjoy the daily crumbs of alonetime - the importance of a spirit of unlearning - developing a simple realistic self-care program - valuing informal or formal mentoring - recognizing the 3 calls to which we must respond to as we psychologically develop - honoring life''s most elusive psychological virtue (humility) Purposely brief, the chapters, as well as the sections in the personal resiliency retreat section at the end of the book, have as their goal a reconsideration of values, signature strengths, and simple approaches to living a resilient, rewarding life. Rather than presenting new breakthroughs, Night Call is designed to dust off what most of us already know, at some level, so we can freshly view the key approaches and techniques that provide increased psychological self-awareness and a potentially healthier sense of presence to others. The themes offered may have been forgotten, or become undervalued/set aside because of some of society''s dysfunctional norms or unhelpful family influences. In response, this simple, countercultural book combines the value of essential self-compassion with caring for others in ways that provide the impetus for further exploration of a fuller narrative for both the readers of this work and unforeseen opportunities as well for those who are fortunate enough to cross their paths.

In this practical and hopeful book, the author leads readers on the path of sensitivity, encouraging them not to withdraw from the darkness in the world, while warning of the pitfalls of cynicism and burnout. Rooted in the richness of spiritual tradition, this book is indeed a guiding light for those who seek to live a sensitive life.

Provides professionals in counseling, nursing, education, and community health with the behavior theory and applications for intervening with the emotional disturbed. Discusses the history and philosophy, diagnosis and classification, strategies and procedures for intervention and treatment, communi

In this small but fully packed book, ths authors reflect on one of life''s most important experiences. And they do so from the vantage point of a friendship that evolved from a professional acquaintanceship--author and editor--offering firsthand wisdom on being a friend and recognizing a friend.