Books
Healers, Helpers and Guides: Stormy Times - The True Gift
by Bertie Ryan Synowiec, M.S.
Every event in our life serves a purpose and provides us with an opportunity to learn and grow. Sometimes, when we don't yet understand this, we blame others and move away from the lesson, rather than walk through the pain with an open heart. In her book, Healers, Helpers and Guides: Stormy Times - The True Gift, Bertie looks back at the experiences in her life, the adversities, that actually prepared her for her purpose and mission. As she shares her inner journey with an enormous depth of understanding of those events as illusions, based on her perceptions at the time, her reality transforms and her perspective shifts. With this awakening the true gift emerges, as she finds that she no longer needs to remain stuck in her history. A new sense of freedom and lightness comes forth, that is filled with love and gratitude for those people, places and events, that brought her to this present moment. So familiar to many of us, this is a healing concept that mankind struggles with daily, as each of us sort out those events that appear to be beyond explanation hoping that someday we will can see the True Gift in our Stormy Times.
What readers are saying about:
Healers, Helpers and Guides: Stormy Times - The True Gift
In Stormy Times: The True Gift, Bertie challenges the reader to
embrace life's adversities as opportunities to learn and grow. She shares her
own inner journey along with strategies for transforming reality by changing
one's perceptions of it. Your Stormy Times - is a True Gift to us!
Vicki Phillips, author of Personal Development, a Curriculum for At-risk
Youth, Empowering Discipline and Turning Them Around
So many things in life we know and understand yet we have had to revisit them
from time to time with a new perspective in order to define and assimilate these
awakenings, own them and then move on to a higher plain. Stormy Times: The True
Gift exemplifies this shift and reminds us to seek that new level of thinking
within ourselves. Shirley Brackett, Family Living Teacher Author, Become a
More Positive Person
You have taken some of the most challenging issues of our time, synthesized and
discussed them as if you and the reader were talking as friends, sitting
together in the same room and having a conversation. Thank you, Bertie, for
sharing this powerful journey so as to guide us as we follow our own. Dr. Pat Goff, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Health,
Psychology and Wellness, Department of Diagnosis Palmer College of Chiropractic
I like this book very much. I took a great deal of the wisdom to heart and I
learned from it. Those understandings I should have had years ago while teaching
and raising a daughter. A great deal of thought and experience is evident. Your
books surely help many people. Margaret Wallace, Librarian
From reading your autobiographical sketches, it is obvious you have learned to
cherish those stormy times as true gifts. Nice reworking of "old stuff"
into the present moment. Jyude A. Allbright, author Soul
Steps... Power Stepping to Recovery
This book contains so many important concepts delivered with words from the
heart. Thank you.Rod Garreton, Ph.D., Illinois Resource Center
The depth of Bertie's perception and understanding of such a challenging topic
changes lives as she brings so many answers to life's questions within reach.
This book is timeless. Marlene Joan Perok, Vocalist, Reflections of Memorable
Songs Composer and Musician
Bertie's eagerness to shake the Healing Tree of Knowledge led her down an
incredible journey of self-discovery. Her books offer healing lessons with
life-changing guidance. Kathleen Rusin Acker, Editor, Heart and Soul
Connections Author, Love Takes Time
Healers, Helpers and Guides: Stormy Times - The True Gift
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Setting the stage for Change:
Everything Serves a Purpose
Traditional and Restructured Systems
2. Self-Esteem: Why Bother?
Indicators of Low Self-Esteem
Traits of High Self-Esteem
Lopsided Perceptions and Choices to Grow
3. Feeling and Other Illusions:
Stretching Beyond Our Comfort Zone
Activity 1 - Ground Rules for Group Sharing
Activity 2 - Experiencing Our Feelings
Activity 3 - Prioritizing Perceptions
Activity 4 - Planning Board
Activity 5 - Choosing Discussion Topics
Activity 6 - "Setting the Table" for Discussion
Activity 7 - Follow-up Exercise
Conflict! Conflict! Conflict!
Activity 8 - Strategies for the Resolution of Conflict
We Just Didn't Know It Was Our Path in Life
4. Life's Challenges: Preparing to Take Action
Bill of Rights for Children of Divorced Parents
Activity 9 - Issues Affecting Our Lives
Activity 10 - Defining Moments in Our Life
Activity 11 - A Letter of Gratitude
Believe You Can and You Will
5. Co-dependency: It's All in Our Perception
Activity 12 - Co-dependency: Choices and Beliefs
Activity 13 - Shifting a Perspective
Activity 14 - Empowering Self Worth: A Personal Inventory
Activity 15 - Your Letter of Recommendation
6. The Bridge Connecting Self-Esteem, Chemical Dependency and Healing
What Qualifies the Problem Drinker?
Forms of Denial
As a Young Person, Do You Need Alateen?
7. The Family System: A Balancing Act
In Which House Do You Live?
The Family Mobile: Behaviors and Perceptions
-Scapegoat
Perspectives: Neutralizing the Charges
Liability or Asset
-Mascot
Ants in My Pants
-Hero
The University Wouldn't Take Him
-Lost Child
Will She (He) Ever Stop Yelling?
Activity 16 - Your Family System
8. Chemical Kids - Toxic Kids
Kids in Pain Are Difficult to Teach
Signs of a Problem - Chemical Kids
Common Personality Changes
Why Do You Force Me to Talk To A Chemical
When All I Want Is Your Heart
Behaviors Often Influenced by Chemical Dependency
Outwitted
9. Problem Ownership, Boundaries and the Co- dependent Enabler
Activity 17 - Problem Identification
Problem Solving Methods
Boundaries, Limits and Consequences
Whose Job Is It?
Activity 18 - Boundaries and Limits
Issues of Anger and Control
Activity 19 - Control Issues Identified
Do You Empower or Enable?
Where Do We Go From Here?
10. Strategies That Build Resiliency
Activity 20 -The Twenty-Four Hour Challenge
Strategies That Build Resiliency
1 - Choose not to be a victim
2 - Identify the problem and understand
who owns it
3 - Separate from the problem and do not own it unless
you are part of the problem
4 - Acknowledge that you are powerless over
another's choice of behavior
5 - Change your reaction to their behavior
6 - Clearly define the boundaries for their choices
7 - Be consistent with reasonable and achievable consequences
for any violation of these boundaries
8 - Embrace with love that which we cannot control.
9 - Take as much time to care of yourself as you have
so generously given to others
10 - Practice, practice and practice taking care of yourself
so that others can no longer push your buttons
To Embrace That Which We Wish To Run From Takes Love
11. Gratitude or Forgiveness: Which Path Do You Choose?
Types of Abuse
A Shifting Perspective
Just For Today - I Have a Choice
12. Parenting Through the Eyes of the Child
Parents as Partners in the Learning Process
Creating A Consistent Plan of Action
Building Healthy Relationships with Your Child
Ten Commandments of Good Listening
Please Listen To Me
What Adolescents Need
The Group Experience: A Chance to Sort Things Out
Parenting Group Meeting
Follow-up Parenting Workshops
Things to Remember
13. Parenting Our Parents: A Family Affair
Sisters, Brothers and Other Relatives
We No Longer Danced Her Dance
Heaven's Gift
14. The Healing That Took A Lifetime
The Estate: A Peaceful Settlement