Hidden Victims Hidden Healers: An Eight-Stage Healing Process For Families And Friends Of The Mentally Ill

by Julie Tallard Johnson

Book Overview

The impetus of this book began with a personal search of mine for support groups for families of those with mental illness. I had a brother with Schizophrenia. I was also finishing up my graduate degree in Social Work (back in 1982). What these groups for families of the mentally ill "supported" concerned me. What I typically found were dysfunctional groups supporting negative and even hostile mindsets. Most of them encouraged a victim mentality to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0964043009
• ISBN13: 9780964043008
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: P E M a Publications, Incorporated
• Length: 218 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

a great help

I found this book to be very helpful to me. It has given me so much info to help me see my life with mentally ill spouse. I have learned the "rules" of dealing with a mentally ill person. I would recommend this to anyone who is searching for help on dealing with this issue.

A great resource

When I was beginning to try to write about my own family's experience, I stumbled across a reference to this book -- which was then out of print. I was lucky enough to find a copy and found it an invaluable resource in understanding not only the schizophrenia in my family but also the family dynamics that aggravated the effect of the disease. I am so thrilled that this is back in print -- it's a must-have for family members!

Compassion, not sacrifice

Hidden Victims, Hidden Healers is an excellent resource book for family and friends of people who are living with some form of mental or emotional disorder. Written in a no-nonsense, accessible style, and filled with true-life stories of others in this position, Hidden Victims, Hidden Healers offers the reader options without giving advice, lets the reader know that they are not alone in their difficulty, and suggests additional resources for both the reader and their loved one. Perhaps best of all is the permission which Ms. Johnson gives the reader to live their own life-being compassionate to a loved one does not mean sacrificing your own right to a happy and fulfilling life. As a fellow professional, as well as one who has herself been in this dilemma, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

excellent practical guildelines for self-examination

I've conducted a support group two times through this book and it's excellent. Johnson concentrates on what you can do for yourself, how you can grow into a deeper person. Help your mentally ill relative or friend by becoming stronger yourself. Her eight stages begin with Awareness of yourself and validation of your feelings and go on from there to tackle guilt, forgiveness, and growth among other areas. Wonderul and extremely helpful. Because of this book I can say I have grown through this experience