So You Want To Help

How do you help someone with a Mental Illness? How do you care and show support? Five basic things everyone should know.

Do you fear becoming overwhelmed with the problems of others?

Do you think you have to be super informed or educated to be able to help others?

Well, that was what I thought before I became involved in helping people with Major Mental Illnesses.

After 20 years of supporting people, I have distilled my learning down to 5 basic things I think everyone should know.

So here is what is in the e-book.

Care Topics Covered

• Pastoral Care – more than offering a scone
• The Conscious and Disciplined use of the Self – being aware of what you bring into the caring situation.
• Empowering the Other – discovering how transformation happens through empowering others. Ten ways in which Jesus empowered others.
• Lines of Love and Respect – Boundaries but with a bit more depth
• Problem Solving – a simple proven way in which we can help others to solve their problems.
• Understanding Stress – checking out how stress and vulnerability affect our mental health and what can be done about it.

Available in epub, Mobi (Kindle), and pdf

Get your copy here

Pay What You Want

Reviews 

I’m a big fan of Barry’s blog and knew the book was going to have a lot of great insight. He caught my attention with talking about pastoral care by writing:

“It will require being both the ambulance ‘Good Samaritan’ at the bottom of the cliff and a ‘fence enabler’ at the top. Let the latter be the preferred option.”

The man has the experience and the wisdom that comes with it.

I’m getting back into full-time vocational ministry, and this book was timely for me. It reminded me of things I can’t afford to forget about.

Thank you, Barry, for sharing your insight. Trevor H. Lund

This attractively presented book on caring for and supporting others is a useful and practical resource for individuals and for groups wanting to learn more about pastoral care. Barry’s style of writing is fresh, crisp, and uncluttered. Each chapter has helpful information, questions, and exercises to do. He has included some very practical resources, such as a process for problem-solving and setting goals. I would highly recommend this book.  Gary Corbett

“In short, practical pages, enlivened by anecdote and observation, Barry offers five simple lessons to help us help others. Putting even half of what he offers into action will prevent me from being an ‘Unguided Pastoral Missile,’ and by using all of it all the time, all of us can become much more effective in ministry. If there is a defect with this book, it is that it is too short. There is far, far more that Barry could say, and one senses that these few chapters are a very small spill from his sack of wisdom. But the brevity of this work can only increase its effectiveness; no-one can say they lack the half-hour it will take to engage with these insights.” Carolyn

You may also want to read Understanding Men

Understanding Men: How to Listen so You can Connect