Tales of a Wounded Healer

Book excerpt: Tales of a Wounded Healer begins by revealing the 27-year odyssey of renowned psychotherapist Mariah Fenton Gladis through her diagnosis and subsequent life with Lou Gehrig's Disease, and how that diagnosis catapulted her to envision and develop a new method of psychotherapy that dramatically facilitates healing and change. Mariah turns her former approach inside out by moving from encouraging people to cope with their lot in life, to empowering them to understand and provide for the compelling force and potential of their own personal needs. The book shows that when met with respect, love and compassion, human needs can arm people with the capacity to transform their lives and contribute to the healing of others. In this book, Mariah Fenton Gladis presents strong practical and theoretical instruction for the concept of creating exact moments of healing; moments grounded in awareness that precisely respond to and provide for the emergent need of an individual, family or community. These are the moments that produce substantial shifts in a person's worldview, character, and capacity to create meaningful contact with themselves, others and their environment. Tales of a Wounded Healer presents true stories of people who have changed their lives through this profound work and describes the seminal moments that shaped their transformation. These stories focus on specific moments of healing in detail and illustrate such themes as the importance of receptivity in healthy human functioning, recovery from post traumatic stress syndrome, the need for supportive community, mending fractured families, creating self-esteem and empowerment, development of a compassionate relationship with self and others, and recovery from sexual abuse and trauma. Throughout the book, the Mariah Fenton Gladis addresses the reader in an attempt to inspire and educate and make the chapters applicable to the readers' lives. About the Author Mariah Fenton Gladis, MSS, QCSW, is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training in Malvern, Pennsylvania. An internationally renowned workshop leader and trainer, Mariah conducts weekend and weeklong workshops locally at her Center and at Esalen Institute in California. She also conducts seminars in New Jersey, Maine, Arizona, Hawaii, Germany, Ireland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Recently, Mariah was named Social Worker Of The Year in Pennsylvania, and conducted a workshop on the power of dreams in Machu Picchu, Peru where 30 people from the United States attended. In 2005, she was given the "Hope and Courage" award from the ALS Association, and in 2006 received a "Stevie" lifetime achievement award for women in business. As a 27-year survivor of Lou Gehrig's Disease, Mariah is also an inspirational speaker, sharing her personal approach to healing and living with a life-threatening illness. Testimonials "Mariah Fenton Gladis has translated her own personal and professional history into a highly accessible manual for healing and change." Paula S. Rosen, MSS, Ph.D. Counseling and Psychological Services Swarthmore College "Every page of this book testifies to a compassion that is sharp because the author's mental vigor is keen, penetrating and discerning. But beyond that, the reader will feel embraced by the only healing force there is: Love." Brother David Steindl-Rast, author of Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer "This book is a extraordinary window into a singularly remarkable therapist." Ken Duckworth, MD, Medical Director National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) "To the fortunate reader, this book is an inspiring deconstruction of some of your own ideas and a personal treat. Enjoy!" Gordon Wheeler, PhD, President, Esalen Institute