Power Abused, Power Healed

Power Abused, Power Healed
Judith Barr
Mysteries of Life
ISBN: 1-886264-24-4
Non-Fiction, Psychology
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

We all know that events of our childhood color the way we view the world. Often a single incident will leave us feeling confused, angry, and stuck in a replicating pattern of self destructive behavior. In recognizing that something needs to change, we seek finally help. Unfortunately, finding the right type of aid can often be extremely difficult. Sometimes, the people who are meant to help us actually reinforce our unhealthy beliefs or strengthen our unhealthy life patterns. The really sad thing is that the majority of these people truly want to make things better but their own unresolved issues cloud their vision.
Power Abused, Power Healed is an eye opening experience. Most of the chapters of this book follow a single experience of one individual, although the reader soon finds out that many of the stories do tie together. Each chapter starts off with a rendition of the same fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. The emperor walks around the street naked. None of the adults are willing to speak up but a single child states the truth.
The tone of each chapter then changes depending upon the experience of that particular child. One child may have been completely ignored, another beaten, and yet another urged on by the crowd only to be abandoned when the punishment was doled out. Once the story is complete, the real story begins. The child forgets the truth of his or her outburst and goes on to live life. However, the experience of that single incident never leaves them. Many go on to seek help only to have their unhealthy beliefs reinforced by others.
The moral of Power Abused, Power Healed is absolutely invaluable. We each need to look to our own issues before we can help others. Although this book makes that very clear about mental and spiritual health resources that lesson is just as valuable to parents, teachers, and anyone who interacts with other people (meaning the entire planet).