abuse – The Self-Help Whisperer®

From My Bookshelf

Help Yourself – Indeed!

-- Trigger Warning - Child Abuse. No specific details given. -- Dave Pelzer is a study in perseverance and resilience. The three books I read before this one (A Child…

From My Bookshelf

Remember this one?* – Victims No More (For men and those who love them)

I almost always write about books I’ve read in the past… peppered with a few new ones as I come across and read them. Today is an exception. I bought…

Self-Help Whispering

Bio Moment – Why don’t I feel better?

Quick programming note: I know that not all of us feel the same about the recent election and I have no desire to discuss or debate politics EVER again in…

From My Bookshelf

Family Secrets – It’s not like it used to be

John Bradshaw was not a newcomer to the self-help landscape when this book came out, nor is he a newbie here on my site, as I've written about a couple…

From My Bookshelf

Hillbilly Elegy – The American Dream

26 Oct 202026 Oct 2020

Today's offering is not a self-help book but in typical Sheryl-fashion, I found threads that connect. Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance is a deeply authentic, heartbreaking book... even though our…

From My Bookshelf

Remember this one? – Women Who Love Too Much

17 Jul 202017 Jul 2020

Almost nothing is too much trouble, takes too much time, or is too expensive if it will “help” the man you are involved with. (Pg. 8 – Women Who Love…

From My Bookshelf

Remember this one? – “Her name, Titanic”

29 Mar 202029 Mar 2020

March 29, 2020: Sometimes I feel led to share something and don't know why. This post jumped out at me today so I'm sharing it. It's one of my favorites!…

From My Bookshelf

Memory and Abuse – With a caveat

11 Nov 201928 Apr 2022

Charles L. Whitfield, MD is one of my favorite self-help authors. I've mentioned him before regarding his excellent book Healing the Child Within. However, today we are talking about Memory and Abuse…

Self-Help Whispering

Remember this one? – Trauma and Recovery

11 Oct 201911 Oct 2019

Note: October, 2019 - This post was originally written on March 26, 2018 LINK HERE and I didn't include a very important TRIGGER WARNING for suicidal ideation, violence, and abuse. Trauma and…

From My Bookshelf

Save-My-Life School – Raw, Ouchie and Beautiful

10 Sep 20199 Oct 2019

Sometimes, after finishing a book, I sit back, close my eyes, and consider what I've just been privileged to experience. Save-My-Life School by Natalie Harris is one of those times...…

From My Bookshelf

Toxic Parents – Emotional aftereffects

2 Sep 201916 Mar 2022

Trigger warning: Discussion of abuse. No details, no photos. Toxic Parents by Dr. Susan Forward has been patiently sitting on my shelf waiting for me to pick it up and write…

Self-Help Whispering

Remember this one? – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

“Remember this one?” = Posts that you may have missed the first time around. This post was originally posted by me on February 14, 2018 A selection from Still I Rise by Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014)…

Teaser for Upcoming Interview – Carol: Here’s the story

21 Jul 201924 Jul 2019

I wrote the first paragraph of this post a dozen times. How do I describe a woman who grabbed my heart the first time I met her and didn't let…

Self-Help Whispering

Remember this one? – The Emotionally Abused Woman

19 Jul 20193 Jun 2021

Note: "Remember this one?" = Posts that you may have missed the first time around. This post was originally posted by me on February 13, 2018 The Emotionally Abused Woman by…

Self-Help Whispering

Soul Without Shame – Heavyweight contender

11 Jun 201912 Jun 2019

If you're looking for a quick-fix for your shame, Soul Without Shame by Byron Brown is NOT it. Not that it's a difficult read - it isn't - but that…

Self-Help Whispering

Closer Look – Transparency vs. Privacy vs. Secrecy

9 May 201916 Feb 2021

In yesterday's post, I brought up something that deserves some extra attention. I've decided to start a new category to share insights into specific topics within my blog posts. These…

Self-Help Whispering

Remember this one? – The Courage to Heal

**Trigger warning: Childhood Sexual Abuse** I didn’t begin this blog and then go out and buy books to write about, as you know. That means, every book I share about…

Self-Help Whispering

Easy like Sunday – DON’T GO THERE! (This flies in the face of everything I’ve read about healing trauma.)

21 Apr 201912 Aug 2020

As many of you know, my mother is a Dr. Mom (Ph.D. Jungian therapist) and I respect her immensely. She has been my guru and my muse on many-a-post(s) here.…

Self-Help Whispering

Bio Moment – “You are a pig”

17 Apr 201917 Apr 2019

A few things you need to know before we get into today's post: I haven't forgotten about the Tapping Solution. In fact, I will be writing about it soon. I…

From My Bookshelf

A Series – The Tapping Solution – Part 2

12 Mar 20199 Oct 2019

This (probably/obviously) follows up A Series – The Tapping Solution – Part 1. The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner is an amazing book and program. That said, I have a confession... and it pains…

Self-Help Whispering

In The News – Violent Men: Can we (at least) discuss this?

11 Mar 201912 Mar 2019

Trigger Warning: Violence (physical, emotional and verbal abuse discussed) Disclaimer: Not everyone is a victim or perpetrator. However, there are still too many wounded women and children, in particular. 1 in…

From My Bookshelf

The Last Self-Help Book You’ll Ever Need – Hey! That’s what I was gonna name MY book!

10 Mar 20199 Oct 2019

If you're like me, you think I've already written about this book. In fact, I haven't. We are confusing it with this "last book" I wrote about in October, 2018. The…

From My Bookshelf

A Series – The Tapping Solution – Part 1

9 Mar 201915 Sep 2021

Something disappointing happened this last week. Well, disappointing is probably too light a word... it was ... kind of ... devistating. Through it, an interesting thing happened and it is…

Interview – Kaden Ferretti: Friend, neighbor, and lighthouse

8 Feb 201911 Feb 2019

You first heard about my friend (and community-support-powerhouse) Kaden in this shameless teaser. Readers, I have shared so often that everyone you meet has something to teach you, if you…

From My Bookshelf

Toxic Friends – Falling to pieces

31 Jan 201920 Jul 2021

Men seem to kick friendship around like a football, but it doesn't seem to crack. Women treat it as glass and it goes to pieces. -Anne Morrow Lindbergh Toxic Friends…

Self-Help Whispering

Remember this one? – Recovery of Your Inner Child

Genius is childhood recaptured. – Charles Baudelaire I took the photo of the book in the featured photo askew because there’s a sale ticket stuck to the right corner. I…

From My Bookshelf

Brainstorm Revolution -Many authors, one voice

7 Jan 20199 Oct 2019

Brainstorm Revolution is an anthology, of sorts. It is many stories and one, all bundled together. It is black-and-white, black and white, and a rainbow of colors. It is deep,…

Self-Help Whispering

In The News – Victims No Longer: For men and those who love them

21 Nov 201824 Mar 2021

I almost always write about books I've read in the past... peppered with a few new ones as I come across and read them. Today is an exception. I bought…

From My Bookshelf

Boundaries (Where you end and I begin) – Do it now!

22 Oct 20189 Oct 2019

There are many, many books on Boundaries. Most are very good. Just to give you an idea of how many there are... here is a list from amazon.com (hint: it…

From My Bookshelf

YouTube Tuesdays – Blaming the Victim

25 Sep 201813 May 2021

This is about self-worth and lifting ourselves and others. And believing others when they have been harmed. I am not political and I did not delve deeply. That's not what…

From My Bookshelf

The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense – I have another idea!

22 Sep 20189 Oct 2019

Dont get me wrong. The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense by Suzette Haden Elgin is excellent. It's just that... well... come with me and we'll get where I'm going. I've…

From My Bookshelf

Manage Your Online Reputation -Things change, so be there when they do

1 Sep 20189 Oct 2019

Look up Self-Counsel Press and favorite-it. Then order Manage Your Online Reputation by Tony Wilson. Self-Counsel Press is a division of International Self-Counsel Press Ltd. (same link as above) and…

Self-Help Whispering

Bio Moment – Be still, my breaking heart

This morning, I took a photo of a beautiful flower, its face to the sun. Well, as much as this flower could reach to the sun, given it popped up…

Self-Help Whispering

Easy like Sunday – The Stories We Tell

15 Jul 201812 Aug 2020

This post is about a boulder. But first... I am a story-teller. I'm grateful that I have a voice and a place to tell my stories. In fact, I've always…

Self-Help Whispering

Easy like Sunday – Unbelievable

10 Jun 201812 Aug 2020

Writing posts like yesterday's carries a certain terror vulnerability with it. I was so emotionally spent exhausted afterward. All I did was sit on the couch for hours, watching Dateline and eating…

From My Bookshelf

Radical Feminist Therapy – A textbook

28 May 20189 Oct 2019

I found Radical Feminist Therapy by Bonnie Burstow in a thrift shop. I suspect it was a textbook for Women's Studies in a college or University. There were a couple…

Self-Help Whispering

Bio Moment – I’m a Survivor

31 Mar 20184 May 2018

I don't believe in self pity It only brings you down May be the queen of broken hearts But I don't hide behind the crown... With gentle hands and a…

From My Bookshelf

Trauma and Recovery – What the world needs now is healing

26 Mar 20189 Oct 2019

Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman, MD is called "a landmark" ... "brilliant"... among other words of praise, every bit of it earned. This is another of my classics. Be…

From My Bookshelf

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – The Poet’s Gift

14 Feb 20189 Oct 2019

A selection from: Still I Rise by Maya Angelou (1928 - 2014) You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But…

From My Bookshelf

The Emotionally Abused Woman – And so my work began

13 Feb 20183 Jun 2021

The Emotionally Abused Woman by Beverly Engel, M.F.C.C. is among the classics in my bookshelf. When choosing books to write about, I passed it over a dozen times. It was almost…

From My Bookshelf

Yesterday, I Cried – And it’s okay

5 Feb 20189 Oct 2019

Iyanla Vanzant is famous now... but when I first knew of her, she was a empowerment coach and co-facilitator on one of my favorite television shows called Starting Over. I wrote…

From My Bookshelf

The Courage to Heal Workbook – Heavy Hitter

26 Jan 20189 Oct 2019

I didn't begin this blog and then go out and buy books to write about, as you know. That means, every book I share about has a reason for being…

If you have a medical or mental health emergency, call your doctor or 911.

Nothing contained in this blog (The Self-Help Whisperer®) is intended to establish or replace a physician-patient relationship or services.

If you are IN CRISIS and NEED TO TALK but don’t know who to call…

In USA: Mental Health America In Crisis? Call 1-800-273-TALK

Or elsewhere in the world – By Country, as compiled by Wikipedia

Suicide hotline numbers

Someone dies from suicide every 40 seconds

United States 1 800 273 8255

Canada 1 800 456 4566