Robert J. Wicks

One hundred briefly-framed themes from both psychology and spirituality are provided so that persons, with even the busiest of schedules at work and home, can avail themselves of the approach of this book which is designed to increase self-awareness and self-care in these challenging times. To make the most of the entries, a clear way of reflecting on the points being made and stories shared is provided. An emphasis on combining clarity and kindness in seeking to understanding and applying the topics is offered as well.Endorsements"Robert Wicks has a unique, gifted spiritual vocabulary. Very few writers have his ability to weave together the special and the common, the academic and the street, the reverent and the humorous, and depth of spiritual insight with robust common sense. You won't be disappointed."—Ronald Rolheiser, author, The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality"The Art of Kindness is like a set of prayer beads, each story an invitation to pause and be with the joys and sorrows of life in ways that call forth strength and possibility—an ideal resource for daily prayer and reflection."—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, author, A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness"These short reflections give readers a glimpse into the life and work of Robert Wicks and serve as a springboard for deeper meditation on life lessons and spiritual growth. The Art of Kindness takes us to different parts of the world, introduces us to a broad range of people, and shares with us wisdom and insight at the intersection of psychology and spirituality. There is something here for everyone."—Daniel P. Horan, professor of philosophy, religious studies, and theology at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, and author of Fear and Faith: Hope and Wholeness in a Fractured World"The Art of Kindness is an act of kindness in itself. Again, like the author's other works have shown, this wonderful book offers readers practical guides to greater wellness and wholeness that can benefit everyone. I highly recommend it."—Edward Sellner, author, Celtic Saints and Their Animal FriendsDr. Robert J. Wicks is professor emeritus, Loyola University Maryland. He has lectured on resilience, self-care, maintaining a healthy perspective and the prevention of secondary stress, in the United States and internationally. His latest books include Quiet Dangers: Navigating the Psychological Challenges of Spiritual Intimacy, Do You Have a Moment? , and his bestselling, Riding the Dragon†

The post-covid landscape has unearthed a mental health epidemic in the United States that suggests many people are struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, grief, and fear. Perhaps now more than ever, wise, compassionate, grounded clinicians are needed to accompany children, adolescents, adults, groups, couples, and families through challenging life experiences. However, with the increase in care needed, mental health clinicians are at increased risk of experiencing compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. The Resilient Clinician, 2nd Edition, is an updated and much needed guide to preventing and limiting acute and chronic secondary stress in mental health professionals and encouraging and expanding experiences of resiliency, self-awareness, mindfulness, and growth. Informed by positive psychology and infused with compassion and wisdom, this book will encourage clinicians to find, nurture, and maintain the sense of deep perspective needed to be professionally useful and to personally grow.

Enriching the balance and meaning of life by better understanding stress and creating your own self-care protocol, Bounce shows you how to live life to the fullest. People are naturally drawn to information on how to improve self-care, create a richer circle of friends, develop and maintain a healthy perspective, and, especially now, the importance of seeing "alone-time" not simply as forced isolation but a venue for new personality development. This aids self-awareness and understanding and improves emotional intellect so we don't react but instead pause to reflect and process life as it unfolds. The original edition of Bounce addressed these areas but then came Covid-19, intense political strife, and increased divisiveness within countries, families, communities, and even faith traditions. The need to greet, successfully adjust to, and even benefit from, such unexpected and broad-reaching change, personally threatening challenges, and stress is of even greater importance now. In addition, styles of living which were taken for granted, such as adults going to work and children educated in an actual classroom, were also radically impacted. As a result, adults were also expected to quickly adapt in order to deal with the questions raised by the young about their own security and hoped-for normalcy. With updated information and a new chapter on post-traumatic growth (PTG), the second edition of Bounce is designed to enhance the search for balance and new meaning to live life to the fullest.

Robert Wick's latest book presents a discussion of the natural encounters all of us can expect on the journey toward a deeper relationship with the truth about ourselves, others, and God. This includes the search for imago Dei, what to expect in traveling our own "road to Emmaus," how to recognize our own hidden resistances to spiritual growth and change—especially "compartmentalization," and ways to personally explore our own answer to Jesus's question in John's Gospel: "What are you looking for?" "In this soulful, inspiring, and practical new book, Robert Wicks, a trained psychologist and spiritual writer, brings the two disciplines together to reveal how the fully alive, fully human, and fully whole person needs both a healthy psyche and soul." —James Martin, SJ, author, Learning to Pray "Drawing on his extensive experience as a psychologist, as well as the wisdom of a variety of spiritual masters, Dr. Wicks offers us a clear roadmap for recognizing the hidden ways we try to avoid the truth." — Judith Valente, author, How to Live: What the Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning, and Community "Robert Wicks expertly employs psychology and spirituality to uncover 'hidden rooms' in our personalities. These rooms have the potential to hinder or enhance our identity before God, ourselves, and others.... This work is instructive and inspiring, rich and layered, and a solid companion for a pilgrim on a journey of faith." —John Welch, OCarm, author, An Interior Life: Rummaging through the Christian Tradition "Bringing together practical suggestions with engaging stories in a style that is wisely evocative, Wicks invites us into a safe space where we are challenged to see what we have hidden from ourselves and from God and how our own stories can be rewritten in the language of love and humility." —Thomas E. Rodgerson, author, Overhearing a Christian Apology to the Nones: Revealing Still Hidden Truths in Dialogue Dr. Robert Wicks is professor emeritus at Loyola University Maryland. He has published and edited more than fifty books, including Handbook of Spirituality for Ministers, Clinical Handbook of Pastoral Counseling, and most recently, Heartstorming: Creating a Place God Can Call Home (2020) and Do You Have a Moment? (2022), all published by Paulist Press. †

This book is now available in paperback. While many of us may seek traditional therapy to help us deal with life's difficulties, Zen, according to David Brazier's "Zen Therapy", offers an alternative - dragon-riding lessons. Psychologist and best selling author Robert Wicks is a specialist in the field of secondary stress and counsels people who help others - psychologists, doctors, nurses, and ministers. In "Riding the Dragon", Wicks offers dragon riding lessons, drawing upon both Eastern and Western traditions. In this warm, compassionate, and highly personal guidebooks, Wicks offers encouragement and 10 lessons to help people engage their problems and grow through them. The 10 lessons include: prune carefully and often; recognize your renewal zones; catch the slide; seek hidden possibilities; engage the darkness; pair clarity and kindness; find love in small deeds; seek perspective daily; build a barrier of simplicity; and come home more often. Wicks has shown a generation the links between psychology and spirituality, working from the perspective that difficult times can offer striking moments of grace.

In Shining Brightly, Silicon Valley pioneer, cancer survivor and interfaith peacemaker Howard Brown shares keys to resilience for successful entrepreneurs, patient advocates and community leaders. He shows us how to reach out through our families, our communities and around the world to form truly supportive connections and friendships. From Howard's career as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, to his conquering metastatic stage IV cancer twice, to his compassionate outreach as a peacemaker, to his love of sports -- this ultimately is not one man's story. Shining Brightly is a story shared by countless men and women -- and may wind up changing your life as well. With each true story he tells in the pages, Howard invites readers to picture how they might join him in shining more light in our world. "Howard Brown -- like one of his mentors, Roger Babson -- is truly an 'angelic troublemaker' in this work. He seeks to have us face our lives with complete clarity and kindness. Much good can be gained from reading Shining Brightly."From the Foreword by Robert J. Wicks, author of Bounce: Living the Resilient Life "Howard is a wonderful example of a most worthy descendant of Abraham, showing genuine care and hospitality, serving the well-being of his community and other communities, connecting these to one another in mutual respect and bringing blessing to humanity at large."From the Afterword by Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee "Shining Brightly is a testimony to storytelling as the most effective way to teach and learn. Howard Brown shares a triumphant journey of overcoming challenges and creating a better world."Stephen Spinelli, Jr., President of Babson College "As a mentor in our American Association for Cancer Research Scientist-Survivor Program, Howard motivates everyone to build mutually beneficial relationships that educate, inspire and ultimately heal. Shining Brightly offers a compelling landscape of possibilities for cancer patients, survivors and indeed anyone who wants to become their best self "Anna D. Barker, Co-Founder, AACR Scientist-Survivor Program "Shining Brightly is Howard's testament to the transformative power of mentorship. Howard exemplifies the efforts our mentors make to transform the lives of youth, and how in some special cases they go above and beyond and become family for life."Cari Uslan, CEO of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles "'Together we can shape history.' That's a core belief that animates longtime interfaith bridge-builder par excellence, Howard Brown. The global challenges are so profound that we need all hands-on deck. Shining Brightly, shows how one person, despite facing life-threatening challenges, can help to heal our troubled world by reaching out to other communities at home and abroad. That makes this book such timely and valuable reading."David Harris, CEO of the American Jewish Committee

In Shining Brightly, Silicon Valley pioneer, cancer survivor and interfaith peacemaker Howard Brown shares keys to resilience for successful entrepreneurs, patient advocates and community leaders. He shows us how to reach out through our families, our communities and around the world to form truly supportive connections and friendships. From Howard's career as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, to his conquering metastatic stage IV cancer twice, to his compassionate outreach as a peacemaker, to his love of sports -- this ultimately is not one man's story. Shining Brightly is a story shared by countless men and women -- and may wind up changing your life as well. With each true story he tells in the pages, Howard invites readers to picture how they might join him in shining more light in our world. "Howard Brown -- like one of his mentors, Roger Babson -- is truly an 'angelic troublemaker' in this work. He seeks to have us face our lives with complete clarity and kindness. Much good can be gained from reading Shining Brightly."From the Foreword by Robert J. Wicks, author of Bounce: Living the Resilient Life "Howard is a wonderful example of a most worthy descendant of Abraham, showing genuine care and hospitality, serving the well-being of his community and other communities, connecting these to one another in mutual respect and bringing blessing to humanity at large."From the Afterword by Rabbi David Rosen, International Director of Interreligious Affairs of the American Jewish Committee "Shining Brightly is a testimony to storytelling as the most effective way to teach and learn. Howard Brown shares a triumphant journey of overcoming challenges and creating a better world."Stephen Spinelli, Jr., President of Babson College "As a mentor in our American Association for Cancer Research Scientist-Survivor Program, Howard motivates everyone to build mutually beneficial relationships that educate, inspire and ultimately heal. Shining Brightly offers a compelling landscape of possibilities for cancer patients, survivors and indeed anyone who wants to become their best self "Anna D. Barker, Co-Founder, AACR Scientist-Survivor Program "Shining Brightly is Howard's testament to the transformative power of mentorship. Howard exemplifies the efforts our mentors make to transform the lives of youth, and how in some special cases they go above and beyond and become family for life."Cari Uslan, CEO of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles "'Together we can shape history.' That's a core belief that animates longtime interfaith bridge-builder par excellence, Howard Brown. The global challenges are so profound that we need all hands-on deck. Shining Brightly, shows how one person, despite facing life-threatening challenges, can help to heal our troubled world by reaching out to other communities at home and abroad. That makes this book such timely and valuable reading."David Harris, CEO of the American Jewish Committee

From the author’s experiences of brief encounters with others who long to enjoy the life God has given them, come these moments spent in deepening his own reserves of grace, peace, and joy. Readers will find refreshment if they are spiritually weary, inspiration if they are being stirred to action, and, ultimately, renewal for their ongoing pilgrimage—their walk with God. †

In the end, it is not the amount of darkness in the world, our country, family or even within ourselves that matters-It is how we stand in that darkness that is crucial. In light of this, the overall question addressed in this book is simple and challenging: How can we best mentor ourselves with the knowledge that already surrounds us so we learn and grow from the changes, stress, and even trauma, that we must face in today's uncertain times? Underlying the book's overall message is the signature strength of humility because as the author emphasizes: When we take knowledge and add humility, we get wisdom, and when we then add this very wisdom to compassion, we get love... and love is at the heart of a rich, compassionate, and resilient life. The book presents a series of 50 brief lessons on such topics as: · Developing a renewed and deeper interest in creative approaches to self-care · Overcoming resistance to change · Ways to gain, maintain, and regain a healthy perspective · Appreciating the advantages of the "psychological detours" forced on us in life · How spending only 2 minutes each day in silence, solitude, and wrapped in gratitude can be transformative · Understanding how we can best apply the principles of posttraumatic growth (PTG) to our own life situation · Dealing effectively with necessary change and unexpected loss · Recognizing the importance of pacing and timing in our interactions with others

The mental and physical health of caregivers impacts more than just that individual worker. It affects the health of their patients, it impacts their families, it shapes communities, it influences politics, and it plays into international relations. Medical and nursing professionals working in today's health care settings must be prepared to offer support in dangerous times despite staffing shortages, financial pressures, and complex legal requirements. The nature of this work puts these professionals in harm's way not only physically, but at greater risk for secondary stress, trauma, burnout and other emotional impacts exacerbating the need for self-care. There is no better time to revisit the problem of secondary stress among caregivers than on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. Times of challenge and change test health care professionals' self-care insights, strategy, and reserves. New learnings and ways of maneuvering through difficult professional practice situations and life in general can become permanent elements in our self-care cache. This book will enrich the reader's insights and strategies with respect to secondary stress leading to enhanced resilience of mind, body and spirit. This second edition draws on content in the first edition and information from classic literature and research findings about the phenomenon of secondary stress experienced by nurses, physicians and physician assistants. This book highlights the importance of interprofessional communication and support in ameliorating the stressors of clinical work, an effort enhanced by interdisciplinary co-authorship. Educators and front line clinicians have come to the realization that the recognition and self-management of secondary stress and burnout will contribute to a high functioning, caring health care delivery system in the future that prevents attrition and major health problems for those in clinical careers. Overcoming Secondary Stress in Medical and Nursing Practice is an indispensable resource for medical and nursing professionals, students, and the counselors and therapists who work with them.

This book is an invitation to come home to your authentic self in a world that is frequently mesmerized by "spin," narcissism, fantasy, and exhibitionism. Psychology and classic wisdom literature have, in various ways, long recognized the value for simply becoming who you are (i.e., ordinariness). However, this call is becoming increasingly drowned out by the many other voices that emphasize publicity and image-making over authenticity and humility. Renowned therapist and author Robert Wicks has written The Tao of Ordinariness as a way of beginning to address these tendencies in contemporary society. In this new countercultural work, the strength and joy of exploring who you are - and proceeding to share yourself with others in a way that they too can reclaim themselves - is revisited from a range of vantage points. The author specifically reexamines themes of humility, simplicity, letting go, self-awareness, "alonetime," resilience, and mentoring. In an era when people increasingly measure self-worth by external measures, such as the number of likes and views and followers on social media feeds (which have many individuals chasing impossible fantasies and living with a constant fear of "missing out"), Wicks offers a return to your authentic self.

How we see the world and ourselves is more important than what we see or have. Our perspectives are what matter. Classic wisdom literature has emphasized this for generations and clinical psychology has followed suit from its inception. In essence, living with a healthy perspective is truly tantamount to possessing the proverbial "psychological pearl of great price." Knowing this, Robert J. Wicks, world-renowned psychologist and author of Bounce: Living the Resilient Life, has assembled and offered readers the most current and powerful approaches to discovering and regaining a balanced, healthy perspective that modern psychology has to offer. In Perspective, Wicks combines top research with classic wisdom, providing accessible, practical advice to his readers. In a lively tone, he guides them through strategies on: -Understanding how the psychology of gratitude and happiness can help you perceive the beneficial things already in your life -Seeing yourself more completely through the lens of cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology, and narrative therapy -Overcoming resistances to openness so that beneficial, needed change becomes more possible -Following a reflective regimen that can help you maintain a healthy perspective each day Wicks reveals that gaining a healthy, positive perspective will help us become the calm within the storm. Our newfound perspective will enable us to enjoy enriching experiences, maintain balance, and reach out to others without being pulled down in the process.

"From the inspiring chapter quotes, to relevant historical and current research, to practical clinical directions, Primer on Posttraumatic Growth takes a giant step toward both grounding us and moving us ahead with strong hope for adjustment and growth in the post-trauma/loss world. This is a comprehensive, practical, and readable work that should be at hand for any mental health clinician, pastoral care professional, or student preparing for these professions." —J. Shep Jeffreys, EdD, FT, author of Helping Grieving People—When Tears Are Not Enough: A Handbook for Care Providers, Second Edition A guide for helping your clients overcome negative events, based on the latest research on posttraumatic growth Drawing on the growing empirical and theoretical material on posttraumatic growth—an outgrowth of the positive psychology movement—Primer on Posttraumatic Growth provides insight, depth, and treatment recommendations for both the clinicians who work with those who have experienced dramatic negative events in their lives and for other professionals who support victims of trauma and extreme stress. This essential primer examines: The connections between meaning and growthThe impact of cognitive processing on posttraumatic growthPositive emotion and posttraumatic growthPosttraumatic growth and an "open" personalityThe human drive to be in positive and important interpersonal relationshipsForgiveness: can it be extended towards all areas of posttraumatic growth?Posttraumatic growth and religious and spiritual variablesWisdom and posttraumatic growth

One of the greatest gifts helping professionals can share with others is a sense of their own peace. However, retaining and renewing a sense of a healthy perspective requires not only self-care strategies, but also an awareness of basic profound, yet simple, wisdom themes. The Inner Life of the Counselor presents classic and contemporary wisdom that examines and explores each of these themes in a way that both professional and non-professional helpers will find revealing and meaningful in understanding their own journey. Informed by the author's over thirty years of experience as a therapist, mentor, and clinical supervisor of professional helpers?as well as by his expertise in resiliency and prevention of secondary stress?The Inner Life of the Counselor thoughtfully looks at those elements that encourage sustained personal growth and professional development, such as self-care, stress management, and mindfulness. Lively, practical, and marked by an elegant sense of simplicity, this nurturing book demonstrates how exploring the inner life can lead counselors to new wisdom and inner peace?not only for themselves but also for those who come to them for relief and insight. It is an invitation to pause, reflect, renew, and navigate one of contemporary society's most challenging yet rewarding professions.

For fans of best-selling author Bob Wicks and for anyone who's ever wanted to know why he's so special to so many readers, here is a "Best of Wicks" collection of his trademark themes in one handy book. Over the years, Bob Wicks has returned again and again to four spiritual and psychological anchors that lead to peace and fulfillment. These main anchors or life themes are experiencing God, being available, having a sense of clarity, and delighting in the ordinary. In all, Wicks has created a "spirituality of gentleness." Writing about the four main themes, Wicks talks about such individual topics as prayer, silence, solitude, presence, sensitivity, identity, perspective, awareness, relationship, living in the now, and love and service. This compilation shows how his thought on each subject has developed and ripened over time—perfect for leading readers along their own journey of discovery. Each subject is covered in a brief page or two, perfect for quiet mornings or evenings or for creating a moment of peace during a hectic day. Also included are original poems from Wicks, many never before published, to begin and end chapters. There's also a guide to the source of each meditation so longtime fans will know which reflections come from which book. This "best of Wicks'" is ideal for longtime fans and new readers, for anyone suffering loss or experiencing change of any kind, all those with hectic lifestyles, and everyone who needs a bit of gentleness in his or her life. The book is also a valuable resource for clergy and religious, anyone in the helping professions, retreat directors, directors of religious education, adult ed courses, and small faith sharing groups. †

Stress is a fact of modern life. And as more and more people face greater financial insecurity, longer work hours, and the increasingly complex personal and social demands of our fast-paced, multi-tasking, high-tech lifestyle, finding healthy ways to handle stress is more important than ever. In Bounce: Living the Resilient Life, Robert Wicks shows you not just how to manage stress, but how to transform stressful situations into opportunities to live a more meaningful, self-aware, and compassionate life. Wicks makes available to everyone techniques he has used for over 30 years in helping physicians, nurses, psychotherapists, educators, social workers, ministers, and relief workers not only survive but flourish in highly stressful occupations. You'll learn a wide range of methods--normally reserved for those in helping and healing professions--to help you bounce back from stress and live life to the fullest. Bounce shows you how to: BL Recognize the insidious nature of denial and avoidance as responses to stress BL Employ psychologically powerful approaches to self-awareness BL Improve self-talk through the use of cognitive behavioral principles BL Apply daily-debriefing techniques BL Utilize a structured reflection guide to uncover areas that require special attention BL Incorporate silence, solitude, and mindfulness into daily life BL Stop the drain of valuable emotional energy caused by toxic life situations and unexamined attitudes and beliefs BL And much more Most important, Bounce helps you develop your own self-care protocol and personal renewal program, based on an honest assessment of your needs, life situation, and habitual ways of dealing--or failing to deal--with stress. Insightful, practical, and filled with wise guidance, Bounce shows us all how to live with greater resilience in a world that grows more stressful by the day.

This innovative volume presents an insightful philosophical portrait of the life and work of Arthur Schopenhauer. Focuses on the concept of the sublime as it clarifies Schopenhauer’s aesthetic theory, moral theory and asceticism Explores the substantial relationships between Schopenhauer’s philosophy and Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity Defends Schopenhauer’s position that absolute truth can be known and described as a blindly striving, all-permeating, universal “Will” Examines the influence of Asian philosophy on Schopenhauer Describes the relationships between Schopenhauer’s thought and that of Hegel, Nietzsche, and Wittgenstein.