Finalist, Books for a Better Life Award: “A terrific read that offers parents a new way of thinking and being after their last child leaves home.” —Guy Winch, PhD, author of Emotional First Aid Parents make an enormous emotional and financial investment in raising their children. But children grow up. They move out. They create their own lives and their own homes—and the role of the parent changes, diminishes, and evolves. This life phase has no official name, yet it represents a profound shift from the rigors of daily parenting to a period of self-reflection and reorientation. In this book, Wendy Aronsson centers on that experience, capturing the realities of the emotions and life changes that come on gradually, and sometimes proceed in fits and starts. Refeathering the Empty Nestis for any parent preparing for a grown child’s departure from home and wanting to move forward productively, both in their changed parenting role and in their roles as spouse, employee, friend, neighbor, and self. Using real stories throughout, Aronsson shows how people have managed these changes, how they’ve reignited the passion in their marriages or moved on from bad matches, how they’ve rediscovered old interests and talents, and how they’ve reinvented their relationships with their children as well. These stories provide hope and guidance to anyone whose nest is about to empty, as well as those whose nests already are.

In Biblical Psychotherapy, Kalman J. Kaplan and Paul Cantz offer a new approach to suicide prevention based on biblical narratives that is designed to overcome the suicidogenic patterns in Greek and Roman stories implicit in modern mental health. More than sixteen suicides and self-mutilations emerge in the twenty-six surviving tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides and countless others occurred in Greek and Roman lives. In contrast, only six suicides are found in the Hebrew Scriptures, in addition to a number of suicide-prevention narratives. Kaplan and Cantz reclaim life-enhancing biblical narratives as alternatives to matched suicidal stories in Greek and Roman society with regard to seven evidence-based risk factors. These biblical narratives are employed to treat fourteen patients fitting into the outlined Graeco-Roman suicidal syndromes and to provide an in-depth positive psychology aimed at promoting life rather than simply preventing suicide.

Blending Families responds to the need for a book that explores step-parenting by starting with the marriage as the central relationship in a new blended family unit. Just as you are better able to help your child in an airplane emergency if you put your oxygen mask on first, you are better able to blend two families if you take care of the marriage first. Starting with a discussion of attachment styles, the authors explore how those styles translate into the new family unit when trying to forge a new marriage while parenting tween and teen children in a family unit that is new to them as well. They provide parenting guidance premised on the fact that parenting occurs within a context, and in this case, a context that is unfamiliar territory for everyone involved. Using true stories throughout, they explore the variety of challenges that may arise, such as sibling rivalry, puberty, dating, emotional and intellectual differences, and preferential treatment, and offer suggestions for overcoming obstacles to fully blending. By focusing the light on the marriage as the most important source of stability, the authors encourage readers to develop a style of parenting that works for everyone and brings a sense of unity and strength to the household.

A guide to help women as they grow older negotiate the transition with confidence

“Shocking, real-life spy secrets . . . Dangerously powerful psychological and emotional levers that instantly allow the reader to build and leverage trust.” —Janine Driver, body-language contributor to NBC’s Today Show and New York Times–bestselling author To get the truth from someone, you need two sets of skills. The first are the interpersonal skills necessary to get the facts. But the second group of skills is equally if not more important: they enable you to assess whether the facts actually fit together—whether they are true—and identify the emotions that shaped them. In Nothing but the Truth, top intelligence experts from the worlds of espionage, business, and law enforcement reveal how they get the information they need and give you the key tools to get the information you need, including: A system to vet sources Eight conversation motivators that help you drive toward the truth Techniques to turn a hostile source into a cooperative one The means to control the sequence of a conversation Getting the truth through email or on the phone Whether your aim is to grill suspects and witnesses, help someone with an urgent need, figure out who is lying or cheating, or upgrade your ability to be honest with yourself, Nothing but the Truth will show you how to do it. “Karinch has amassed an extraordinary compilation of analysis and practical advice by top experts in the field. There is nothing on the book market quite like it. It will change the way you look at yourself and other people. You will find it to be a fun and highly valuable read.” —Jack Devine, author of Good Hunting, former head of CIA

The best resource available for finding a literary agent! No matter what you're writing--fiction or nonfiction, books for adults or children--you need a literary agent if you want to get the best traditional publishing book deal possible. The 2015 Guide to Literary Agents is your essential resource for finding that literary agent and getting your book bought by a top publisher. Along with listing information for more than 1,000 literary agents who represent writers and their books, this new, updated edition of GLA includes: • "10 Reasons Agents Reject Your Manuscript"--helping you learn what not to do during the submission process • "New Agent Spotlights"--profiles of literary reps actively building their client lists right now • 13 debut author success stories: Writers explain their paths to publication, so you can learn from their successes and see what they did right • Informative how-to articles on query letters, synopsis writing, voice and craft, platform and blogging, nonfiction book proposals, and more *Includes access to the webinar "Everything You Need to Know About Getting an Agent" from Chuck Sambuchino, editor of Guide to Literary Agents* In this 90-minute webinar, you'll learn how to compose a query letter, what makes up a compelling pitch, synopsis writing tips, how to research/find agents, and much more.

Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do with all that God has handed you? Author Melody R. McGowan presents a collection of poems, prose, anecdotes, and inspirational messages, drawn from heartbreak and tragedy experienced. Tossed into an emotional abyss, author Melody R. McGowan steps forth into a world of light, using her own unique voice, wit, and humor to inspire others with her love of words and expression of emotion. Reflecting experiences that may seem all too familiar, these writings are filled with love, life, laughter, and even heartache. Each page is filled with inspiration rising from many aspects of daily living, while taking an up-close examination of grief and moving on with life. For anyone who is struggling with grief after the death of a loved one, looking for inspiration, a quick pick-me-up, or a simple chuckle for the day, this is the remedy.

An empty nest does not have to be an empty life. Judy Holland shows you how to get back in touch with yourself, your partner, your life, AND your kids when the house is less-populated. The transition to the empty nest creates a void that can catapult you into existential crisis. Your zeal for climbing the career ladder, striving for social status, and collecting material things starts to subside, as is common in middle age. Friends and relatives may suffer from illness or pass away, bringing jarring reminders of mortality that trigger a need to make sense of it all. HappiNest helps you traverse this passage with grace by distilling the latest social science research and drawing from hundreds of interviews with those who have gone before you. Whether you’re seeking a renaissance in your romantic relationship, dealing with a boomerang child at home, or figuring out how to support aging parents, this book is for you. HappiNest explores a variety of challenges that arise when the house is suddenly empty or emptying, and Judy Holland provides tips and tools for managing the emotions and realities of this new life stage. From dealing with friends, career transitions, rekindling love or leaving a marriage, to reconnecting with genuine interests and passions, this road map will help guide you. There are hills, valleys, thickets, briar patches, and ditches ahead, as well as waterfalls that resolve into pristine ponds. With mindfulness, hard work, and knowledge of experiences, research, and wisdom from seasoned empty nesters, you can create the most golden phase of your life.