Book Review: The Courage to Suffer: A New Clinical Framework for Life's Greatest Crises

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Claude-Hélène Mayer¹ 

[1] Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management, University of Johannesburg;Institut für therapeutische Kommunikation und Sprachgebrauch, Europa Universität Viadrina

关键词: suffering;    crisis;    growth;    pain;    therapy;    clinical framework;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2020.617236

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Daryl R. Van Tongeren and Sara A. Showalter Van Tongeren’s book “The Courage to Suffer” seemsto have been published at just the right moment, at the beginning of 2020, the year in whichhumankind faces one of the biggest global health-related crises in history. The book is dedicatedto the authors’ clients and students who have shown how working with suffering and the deepexperience of pain and loss can lead to flourishing and well-being.The authors, who combine their well-established theoretical and practical knowledge and partsof their personal and professional life experiences into a “new clinical framework,” have divided thebook into eight chapters. They conclude with an epilogue which presents the reality of the pain,suffering, and loss that humans experience, together for the potential for making meaning, whilebeing aware of the existential realities of life, thereby creating flourishing.The book differs from other books published in the field of existential psychology in so farthat the authors have extraordinarily combined their own life experiences with their theoreticalbackground and their practical clinical work. The reader can therefore explore the topic of how toovercome suffering and pain on personal, theoretical, and practical levels. The book is therefore ahighly recommendable contribution to the field.

【 授权许可】

CC BY