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Tales of a Wounded Healer
Tales of a Wounded Healer begins by revealing the 27-year odyssey of renowned psychotherapist Mariah Fenton Gladis through her diagnosis and subsequent life with Lou Gehrig's Disease, and how that diagnosis catapulted her to envision and develop a new method of psychotherapy that dramatically facilitates healing and change.
Mariah turns her former approach inside out by moving from encouraging people to cope with their lot in life, to empowering them to understand and provide for the compelling force and potential of their own personal needs. The book shows that when met with respect, love and compassion, human needs can arm people with the capacity to transform their lives and contribute to the healing of others.
In this book, Mariah Fenton Gladis presents strong practical and theoretical instruction for the concept of creating exact moments of healing; moments grounded in awareness that precisely respond to and provide for the emergent need of an individual, family or community. These are the moments that produce substantial shifts in a person's worldview, character, and capacity to create meaningful contact with themselves, others and their environment.
Tales of a Wounded Healer presents true stories of people who have changed their lives through this profound work and describes the seminal moments that shaped their transformation. These stories focus on specific moments of healing in detail and illustrate such themes as the importance of receptivity in healthy human functioning, recovery from post traumatic stress syndrome, the need for supportive community, mending fractured families, creating self-esteem and empowerment, development of a compassionate relationship with self and others, and recovery from sexual abuse and trauma. Throughout the book, the Mariah Fenton Gladis addresses the reader in an attempt to inspire and educate and make the chapters applicable to the readers' lives. About the Author
Mariah Fenton Gladis, MSS, QCSW, is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training in Malvern, Pennsylvania. An internationally renowned workshop leader and trainer, Mariah conducts weekend and weeklong workshops locally at her Center and at Esalen Institute in California. She also conducts seminars in New Jersey, Maine, Arizona, Hawaii, Germany, Ireland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Recently, Mariah was named Social Worker Of The Year in Pennsylvania, and conducted a workshop on the power of dreams in Machu Picchu, Peru where 30 people from the United States attended. In 2005, she was given the "Hope and Courage" award from the ALS Association, and in 2006 received a "Stevie" lifetime achievement award for women in business.
As a 27-year survivor of Lou Gehrig's Disease, Mariah is also an inspirational speaker, sharing her personal approach to healing and living with a life-threatening illness. Testimonials
"Mariah Fenton Gladis has translated her own personal and professional history into a highly accessible manual for healing and change."
Paula S. Rosen, MSS, Ph.D.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Swarthmore College "Every page of this book testifies to a compassion that is sharp because the author's mental vigor is keen, penetrating and discerning. But beyond that, the reader will feel embraced by the only healing force there Love."
Brother David Steindl-Rast, author of Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer "This book is a extraordinary window into a singularly remarkable therapist." Ken Duckworth, MD, Medical Director
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) "To the fortunate reader, this book is an inspiring deconstruction of some of your own ideas and a personal treat. Enjoy!"
Gordon Wheeler, PhD, President, Esalen Institute
Mariah turns her former approach inside out by moving from encouraging people to cope with their lot in life, to empowering them to understand and provide for the compelling force and potential of their own personal needs. The book shows that when met with respect, love and compassion, human needs can arm people with the capacity to transform their lives and contribute to the healing of others.
In this book, Mariah Fenton Gladis presents strong practical and theoretical instruction for the concept of creating exact moments of healing; moments grounded in awareness that precisely respond to and provide for the emergent need of an individual, family or community. These are the moments that produce substantial shifts in a person's worldview, character, and capacity to create meaningful contact with themselves, others and their environment.
Tales of a Wounded Healer presents true stories of people who have changed their lives through this profound work and describes the seminal moments that shaped their transformation. These stories focus on specific moments of healing in detail and illustrate such themes as the importance of receptivity in healthy human functioning, recovery from post traumatic stress syndrome, the need for supportive community, mending fractured families, creating self-esteem and empowerment, development of a compassionate relationship with self and others, and recovery from sexual abuse and trauma. Throughout the book, the Mariah Fenton Gladis addresses the reader in an attempt to inspire and educate and make the chapters applicable to the readers' lives. About the Author
Mariah Fenton Gladis, MSS, QCSW, is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training in Malvern, Pennsylvania. An internationally renowned workshop leader and trainer, Mariah conducts weekend and weeklong workshops locally at her Center and at Esalen Institute in California. She also conducts seminars in New Jersey, Maine, Arizona, Hawaii, Germany, Ireland, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Recently, Mariah was named Social Worker Of The Year in Pennsylvania, and conducted a workshop on the power of dreams in Machu Picchu, Peru where 30 people from the United States attended. In 2005, she was given the "Hope and Courage" award from the ALS Association, and in 2006 received a "Stevie" lifetime achievement award for women in business.
As a 27-year survivor of Lou Gehrig's Disease, Mariah is also an inspirational speaker, sharing her personal approach to healing and living with a life-threatening illness. Testimonials
"Mariah Fenton Gladis has translated her own personal and professional history into a highly accessible manual for healing and change."
Paula S. Rosen, MSS, Ph.D.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Swarthmore College "Every page of this book testifies to a compassion that is sharp because the author's mental vigor is keen, penetrating and discerning. But beyond that, the reader will feel embraced by the only healing force there Love."
Brother David Steindl-Rast, author of Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer "This book is a extraordinary window into a singularly remarkable therapist." Ken Duckworth, MD, Medical Director
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) "To the fortunate reader, this book is an inspiring deconstruction of some of your own ideas and a personal treat. Enjoy!"
Gordon Wheeler, PhD, President, Esalen Institute
236 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 14, 2018
Mariah was my therapist. I miss her terribly.
I remember the day Mariah told me she was diagnosed with ALS. My brain would not process Mariah's words. Mariah was my rock, my inspiration. I needed Mariah and now Mariah was in need. My head, my heart, my life spun out of control. How would I survive if Mariah did not survive?
Mariah did survive and keep doing her work. In times of trouble, I replay the tapes in my head of our work together - individually and in workshops.
The Internet added a new dimension to our relationship, allowing connection without physical presence. Mariah and I have not been in the same physical space in over 30 years, yet I feel her presence always.
I turned to Mariah for comfort during my recent existential crisis. And on the Gestalt Center web site I learned that Mariah passed away suddenly on July 7, 2018. Mariah lived a full life, married, raised two sons and continued her work and died suddenly. Mariah lived a full, happy life for 37 years, after her diagnosis of ALS. My work became clear.
Tales of a Wounded Healer was sitting in my bookshelf, unread. Each chapter brought up new work I needed to do. I read slowly and with intention, knowing I will read the book again and again.
Mariah shared stories of her Irish heritage, her father, her mother, her life with Ron and her two sons Luke and Coleman. I explored my Irish heritage and thought about the impact of intergenerational trauma on my family and me.
Music was an integral part of Mariah's work, as was role playing and art. Music is my therapy, theater is my therapy, poetry and words are my therapy, art is my therapy.
Mariah wrote Tales of a Wounded Healer to make it possible for folks to become their own therapist, creating their own exact moments of healing. And for folks like me who were fortunate to experience her love and caring personally as we continue learning.
I remember the day Mariah told me she was diagnosed with ALS. My brain would not process Mariah's words. Mariah was my rock, my inspiration. I needed Mariah and now Mariah was in need. My head, my heart, my life spun out of control. How would I survive if Mariah did not survive?
Mariah did survive and keep doing her work. In times of trouble, I replay the tapes in my head of our work together - individually and in workshops.
The Internet added a new dimension to our relationship, allowing connection without physical presence. Mariah and I have not been in the same physical space in over 30 years, yet I feel her presence always.
I turned to Mariah for comfort during my recent existential crisis. And on the Gestalt Center web site I learned that Mariah passed away suddenly on July 7, 2018. Mariah lived a full life, married, raised two sons and continued her work and died suddenly. Mariah lived a full, happy life for 37 years, after her diagnosis of ALS. My work became clear.
Tales of a Wounded Healer was sitting in my bookshelf, unread. Each chapter brought up new work I needed to do. I read slowly and with intention, knowing I will read the book again and again.
Mariah shared stories of her Irish heritage, her father, her mother, her life with Ron and her two sons Luke and Coleman. I explored my Irish heritage and thought about the impact of intergenerational trauma on my family and me.
Music was an integral part of Mariah's work, as was role playing and art. Music is my therapy, theater is my therapy, poetry and words are my therapy, art is my therapy.
Mariah wrote Tales of a Wounded Healer to make it possible for folks to become their own therapist, creating their own exact moments of healing. And for folks like me who were fortunate to experience her love and caring personally as we continue learning.
March 30, 2008
The book isn't what I thought it would be. What I thought it would be was an account of Mariah's life, especially her struggles with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. You see, nearly thirty years ago, she was given two years to live. Even now, most of those with ALS only survive three to five years, so to come this far is an extraordinary feat. Indeed, she does go into detail about how she discovered that she had the disease, and what course it put her life on. (As a note, there's one passage where she describes my uncle Ron's reaction to hearing the diagnosis - "Pack your bags, we're leaving. You're not dying and we have a life to live." My overriding thought at that point - "Damn, my family rocks.")
But this book isn't about my aunt, or her own personal struggles. In fact, once she gets through giving us her CV of Trauma, as it were, we don't really hear that much more about it unless it's germane to the topic she's addressing. Which, as you read on, makes a lot of sense.
Mariah is a therapist, specializing in Gestalt Therapy - a kind of active, experiential therapy method that postulates that the mind and the body are inextricably interconnected. Healing cannot take place simply by talking about it, there must be thought and feeling and emotion and movement involved. As near as I can tell, which is why I put the Wiki link in there, in case I screwed it up. This woman, who has been dealt a hand that, let's face it, has the potential to be utterly crushing, has spent her life making sure that other people are able to be healed. In learning to face the Bad Shit in her life, she's been able to help others face the Bad Shit in theirs through what she calls "Exact Moments of Healing."
"Bad Shit," by the way, is my term. It saves space.
Before I go on, let me come clean on this much: I have never been to therapy, counseling, or anything of that nature. So anything I think I know about what goes on there is purely speculation.
One of the biggest views of people going into therapy is that there is something Wrong with them. Something that must be, somehow, fixed. In this book, Mariah takes the opposite position - the people who come to her are not people who have problems that must be eliminated. They are people who are trying to be better, but can't. Because, and this is a kicker, your problems can't be eliminated. Not ever.
We're all, in some way, broken. Hell, those of you who know why this LJ is titled what it is know at least that much about me. We've all been hurt, blocked, abused, kicked, pushed and shoved to one degree or another. Some of us more, some of us less, and usually not in ways that we entirely understand. And as much as these life experiences suck ass, they're part of who we are. They've made us who we are, for good or for ill. The problem comes when we cannot fully understand these traumas for what they were. We don't know how to deal with them, so they block us up and mess with our heads.
What I got from reading this book is that the way to become free of these psychological millstones is to confront them, understand them and accept them. Fold them into your life, give them their due, and then - and this is important - don't let them keep you from being who you want to be.
Now, this is really, really, really hard. Gods know it's hard. Most of us never get that chance to look our demons right in the eye and say, "I know you. And I accept you. Now sit down and shut up." The idea of Perfect Moments of Healing is that, through counseling, these opportunities can be created. In her workshops, Mariah has re-created the people and situations that generated the traumas that held her subjects down. She goes into great detail about a variety of different cases, and they're all powerful. With the help of her groups and her students, she's allowed people to confront the horrors of war, abusive adults, indifferent parents and crumbling marriages, and given them a chance to unburden themselves of the shadowy terrors that had been keeping them from enjoying their lives.
An interesting facet of her therapy is the focus on self-love. No, not that kind, you gutter-brains. The other kind. The really, really hard kind, where you look at yourself, bumps, love handles and all, and say, "I love who you are."
Damn, I got finger cramps just typing that.
But it's important to her therapeutic method that her subjects understand that they are indeed worthy of being loved by others, as that is probably one of the most basic needs a human being has. People who've been abused or traumatized or just plain on the pokey end of the Stick of Life have a hard time understanding that, so she reinforces the idea again and again through the book. Maybe, if you're really lucky, it'll sink in. I still have some work to do....
For those of us who aren't so fortunate as to be able to have Mariah figure out how to stitch us back together, she does offer good news - a Perfect Moment of Healing is available to you outside of the therapist's office. By remaining aware of how you're feeling, what you're thinking and what you want to become, you can find moments in life to come face-to-face with your personal traumas and accept them for what they were - something bad that happened to you a long time ago. Something that does not need to define who you are now.
These moments aren't easy to come by, I reckon, and if you have some real hard-core Issues in your past, a professional is still the best way to go. But there are always chances out there. I've taken a few myself, from time to time.
One time, inside Chris' brain....
"Okay, here's the situation. Now what do we want to do?"
"Run like hell."
"And we're not going to do it because...?"
"...."
"Right. Now let's get in there."
"But I-"
"Shut up, trust me. Get in there."
So to speak.
Anyway, enough of my babbling. I'm probably mangling what is a very interesting, insightful and thought-provoking book. And I'm not just saying that because the author is Family. I'm saying it because it did make me think, and it'll continue to do so. I saw myself in there a couple of times, and I reckon you will too....
But this book isn't about my aunt, or her own personal struggles. In fact, once she gets through giving us her CV of Trauma, as it were, we don't really hear that much more about it unless it's germane to the topic she's addressing. Which, as you read on, makes a lot of sense.
Mariah is a therapist, specializing in Gestalt Therapy - a kind of active, experiential therapy method that postulates that the mind and the body are inextricably interconnected. Healing cannot take place simply by talking about it, there must be thought and feeling and emotion and movement involved. As near as I can tell, which is why I put the Wiki link in there, in case I screwed it up. This woman, who has been dealt a hand that, let's face it, has the potential to be utterly crushing, has spent her life making sure that other people are able to be healed. In learning to face the Bad Shit in her life, she's been able to help others face the Bad Shit in theirs through what she calls "Exact Moments of Healing."
"Bad Shit," by the way, is my term. It saves space.
Before I go on, let me come clean on this much: I have never been to therapy, counseling, or anything of that nature. So anything I think I know about what goes on there is purely speculation.
One of the biggest views of people going into therapy is that there is something Wrong with them. Something that must be, somehow, fixed. In this book, Mariah takes the opposite position - the people who come to her are not people who have problems that must be eliminated. They are people who are trying to be better, but can't. Because, and this is a kicker, your problems can't be eliminated. Not ever.
We're all, in some way, broken. Hell, those of you who know why this LJ is titled what it is know at least that much about me. We've all been hurt, blocked, abused, kicked, pushed and shoved to one degree or another. Some of us more, some of us less, and usually not in ways that we entirely understand. And as much as these life experiences suck ass, they're part of who we are. They've made us who we are, for good or for ill. The problem comes when we cannot fully understand these traumas for what they were. We don't know how to deal with them, so they block us up and mess with our heads.
What I got from reading this book is that the way to become free of these psychological millstones is to confront them, understand them and accept them. Fold them into your life, give them their due, and then - and this is important - don't let them keep you from being who you want to be.
Now, this is really, really, really hard. Gods know it's hard. Most of us never get that chance to look our demons right in the eye and say, "I know you. And I accept you. Now sit down and shut up." The idea of Perfect Moments of Healing is that, through counseling, these opportunities can be created. In her workshops, Mariah has re-created the people and situations that generated the traumas that held her subjects down. She goes into great detail about a variety of different cases, and they're all powerful. With the help of her groups and her students, she's allowed people to confront the horrors of war, abusive adults, indifferent parents and crumbling marriages, and given them a chance to unburden themselves of the shadowy terrors that had been keeping them from enjoying their lives.
An interesting facet of her therapy is the focus on self-love. No, not that kind, you gutter-brains. The other kind. The really, really hard kind, where you look at yourself, bumps, love handles and all, and say, "I love who you are."
Damn, I got finger cramps just typing that.
But it's important to her therapeutic method that her subjects understand that they are indeed worthy of being loved by others, as that is probably one of the most basic needs a human being has. People who've been abused or traumatized or just plain on the pokey end of the Stick of Life have a hard time understanding that, so she reinforces the idea again and again through the book. Maybe, if you're really lucky, it'll sink in. I still have some work to do....
For those of us who aren't so fortunate as to be able to have Mariah figure out how to stitch us back together, she does offer good news - a Perfect Moment of Healing is available to you outside of the therapist's office. By remaining aware of how you're feeling, what you're thinking and what you want to become, you can find moments in life to come face-to-face with your personal traumas and accept them for what they were - something bad that happened to you a long time ago. Something that does not need to define who you are now.
These moments aren't easy to come by, I reckon, and if you have some real hard-core Issues in your past, a professional is still the best way to go. But there are always chances out there. I've taken a few myself, from time to time.
One time, inside Chris' brain....
"Okay, here's the situation. Now what do we want to do?"
"Run like hell."
"And we're not going to do it because...?"
"...."
"Right. Now let's get in there."
"But I-"
"Shut up, trust me. Get in there."
So to speak.
Anyway, enough of my babbling. I'm probably mangling what is a very interesting, insightful and thought-provoking book. And I'm not just saying that because the author is Family. I'm saying it because it did make me think, and it'll continue to do so. I saw myself in there a couple of times, and I reckon you will too....
September 7, 2013
This book was sent to me as a gift from a Dear friend. As I kept reading through the pages, it dawned on me, this book is "The Gift" to whoever is fortunate to read it. I happen to share Mariah's ideology; There is nothing on this earth that cannot be healed by the power of love, respect and compassion, so I was drawn to this book and to Mariah, right from the start.
Mariah Fenton Gladis - What a remarkable woman! My Dear Mom was struck with ALS and I saw her deteriorate into a shadow of her former self, until four years later, passed away. Surviving 30+ years with ALS, as Mariah Fenton Gladis has described here in this book, is just awe-inspiring and a true miracle. On top of that, she has helped and healed so many during her life. I just wish I could go back in time, and have had the chance to read this book when my Mom was still alive.
"Tales of a Wounded Healer" is a very enriching, impressive and most definitely an inspiring read. I encourage everyone to embrace this remarkable book. This book is a blessing. A true gift!
Mariah Fenton Gladis - What a remarkable woman! My Dear Mom was struck with ALS and I saw her deteriorate into a shadow of her former self, until four years later, passed away. Surviving 30+ years with ALS, as Mariah Fenton Gladis has described here in this book, is just awe-inspiring and a true miracle. On top of that, she has helped and healed so many during her life. I just wish I could go back in time, and have had the chance to read this book when my Mom was still alive.
"Tales of a Wounded Healer" is a very enriching, impressive and most definitely an inspiring read. I encourage everyone to embrace this remarkable book. This book is a blessing. A true gift!
December 6, 2016
This book is a seminar in how to bring about "exact moments of healing," a term coined by the master of such moments, the author of this moving story. Mariah Fenton Gladis, from one day to the next had to adjust from a highly competitive athletic and business life to a life without total control of her physical body, nor her speech, because of the sudden intrusion of ALS. She describes her approach to life as a warrior for health in herself and in all she meets. Many chapters describe her work as a therapist with one particular person at a time, who, with her extraordinary focus, overcome past traumas and find a new story to live by. It will provide many chances to heal, because we are all in this life together.
July 25, 2010
This book is written in 3 parts. First she shares her own story, & the diagnosis of ALS 29 years ago now. Then, she lays out exercises for moving past old wounds & how to meet your organism's needs. Finally, she offers case studies of individuals who have been through her workshops. An amazing woman and a living miracle with very important work to do for those who seek personal evolution. This book is a great place to start now.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews