Healing Work: Giving Humanity a Second Chance

by Joshua Makoul

The healing journey can be disorienting and mystifying. Where do we begin? How do we know which way to go? Like a trusted map, Healing Work orients readers within the practical strategies and insights they need to navigate healing’s ebbs and flows, successes and set-backs, with wisdom and confidence. It recognizes that deep emotional pain can defy easy answers, even those offered by a well-intentioned Orthodox Christian perspective. From identifying the roles and life projections that hold us back, to creating a life narrative and insight to move us forward, Healing Work is about finding freedom from distressing life experiences so that we can more fully attain the freedom we are granted in Christ. Not only is true and total healing possible (even when we have been stuck for years or decades), it can be learned and attained. No matter how deep our wounds may be, we can choose to acquire the skills of healing so that we can finally let go of the pain and fear that hold us captive.

176 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing Work: Giving Humanity a Second Chance offers the necessary tools to help one begin to heal themselves. The beginning of the book focuses on understanding our own life story and the areas where we could use healing. It walks the readers through different stages of life and how these stages impact our mental and emotional health. It also offers tools for doing our own healing work outside of professional therapies and help. I found this book helpful in examining my own life story and parts of it that would benefit from introspection and healing. As a mother of a child with a history of significant trauma, this book was also helpful in understanding the ways that they are experiencing trauma and suggestions for supporting them towards healing. Although I had not read Father Makoul’s first book Healing Your Wounded Soul: Growing From Pain to Peace, I found this book to be helpful as a stand alone piece for how to work through the process of healing. I’d recommend this book for anyone as we all have parts of our lives that would benefit from the healing process.

*Disclosure: This book was gifted to me in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Anthony Quinones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing Work, Giving Humanity a Second Chance is a captivating book that delves into the profound intersection of psychological mental health practices and Christianity. Written with clarity and empathy, the author skillfully navigates the complex terrain of these two domains, offering readers a unique perspective on finding inner peace and fostering holistic well-being.

One of the book’s standout qualities is its ability to bridge the gap between psychological concepts and Christian principles. The author adeptly explores various psychological approaches, drawing from both contemporary theories and ancient wisdom, and seamlessly integrates them with the teachings of Christianity. By doing so, they create a narrative that embraces the potential for psychological healing within a spiritual framework.

The author’s deep understanding of the human condition shines through in their compassionate and insightful writing. They discuss the challenges individuals face in today’s fast-paced and demanding world, and provide practical strategies to navigate mental health issues within a Christian context. Their words serve as a gentle reminder that seeking help and embracing healing is not only acceptable but also in line with the teachings of compassion and love found in Christianity.

Throughout the book, the author emphasizes the importance of work and service in both psychological well-being and Christian faith. They elucidate how finding purpose and engaging in meaningful work can contribute to personal growth and mental flourishing. By intertwining psychological concepts such as self-reflection, resilience, and mindfulness with biblical principles, the author offers readers a roadmap for cultivating a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

What makes “Healing, Work, Giving Humanity a Second Chance” truly remarkable is its ability to resonate with a wide range of readers. Whether one is deeply rooted in their Christian faith, exploring their spiritual journey, or simply seeking psychological insights, this book provides a rich tapestry of wisdom and guidance. It invites individuals to embark on a transformative exploration of self-discovery, fostering a deeper connection with oneself, others, and the divine.

In conclusion, “Healing, Work, Giving Humanity a Second Chance” is a thought-provoking and uplifting book that bridges the gap between psychological mental health practices and Christianity. With its insightful approach, compassionate tone, and practical advice, it offers readers an empowering resource for personal growth, healing, and finding renewed hope. This book is a testament to the transformative power of integrating psychological insights with spiritual principles, and it is highly recommended for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human psyche and its intersection with faith.

[Margaret Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was recently able to listen to listen to the audiobook version of “Healing Works” by Fr Joshua Makoul, which I’d been eagerly looking forward to sinking my teeth into. This book follows on the groundwork laid in his first book, “Healing Your Wounded Soul,” offering more in-depth descriptions of practical ways to heal from trauma and painful experiences in one’s life. As a trauma survivor who works with other women in my parish community who are healing from painful experiences, this book turned out to be an empowering and eye-opening read! While the first book dealt with concepts of how to heal on a general level, in this book Fr Joshua delves more deeply into specific healing modalities for trauma, including aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy which can be helpful, rather than damaging, to trauma survivors. In addition, he discusses less well-known healing techniques such as EMDR and reframing unhelpful thoughts. I particularly loved how Fr Joshua described how EMDR has a paschal quality in allowing us to put away past pain and move forward with a new beginning. Fr Joshua doesn’t just talk about healing modalities, he also broaches important topics such as attachment wounds, people-pleasing, and projection. Most importantly, his discussion integrates these concepts into the spiritual tradition of the Orthodox Christian Church. His discussion of the importance of insight in healing and the importance of change and letting go fit directly into Orthodox Christian concepts of repentance and spiritual healing. This book both contains extremely helpful guidance on useful techniques to heal and offers encouragement to endure in the struggle of healing from traumatic experiences in our lives – emotional, physical, and spiritual. I loved it so much that I bought a print copy to give to my priest in the hope he will use it when counseling people who are seeking healing in the Church. The audiobook version is read in a calm and understandable manner, and I frequently felt like I was sitting with Fr Joshua and discussing the important topic of healing. His reading made the material accessible and offered a wide variety of skills to enable the reader to set aside fear and pain to move forward on their own healing journey. This book is an important resource for those of us healing from past experiences which have caused pain and trauma, particularly within the Orthodox Christian tradition – it is truly a roadmap for giving humanity a second chance!

[Benjamin Linnabary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting to be so moved by this book, but I was. Fr Makoul, in a gentle but authentic way, looks at some of the traumas that many humans have faced and what is at the root of them. I found myself underlining many sections, both that dealt with my own wounds as well as the wounds of close friends and family. The first half, even two thirds of the book deals with analyzing the wounds, while the second section gives more practical applications. Sprinkled throughout this wonderful book are also exercises that are referenced in the appendix to help us not only make sense of our wounds, but also our own life story. Too often books dealing with trauma treat the traumas as the most important parts of one's life; Fr Makoul does a wonderful job of showing that the trauma is a part of the narrative of our life, but only a part.
I would recommend this book not only for those wanting a deeper understanding of their own trauma, but those who want to find more empathy for others. I found myself having far more empathy and compassion for others as I began to understand better the way trauma has affected their lives. My only recommendation is to take the book slow; there is alot to chew on, and none of it should be rushed!

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

the Holy Spirit.

Healing Work also does an excellent job discussing other therapies: Limbic System Therapy, Psycho Drama Therapy, and EMDR provide those committed to healing work alternative ways of combatting negative past experiences and beliefs. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) was particularly interesting to me, especially because it doesn’t require the individual to recount their entire life story and work through it, rather, a specialist uses eye movement techniques to help better process negative memories providing relief. What an excellent option for those tired of recounting their tales, feeling more dejected by doing so.

In order to provide an honest review, I was provided an audio version from Ancient Faith Radio Publishing.

For those serious about being their own “psychological archaeologist” I recommend purchasing both the audio and hard formats. There is an excellent appendix with lots of worksheets and supplemental materials.

God bless you and heal you 💚


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[Ana Beshara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the blessing of getting to enjoy the audiobook version of this incredible work. Fr. Makoul makes the healing journey practical and accessible even for the most reluctant of readers. Getting the chance to hear his faith based wisdom and advice encouraged me to renew my own personal mental health journey, even beginning therapy again to put in the work to be a better wife, church member and future mother. I highly recommend this work to all faithful Orthodox who want to improve their mental health, and move on from past wounds.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an LPC myself, I recommend that many people pursue counseling for their own growth and healing. However, not everyone is able or willing to do so. Father Joshua’s book is an incredible resource for those looking to do some healing work on their own, especially if they aren’t able for any reason to pursue counseling. The hands on activities are wonderful, and Father Joshua has written the book in a way that makes complex topics easily understood by the reader. A wonderful book for healing!