Being with Pain Lesson 1 Books

The Nest in the Stream: Lessons from Nature on Being with Pain

– Michael Kearney MD, 2018

A concise and inspirational book for anyone dealing with pain by a long time palliative care doctor who is greatly inspired by Native American wisdom and the natural world. This book is a celebration of impermanence and what it means to be awake, alive, and connected to the world.

The Nest in the Stream is an encouraging and inspiring book for the times we live in. Michael Kearney, a physician whose day job is alleviating the pain and suffering of others, shows that how we live with our pain matters hugely, as it affects our quality of living and our capacity to find healing for ourselves, for others, and for our world. Drawing on engaged Buddhism, the indigenous wisdom of Native American and Celtic spirituality, and the powerful teachings he gained by observing nature, Kearney presents a new model for resilience and self-care.

Traditional models of self-care emphasize the importance of professional boundaries to protect us from stress, and time out to rest and recover. The Nest in the Stream offers a way of being with pain that is infused with mindfulness, openness, compassion, and deep nature connection that encourages us to act for the freedom and welfare of all. It will appeal to those whose everyday occupation involves dealing with pain, such as healthcare workers, environmental activists, or those working on the front lines of trauma, but it will also be of interest to everyone who longs to live in our wounded world with an open heart.

 

Fried

– Joan Borysenko, 2010

This Is an Invitation to Take Your Power Back! What happened to the spark you had as a child that powered curiosity, engagement with life, and creativity? Has it burned out? Are you feeling emotionally and physically exhausted and cynical, wondering if you’ve got what it takes to make it in this rapidly changing world? Burnout looks a lot like depression, but it’s not a biological bogeyman that medication or simple stress management can cure. It’s a disorder of hope and will that sucks the life out of competent, idealistic, hardworking people like you; and it will be an ongoing challenge for you to take your power back! In this breakthrough work, Joan Borysenko, Ph.D.—a Harvard-trained medical scientist, psychologist, and renowned pioneer in stress and health—straddles psychology, biology, and soul in a completely fresh approach to burnout. Joan’s deeply human (and often amusing) personal accounts of burnout and recovery; the science of helplessness, hopelessness, and empowerment; and the rich wisdom of people who have gone from fried to revived—including many of Joan’s vibrant community of 5,000 Facebook Friends—make this powerful and practical book a must-read for our times.

To Weep For A Stranger: Compassion Fatigue in Caregiving

– Patricia Smith, 2009

Compassion fatigue plagues caregivers worldwide. When providing care to others without incorporating authentic, sustainable self-care practices into our daily lives, destructive symptoms surface. Isolation, emotional outbursts, substance abuse and reoccurring nightmares are just a few of the symptoms that can distress the life of a caregiver. With awareness and knowledge, compassion fatigue can be recognized and managed. To Weep for a Stranger: Compassion Fatigue in Caregiving is the first step in learning more about this emotional and physical pain-filled syndrome and how to break free from the bonds that restrict compassionate, dedicated caregivers from living a happy, healthy life. Included in this book is the definition of compassion fatigue, its symptoms and causes, and standards of self-care. Also, you’ll find information for those new to the helping professions and a special section for family caregivers.

Remedy for Burnout: 7 Prescriptions Doctors Use to Find Meaning in Medicine

– Starla Fitch MD, 2014

Dr. Starla Fitch went into medicine for all the right reasons. But not long after she began her practice, the demands of the profession coupled with the bureaucracy of the system began to take their toll. On the verge of burnout, she knew she had to find a way to reconnect with the reasons she became a physician. She did–and now she helps other doctors do the same. Remedy for Burnout: 7 Prescriptions Doctors Use to Find Meaning in Medicine, shares Starla’s story and those of fellow physicians who tapped into their own passions and talents and discovered the meaning in medicine unique to each of them. Her seven prescriptions provide actionable advice that doctors can take to assess their current situations and reconnect with the reasons why they put on their white coats every day.