Life Inside the Thin Cage


Book Description

Frustrated by the often unrealistic standards of beauty presented by today’s media, many women have become trapped in a never-ending pattern of chronic dieting. Daily they endure destructive self-talk such as “I can’t eat that or I’ll get fat” or “If I could just lose a few more pounds everything would be better.” Chronic dieters may be any shape or size but they have one thing in common: They are often left to suffer alone with an undiagnosed “sub-clinical” eating disorder. Such sub-clinical disorders include eating habits that are unusual, even unhealthy, but do not fit the technical classifications of anorexia or bulimia. Addressing the many dimension of “chronic dieting,” Life Inside the “Thin” Cage offers a wake-up call and practical steps to those who need healing. Readers will find personal stories, insights into their secret patterns and habits, reassurance that they are not alone, checklists, self-tests, and, best of all, a new road to emotional, physical, mental and spiritual freedom.




The Lizard Cage


Book Description

Set during Burma's military dictatorship of the mid—1990s, Karen Connelly’s exquisitely written and harshly realistic debut novel is a hymn to human resilience and love. In the sealed-off world of a vast Burmese prison known as the cage, Teza languishes in solitary confinement seven years into a twenty-year sentence. Arrested in 1988 for his involvement in mass protests, he is the nation’s most celebrated songwriter whose resonant words and powerful voice pose an ongoing threat to the state. Forced to catch lizards to supplement his meager rations, Teza finds emotional and spiritual sustenance through memories and Buddhist meditation. The tiniest creatures and things–a burrowing ant, a copper-coloured spider, a fragment of newspaper within a cheroot filter–help to connect him to life beyond the prison walls. Even in isolation, Teza has a profound influence on the people around him. His integrity and humour inspire Chit Naing, the senior jailer, to find the courage to follow his conscience despite the serious risks involved, while Teza’s very existence challenges the brutal authority of the junior jailer, perversely nicknamed Handsome. Sein Yun, a gem smuggler and prison fixer, is his most steady human contact, who finds delight in taking advantage of Teza by cleverly tempting him into Handsome's web with the most dangerous contraband of all: pen and paper. Lastly, there's Little Brother, an orphan raised in the jail, imprisoned by his own deprivation. Making his home in a tiny, corrugated-metal shack, Little Brother stays alive by killing rats and selling them to the inmates. As the political prisoner and the young boy forge a cautious friendship, we learn that both are prisoners of different orders; only one of them dreams of escape and only one of them achieves it. Barely able to speak, losing the battle of the flesh but winning the battle of the spirit, Teza knows he has the power to transfigure one small life, and to send a message of hope and resistance out of the cage. Shortlisted for both the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction and the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, The Lizard Cage has received rave reviews nationally and internationally.




The Art of Being


Book Description

“There’s an art to being anxious for nothing. There’s an art to being at peace with God, your neighbor, your world, and yourself. Oh what a great friend, follower, and citizen you are if you are at peace just being you. Start there, and you can go anywhere.” –from the foreword by Charlie Peacock It’s Not What You Do. It’s Who You Are. In today’s achievement-oriented culture, it can feel impossible to separate who we are from what we accomplish. We introduce ourselves by announcing what we do for a living. Endless “to do” lists drive us away from self-discovery and true contentment. We hope that our successes will cause our busyness to feel worthwhile, yet despite our accomplishments, we long for something more. Featuring original essays and stories from a diverse list of contributors including Jonathan Foreman (Switchfoot), Sara Groves, Matthew Odmark (Jars of Clay), Gloria Gaither, Don and Lori Chaffer (Waterdeep), Tammy Trent, and Linford Detweiler (Over the Rhine), The Art of Being explores what it really means to “be” who we are. Here you will find an encouraging, challenging companion on your journey toward discovering your true identity–and toward finding a satisfaction that lasts. Life Is Not a Resumé Higher bank balances, stylish clothes, and popularity among our peers may look impressive on the surface, but these things don’t satisfy our craving for contentment. True satisfaction is found when our spirit is fed with a sense of purpose. The stories and reflections in The Art of Being will inspire you to resist the disappointing pursuit of the temporal and explore a deeper understanding of who you are as the unique artwork of your Creator.




Unpacking the Loaded Teacher Matrix


Book Description

What issues in English teacher education are sidestepped because they are too loaded to address? What aren't we talking about when we discuss classroom management, censorship, standardized tests, media literacy, social justice issues, the standards, and technology? What really matters to novices entering the profession? The authors in this book wrestle with the disparities between preservice English teacher instruction and secondary school space as the two collide, and describe the tools that preservice English teachers need to negotiate and navigate between theory and practice. This book answers these questions and offers groundbreaking insights about liberatory pedagogy for how teacher educators can mentor preservice teachers on touchy issues, providing them with tools to reach today's students.




Next to Nothing


Book Description

More than simple cases of dieting gone awry, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are among the most fatal of mental illnesses, responsible for more deaths each year than any other psychiatric disorder. These illnesses afflict millions of young people, especially women, all over the world. Carrie Arnold developed anorexia as an adolescent and nearly lost her life to the disease. In Next to Nothing, she tells the story of her descent into anorexia, how and why she fell victim to this mysterious illness, and how she was able to seek help and recover after years of therapy and hard work. Now an adult, Arnold uses her own experiences to offer practical advice and guidance to young adults who have recently been diagnosed with an eating disorder, or who are at risk for developing one. Drawing on the expertise of B. Timothy Walsh, M.D., one of America's leading authorities on eating disorders, she reveals in easy-to-understand terms what is known and not known medically about anorexia and bulimia. The book covers such difficult topics as how to make sense of a diagnosis, the various psychotherapies available to those struggling with an eating disorder, psychiatric hospitalization, and how to talk about these illnesses to family and friends. The result is both a compelling memoir and a practical guide that will help to ease the isolation that an eating disorder can impose, showing young people how to manage and maintain their recovery on a daily basis. Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, Next to Nothing will also be a valuable resource to the friends and family of those with eating disorders. It offers much-needed hope to young people, helping them to overcome these illnesses and lead productive and healthy lives.




Eating Disorders and Obesity


Book Description

Both practical and comprehensive, this book provides a clear framework for the assessment, treatment, and prevention of eating disorders and obesity. Focusing on best practices and offering a range of current techniques, leaders in the field examine these life-threatening disorders and propose treatment options for clients of all ages. This text, written specifically for counselors, benefits from the authors’ collective expertise and emphasizes practitioner-friendly, wellness-based approaches that counselors can use in their daily practice. Parts I and II of the text address risk factors in and sociocultural influences on the development of eating disorders, gender differences, the unique concerns of clients of color, ethical and legal issues, and assessment and diagnosis. Part III explores prevention and early intervention with high-risk groups in school, university, and community settings. The final section presents a variety of treatment interventions, such as cognitive–behavioral, interpersonal, dialectical behavior, and family-based therapy. *Requests for digital versions from the ACA can be found on wiley.com. *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website here. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to [email protected]




Stick Figure


Book Description

From the diaries she kept as an 11-year-old, the author's wry, perceptive account of her near-fatal struggle with anorexia nervosa is told with an unguarded openness not seen since Susanna Kaysen's "Girl Interrupted. Stick Figure" has been option for film by Martin Scorsese's De Fina/Cappa Productions.




Unashamed


Book Description

Are you living in silent shame, hiding a “secret sin”? Maybe you numb life’s pain with a bottle, razor blade, or sex. Maybe you “binge and purge” or act on feelings for other girls. Whatever your “secret”—shocking or not—if you’re trapped by it, you’re trapped by it. And chances are you’re not getting help because you’re too scared of what people would think if they found out. Unashamed breaks the silence about the sins girls think they have to hide. With daring and a touch of humor, author Jessie Minassian shares her own story of struggle and victory. God longs for you to live in the freedom He died for! So whether you’re caught in a cycle of sin yourself or just want to know how to help the silent sufferers all around you, let this book be the beginning of your journey toward health, healing, and freedom in His love for you.




Gods at War Student Edition


Book Description

The next step in becoming a completely committed follower of Jesus False gods war within each and every one of us, fighting for a place of glory and control in our lives. In this student edition of gods at war, Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of not a fan, demonstrates how the desire for things like popularity, acceptance, and success can become modern-day idols that keep us from truly following Jesus Christ. Behind the everyday pressures, fears, and lack of purpose is a false god who too often is winning the war in our hearts. By asking insightful questions and looking at the issues from a teen’s point of view, Idleman reveals which false gods most often take the place of the one true God. Then, using powerful and honest testimonies of people like you who have struggled in each area, gods at war student edition illustrates a clear path away from the heartache of 21st-century idolatry back to the heart of God.




They Cage the Animals at Night


Book Description

For use in schools and libraries only. The true story of an abandoned child's struggle for emotional survival.