Healing Families: Courage and Faith in Challenging Times

Henry G. MacLeod teaches sociology at Trent University and the
University of Waterloo.

Drawing on her experience as a marriage and family therapist and on her
personal faith, Diane Marshall provides a concise overview of many
significant challenges that face today’s families and offers both
practical and spiritual suggestions for finding solutions. Healing
Families may be used as a preventative self-help guide, but it is
designed for families in crisis needing a place to begin their search
for help. The book identifies six common problem areas; includes
real-life examples; outlines helpful approaches, resources, and
supports; and discusses the role that faith—specifically how
Christians should respond—can play in healing troubled family
relationships.

The introduction defines healthy families and the potential for crises.
Subsequent chapters focus on specific issues, such as the impact of work
and leisure on families, family justice (e.g., gender equality), family
conflict, parenting, addiction, and trauma. The conclusion explores
counselling and spirituality. Depending on the severity of a reader’s
family concerns, the book may prove quite helpful, or seem limited
because of its brevity or omission of a specific crisis. Marshall
balances keeping her book rudimentary and practical by recommending
resources and professional help. In addition, she looks at current
family dynamics in plain language that readers will appreciate. Unlike a
pop psychology book, Healing Families does not offer simplistic tips for
overcoming problems in a day but gives sound and beneficial advice and
encouragement.

The other strength of Healing Families is its faith component. In an
increasingly secular world, it can be refreshing to have a self-help
book for families that is grounded in Christian faith and justice.
Focusing on spirituality, it embraces an ecumenical approach.