We live in an increasingly "virtual" world in which it can be tempting to skip making that true, human connection with someone in pain. Even though our thoughts might be with them, we lack the confidence to reach out, worrying that we will say or do the "wrong" thing.
In this practical, step-by-step guide to what she calls "the art of comforting," Val Walker draws on numerous interviews with "Master Comforters" to guide readers in gently and gracefully breaking through the walls that those who are suffering often erect around themselves. Interviewees include inspiring individuals such as...

Originally published in 1983, this book is based on research into the way practitioners in the medical, legal, and social services viewed marriage and violence at the time. It examines marital violence from a number of perspectives and the ways in which different agencies and practitioners respond to the problem.