This Too Shall Pass

I was happy to be offered an ARC of Julia Samuel’s This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings by the publisher.

This Too Shall Pass

If change is the natural order of things, why do so many people struggle with the milestones of life – from first jobs and first loves to children leaving home and retirement?

We live in a culture of limitless choice – and life is now more complex than ever. In This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings, acclaimed psychotherapist Julia Samuel draws on hours of conversations with her patients to show how we can learn to adapt and thrive during our most difficult and transformative experiences. Illuminated by the latest social and psychological research, this book unflinchingly deals with the hard times in family, love, work, health and identity.

From a woman deciding whether to leave her husband for a younger lover, to a father handling a serious medical diagnosis. And from a new mother struggling with the decision to return to work, to a young man dealing with the aftermath of coming out, and a woman starting over after losing her job.

These powerful, unforgettable and deeply intimate stories about everyday people will inform our understanding of our own unique response to change and enlighten the way we approach challenges at every stage of life.

About the author

Julia Samuel, MBE, is a psychotherapist specialising in grief, who has spent the last twenty-five years working with bereaved families. She has worked both in private practice and in the NHS at St Mary’s Hospital Paddington where she pioneered the role of maternity and paediatric psychotherapist. In 1994 she worked to launch and establish Child Bereavement UK as its Founder Patron, where she continues to play a central role. Julia was awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Year’s Honours list for services to bereaved children. Grief Works is her first book.

My review : 4/5

Change is not always easy. In this book, the author draws on her vast experience as a psychotherapist to share the common thread of the struggle with adapting to periods of change in our lives. Sharing ‘stories’ from her client files, Julia Samuel, places them in themes – family relationships, love in all its forms, work, health and identity. How people learn to accept change and use it as a vehicle of positive change is very inspiring.

She goes on to suggest Eight Pillars of Strength to lean on in times of change.

This is not an easy read. It’s a book you have to go through slowly and learn through the experiences of others. I found both the subject and the presentation of the book very interesting. The style seemed slightly reminiscent of Scott Peck’s, The Road Less Traveled . I was also reminded of another book about change, Gail Sheehy’s Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life that I read several years ago.

I received a copy of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.