Where to Draw the Line: How to Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Title - Done Before
Review: I found this book an excellent for anyone working on co-dependency and boundary issues. It give a good guideline for putting boundaries to work for you on a daily basis. Easy to understand. Good reading.

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Summary: Author Violates Boundaries
Review: I was generally pleased with the first few chapters of the book that sets out a model of personal integrity and conflict avoidance/resolution based on an individual's recognition of their personal boundaries. The examples are good illustrations of the concepts. This was useful reading for me. However, somewhere around chapter 9, "Making Amends", the author starts to creep across my reader's boundary. Insidiously, the book turns into the boundary theory of everything. She extends a belief in cause and effect to view every possible interaction with the world as relating to boundary issues. Although in theory the model may be consistent, consider her attempt to apply it in the chapter titled "Holiday, Birthday, and Celebration Boundaries." In the section titled "Calling for Amends from Those Who Govern", she crosses another line by making statements that reveal the very personal and philosophic rather than professional and therapeutic nature of her writing. Even though I, as a reader, may agree with what she writes, the book becomes increasingly subjective and opinionated, and she loses my trust as a "certified mental health counselor." In addition, I sense a subtle gender bias in the author's writing. Although she may be statistically correct in choosing male names and pronouns when referring to individuals that use or threaten violence, I feel that she needs to show more balance in her writing. She includes one good example in which a husband can avoid his wife's defensive behavior by establishing better boundaries, but the only other major example in which a male has boundaries violated involves a gay couple.

Rating:
Summary: Everyone Should Read This Book
Review: Over the past 13 years I've read A LOT of books on relationships, recovery, self-esteem, etc. and this is by far one of the best I've read. The title of the book does not do it justice because this book is a positive way to have not only good boundaries, but good relationships with almost everyone. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is in any recovery program.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Title - Done Before
Review: This book has an interesting title and discusses topics previously debated in other published works. In 1991, a book titled "Where Do I Draw The Line? How To Get Past Other People's Problems and Start Living Your Own Life" was published by Health Communications, Inc. Issues put forth in this most recent boundary book were initially investigated indepth in published works almost a decade earlier. Concern about the similarity in this title and content with that of a previous publications was a real issue for me.

Rating:
Summary: Plain language
Review: This is a quick but impressive read. It identifies everyday situations which can be uncomfortable and invasive. More importantly it explains why it is invasive in plain language. It provides scenarios and small quizzes providing for new learning.

Rating:
Summary: It's good to see the other side
Review: This is a wonderful book. I have ready Boundaries, where you end and I began before, so I had insight into the style of writing this book would be presented it.

Where to Draw the Line gives clear, concise examples of boundary violations, as well as offering suggestions on how to work out problems and disagreements.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book on boundaries and codependence!
Review: When my counselor recommended me to read this book, I had no clue what I was in for. This book opened my eyes to all of the unhealthy patterns we have in our relationships and where they come from. It has literally changed my life. Thanks to this book, I am more in touch with myself and have more fulfilling relationships with others in which we truly care about one another. If you'd like to learn about yourself and are really ready for some positive change (it will be painful at first but it is definitely worth it), try this book. The other book I highly recommend on this topic is "The Ever-Transcending Spirit" by Toru Sato. Sato has an unbelievable ability to show us how complex things like internal conflict and relationships work in the simplest ways. Good luck on your transformation!