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Summary: New to Kvetching ?
Review: As a psychologist who practices psychotherapy, I am always looking for self-help books that really work. In my experience, "Stop Smiling, Start Kvetching" really works. I have loaned this book to all kinds of patients, from ones who are so afraid to express their emotional pain that they end up miserable and alone, to those who vent so indiscriminantly that they alienate others and also end up miserable and alone. The five steps--and the humorous stories that illustrate them--have helped both types of people, but I am particularly impressed by how much this book has helped the over-complainers learn to tone down their complaining, which has improved their relationships with others. I recommend this book both to those who suffer alone in their silence and to those who have relational problems because of their over-complaining.
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Summary: The Constructive Expression of Emotional Pain
Review: As a psychologist who practices psychotherapy, I am always looking for self-help books that really work. In my experience, "Stop Smiling, Start Kvetching" really works. I have loaned this book to all kinds of patients, from ones who are so afraid to express their emotional pain that they end up miserable and alone, to those who vent so indiscriminantly that they alienate others and also end up miserable and alone. The five steps--and the humorous stories that illustrate them--have helped both types of people, but I am particularly impressed by how much this book has helped the over-complainers learn to tone down their complaining, which has improved their relationships with others. I recommend this book both to those who suffer alone in their silence and to those who have relational problems because of their over-complaining.
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Summary: Meh... This book was physically painfull to read...
Review: As a strong pessimist and cynic, I figured that this book would be perfect for a person like me. I'm not alone you know! Anyways, I began reading this book with excitement, hoping it could provide guidance it advertises.Unfortunately, I found myself almost pounding my head against the wall by mid-book. I think I might freak out if I ever hear the word 'kvetch' again. In the book, the word 'kvetch' is used so often, it is much too repetitive. Also, the definition of the word takes up entirely too much of the book. The writer also almost seems like she's contradicting what she says. She says, make sure you dont drive your audience away. Okay lady, with all the kvetching of yours taking up the book, you chased ME away. I failed to find anything helpful or useful in this book. The writer almost seems like she had a good idea for a book, but could not quite fill it out. A thin, quick read, but very tedious and repetitive without much guidance. I would not recommend this book.
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Summary: Delightful and thought provoking.
Review: Barbara Held is to be applauded for writing a thin little book with just a few pages of insight, much repetition and a lot of filler. This ain't your momma's chicken soup!
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Summary: A Great Stocking Stuffer this Xmas
Review: Barbara Held's "Stop Smiling and Start Kvetching" is a wonderful gift for Santa to bring to family members during the holidays. I gave copies to my father and sister-in-law last year, and we all had a great time creatively kvetching (as opposed to our typical whining) about things during those high stress periods over the Christmas holidays. Yes, even those of Scandanavian descent, not genetically prone to kvetching, can learn the tricks of the trade from Dr. Held.
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Summary: Creative Complaining
Review: The idea of creative complaining is helpful for those of us who were raised with a taboo against expressing negative emotions -- no matter how genuine or appropriate. With humor and warmth, the author provides significant help. Recommended.
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Summary: Creative Complaining
Review: The idea of creative complaining is helpful for those of us who were raised with a taboo against expressing negative emotions -- no matter how genuine or appropriate. With humor and warmth, the author provides significant help. Recommended.
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Summary: Help for Both Complainers and NonComplainers
Review: This wonderful little book is great for two groups of people: those who don't express or vent their pain when they need to, and those who complain too much and drive me nuts. Dr. Held gives the first group (the noncomplainers) permission and support to complain or vent to release their pain. She also gives rules for how to complain without driving people away. These rules are particularly helpful to the second group (the people who complain too much). The humor helps both groups relax and take in the unusual but serious and very helpful message. I'm giving this book to friends in both groups.
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Summary: Feeling better about feeling bad
Review: What a relief to find a book that doesn't presume that I have to feel good all the time. It's easy to find self help books with the premise that you can feel good all the time. Those books have always frustrated me because I simply can't live up to those standards. Stop Smiling, Start Kvetching is a humorous but effective lesson about life... What a relief to learn that it is okay to acknowledge to yourself and others that life isn't always grand and to learn how to express this without driving others away.
Rating:
Summary: Feeling better about feeling bad
Review: What a relief to find a book that doesn't presume that I have to feel good all the time. It's easy to find self help books with the premise that you can feel good all the time. Those books have always frustrated me because I simply can't live up to those standards. Stop Smiling, Start Kvetching is a humorous but effective lesson about life... What a relief to learn that it is okay to acknowledge to yourself and others that life isn't always grand and to learn how to express this without driving others away.
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