"The Soul of Caregiving" reaches #1 on Amazon Kindle

ATASCADERO, Calif. - Oct. 9, 2018 - PRLog -- A Caregiver's Guide to Healing and Transformation.

Who are the caregivers?

We all are, for at the heart of being human is the capacity to care, to reach out to others and explore the relationships we build. The Soul of Caregiving is about us and how we, as caregivers, serve, even sacrifice, for those in need. I invite you to explore with me how we have the opportunities to partake in a kind of pilgrimage along the path of our experiences as caregivers. Unlike other pilgrims who have a guide assigned to them, you will soon discover it is your own Soul guiding you. Professionally skilled as we may be to meet the needs of others, a fundamental core component of our busy lives as caregivers, is the necessity to stop and rest. It is not a waste of time, but rather a luxury of time, to ponder, reflect, and grow from our experiences. Not an easy endeavor in the midst of a whirlwind of activity. We, as caregivers, experience vulnerability, helplessness, fears, and pain over the traumatic events we experience because we care. Compassion fatigue comes about because we care.

Reviews

"Ed's genius as an author is his usage of extremely rich personal examples, documented research and highly motivating, clear, and compassionate language to enlighten and to educate his "Wounded Healers." He delivers his readers the gift of "Soulfulness," a gift, if embraced and practiced, will lead us and our clients to peace and well-being. Outstanding! Five Stars!!!" - William Divine, MA Director of Graduate Admissions, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY (Retired)

"The Soul of Caregiving is the perfect companion for the road that we as caregivers are called to take--that of the person who accompanies a person who suffers. Accompaniment is a sacred calling, and one that requires us as caregivers to reflect on our own woundedness, our deeply held values, and our call to love those we serve. Ed's work engages and challenges us to dare to move deeper into presence, both to ourselves and to others." - Christina Puchalski, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, Professor of Medicine and Health Science, Director of The George Washington University's Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWISH), Author of Time for Listening and Caring: Making Healthcare Whole, Textbook in Spirituality and Health

"The Caregiver is an essential archetype in human life. None of us would be alive if no one cared for us as a child, and life without mutual giving is joyless. Yet, Caregivers today are often undervalued and underpaid. Edward Smink's book, The Soul of Caregiving, not only provides an inspiring guide to practicing generosity, it also restores the honor and respect caregiving deserves. I highly recommend this book to those who care for others and those who would if they learned to respect loving service." - Carol S. Pearson, Author of Awakening the Heroes Within: 12 Archetypes to Find Ourselves and Transform Our World

About the Author

Dr. Edward M. Smink, Ph.D. understands the strengths and pitfalls of a caregiver. He has worked across the continuum of healthcare as a nurse's assistant, registered nurse, certified chaplain, pastoral counselor, and executive healthcare leader for over forty years. His own experience with compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and burnout has influenced his writing and coaching practice where his skills of active listening, the promotion of ethical and professional guidelines, crisis intervention, facilitation of personal and professional goals, growth strategies, and sensitivity for and the promotion of cultural and spiritual diversity has developed. The author can be reached at www.soulofthewoundedhealer.com