Hope, Help & Healing for Eating Disorders Book Review

The following is a book review of Hope, Help & Healing for Eating Disorders by Gregory L. Jantz, PhD with Ann McMurray. I received this book for free from Blogging for Books.
  

As a person who writes about food issues and how they relate to spiritual issues, I found the methods referred to in this book more useful and biblically accurate than many other methods. Using a whole-person approach which includes a spiritual element, the authors tackle difficult eating disorders and what they have coined as “disordered eating.” It was especially refreshing to hear them tie a person’s present day eating issues to past problems and spiritual issues. For instance, on page 26, they state, “The more you turn to a physical comfort like food, the less likely you are to turn to God for spiritual comfort.” Dr. Jantz and Ms. McMurray do not shy away from the tough stuff. For example, on page 42 they say, “By controlling what you eat, you are really trying to control that terrible pain.”

The authors use stories to relate to the reader on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. Once the authors have established credibility, they guide the reader through the healing process using a multi-level approach. They write about anger, fear, guilt, and shame followed by forgiveness, the perfect Father, and learning to live. They unapologetically explain, “Blame only fuels the pain. Forgiveness dilutes its power.” (p. 54) and “. . . truth has the ability to heal. . . . Your truth is safe in God’s love.” (p. 62) “Self-hate argues against the truth of God’s love for you and the great value you have. . . . You can decide to stop listening to your self-hate and decide to hear the truth of God’s love for you.” (p. 138)

I recommend this book for anyone suffering through an eating disorder or disordered eating patterns. This book may also be beneficial for those related to someone with an eating disorder or a disordered eating pattern. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

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I would love to give this book away. If you struggle with an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia, or habitually overeating) or disordered eating and believe you would benefit from reading this book, please send me a private message or email.