What Will Set You Free (with CD)

Cynthia James
Thornton Publishing (2007)
ISBN 9780977476183
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Readers View (5/08)


Cynthia James has given readers the chance to make a positive change in their life through her own stories, practical exercises, journaling and a wonderful meditation CD.

It has been a while since this reader has read a book so compelling, one that gives advice you can use right that moment and one so caring. Each chapter is filled with stories of her own life of abuse, neglect, finding the wrong relationships and trying to find who she really is. Don’t we all do that?  Many of us have been harboring secrets for most of our life and can’t figure out why we aren’t happy.

“What Will Set You Free” gives clear understanding of how we sabotage our goals and ourselves. We continually play the victim and blame others. Ms. James teaches us how to stop doing the negatives and focus on the positives we have with such exercises as:  writing your story- word for word, making no changes. She asks, “Does your story drain you and make you fatigued?” Then follows with after reading your story ask yourself “Do you want to let go of the story and move on.”

As a psychologist I have read many self-help books, but none show this amount of enthusiasm or sincerity in helping you make a change in seven weeks. This is a book that I would recommend my students in my “Children and Violence” class to read and re-read. Even if we have taught ourselves to believe that we have had a perfect life, Ms. James will help you realize that there is no “perfect” life-- we all have issues, but you don’t have to let them rule. “What Will Set You Free” is a very incredible read.

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