Book Review: Take Your Life Back by Stephen Arterburn

FTC disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own.

I have been a long time fan of books by Stephen Arterburn.  In a world of too many Christian psychology books giving pat answers, I love his approach combing true therapy answers with faith.  Take Your Life Back:  How to Stop Letting The Past and Other People Control you was once again a breath of fresh air in a genre where it seems all too many books give the answer "pray".  (While I'm not saying you shouldn't pray, there are studies and discoveries that can enrich our lives with their knowledge.)



I was a social work major in college with a minor in psychology.  One thing I greatly appreciated about this book was it gave some of the more recent developments about how our brain works and can be damaged.  Many of these findings were things I hadn't heard before because I graduated college nearly twenty years ago.  For instance, did you know trauma to the brain (even football injuries) can sometimes impair our short term memory.

This book is much more than just studies, but it talks about these facts while guiding you through the process of recovery of both the past and image (what other people think of you.)  As someone who has been through foster parent training, the chapters on broken attachments in children (and adults) was especially helpful.  In children, this is often called Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), and while there is no term for it in adults, it still can affect those who are over the age of eighteen.  This book gives a great start in how to recover from these broken relationships.

I also appreciate the fact the authors recommend a trusted therapist.  I can remember years ago when going to therapy was frowned upon in Christian circles.  But the fact is, many of us need help.

You can read a sample here: