Broken Body, Wounded Spirit

Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Summer Devotions

Non-Fiction - Self Help
224 Pages
Reviewed on 10/25/2013
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Celeste is an RN with clinical nursing, management, and education experience. She was board certified in emergency nursing, wrote continuing education programs for the Missouri State Board of Nursing, was Affiliate Faculty for the American Heart Association and worked as a legal nurse consultant. She belonged to the Emergency Nursing Association and the American Society for Hospital Education and Training.

Celeste lives with chronic pain. She has learned that through adversity we can find opportunity. Today she no longer practices the profession she loved so much, but she has found new purpose as an author, educator, blogger, advocate and freelance writer.

Jeff is a counseling psychologist with over 30 years experience in multiple specialties including the management of chronic pain. His interventions include cognitive restructuring, supportive therapies, solution focused therapy, humor, hypnotherapy and biofeedback training. Jeff’s goal for his clients is to provide time and cost effective help for alleviating suffering while empowering the individual in an atmosphere of trust and respect.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jean Hall for Readers' Favorite

Chronic pain can drag you down but there are ways to lift yourself up. Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain by Celeste Cooper, RN, offers sublime encouragement and innovative tips for healing. Ninety-two daily readings have a beautiful or peaceful photograph to accompany a famous quote or words of wisdom. This book is called Summer Devotions which is a season for growth in nature and, hopefully, in your life and health.

There may be deep meaning in the experience of chronic pain which goes beyond invisible and nagging symptoms. There is a Chinese proverb which says, "The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." The hidden gem of value within ourselves can be understood by practicing meditation, breathing deeply, or focusing on prayer. Topics for Summer Devotions include: Ten tips for overcoming depression, focusing on outcomes instead of obstacles, suggestions for visualization, finding your inner strength, better nutrition, and spirituality.

Registered nurse Celeste Cooper and her co-author psychologist Jeff Miller, PhD, don't minimize the experience of chronic pain and they show many ways to find balance in your life and health. The quotes and coping methods have both Eastern and Western sources. The author clearly speaks from her own personal experience and this gives the text credibility and heart. Each day's devotion has just enough information to widen your horizons without getting bogged down. Celeste Cooper urges the reader to cope and to find meaning in difficult circumstances.

Ann

This book is equal parts inspiration and education. I love the mix of imagery, poetry, self-help, and inspiration. Thank you Celeste and Jeff for offering the pain community daily support and hope through your book.

Sondra Cooper

A must have for anyone suffering from the frustration of chronic pain. Best part about this book is you don't have to read it in order... I've skimmed through several times and each time there is another inspiration just waiting!

Judith A Tousignant

This book came to me via Amazon on my birthday. It has been a very inspiring and informative read. Something I will save and reread again and again.

My thanks to the authors for such an easy yet complicated topic for sufferers and friends.

It's easy for someone who isn't the one in pain to judge others. Thank you for bringing all of these tactics to my attention.

Judy Bishop

Excellent book. Written so that the reader can utilize it day by day. Great format. Read it daily. thanks for getting this published.

1Hannah1

I am only about halfway through this book, but have found it thought-provoking, insightful and uplifting. I don't read a lot, and this is broken down into daily readings which is helpful, yet I often find myself wanting to read more than one days worth at a time. I would highly recommend this book and the fact that it is available on Kindle on my phone and I can take it with me and read it anywhere is an added bonus!

Elizabeth Rooney

This book has changed my day to day approach with chronic pain.I recommend this book to those in chronic pain.

Clarissa Shepherd

Broken Body, Wounded Spirit, is just an excellent book. It has many ways to better our lives. How to re-examine our daily activity's, in order to find better ways of coping and healing, while living with chronic illness. Showing us that our limitations need not limit our dreams, nor our growth, physically or emotionally. From a 21 year survivor of ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia, I know that such tools are invaluable to our survival kit. Thank you for all the hope and encouragement found within your book.
Clarissa Shepherd

Truth Seeker

Addresses in an inspirational and insightful way the complications of living with chronic pain, providing information along with calming photos and aphorisms. Recommended reading for those who suffer pain in any form or duration.

kmbjbb

This book is very insightful and helps me to know that I am not alone. It gives me peace and wisdom.

Margaret Lambert

This book is a great resource for those struggling with chronic illness. It provides practical and reflective doses of wisdom for managing the hurdles of pain and dispair. The authors have produced a manual that can be used for daily encouragement and inspiration to keep on going. The activities suggested have been selected because they are both manageable and therapeutic. As a health professional and someone who has lived with chronic illness, I highly recommend this gentle book to anyone living with challenging physical or psychological conditions.
Margaret Lambert, Psychologist

Chad Ridings "TheRiders"

I deal with chronic pain that started for me when my age entered the 30's... it just hit me out of nowhere. I don't take comfort in knowing so many people are dealing with chronic pain, but it's nice to know I'm not alone. This book has been a great coping mechanism for me so far, I would recommend it for sure.

M. K. Zeman "marykz_maryk

This affirmation by C. Cooper near the beginning of this daily inspiration book really strikes a chord with me:
"I am enriched as a person by the relationships and self-awareness developed by my journey with chronic pain."

There is no cure for Fibromyalgia. If you have it, it will not kill you, but it can make you miserable for long stretches of time. If your life must be spent with FM, you have to accept it, accept the changes it brings to your life, and find a way to *live* despite it.

This book contains daily inspiration and advice on how to become more aware of your body, and how your actions affect every aspect of FM. A single picture per day is a nice focal point, while you think about the words given, and what your response will be to the exercise or prompt.

I can imagine this book would be great for journaling or for blogging prompts; recording your progress and to identify what types of inspiration work for you. It could also work well in a support group meeting as an opening activity. It is a book I think I will revisit many times, not to "see how it ends" but to keep myself centered and positive in my life with FM.

While the title uses the word "devotional" this book is not religious; it finds pertinent quotes and ideas from many sources. It offers everything from an outline to help you plan a meeting with a doctor, to exercises for remembering what makes you laugh until you cry!

This book offers the reader a chance to take control of a disease that seems unpredictable, by examining our own thought processes together with the recommendations of our doctors.

I would recommend this book to all fibromyalgia patients, as well as patients living with chronic pain of any source. It offers thoughtful advice, facts, and encouragement to move forward and feel better.

Susan McCulloch

The information was absolutely so helpful and informative. Chronic pain can take over our lives and Celeste Cooper is so knowledgeable on the effects of it on our lives.

Mark Barletta

This information Celeste has shared is very good ,I've seen similar ways of taking care of my own chronic pain.
I've suffered from chronic neck pain and I took control over my life with ongoing pain. I push myself on the treadmill each day 5 days a week fast walking 3 miles.
Then there will be days I get on my mountain bike and ride for 2 hours. This helps my chronic pain tremendously for the first part of the day. But later the chronic pain catches up with me. So I must stay busy at all times , if I sit down the chronic pain seems to overcome me so I continuously keep busy through out the day. If its cleaning or going grocery shopping I plan a day ahead to keep myself busy so the chronic pain does not take over.
Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself, you and only you can push forward to keep the chronic pain under some kind of control.
At first I was so angry this chronic pain took over my life but its here to stay so I make the best of my life and its not half bad. Acceptance and doing something to help myself is what worked best for me.
Doctors can help but their limited to what they can do , my Pain Specialist works with me and he has been a life saver.