You Are Not Alone


You Are Not Alone: Hope for Hurting Parents of Troubled Kids by Dena Yohe is a much-needed book in this day and age. So many teenagers are self-harming, engaging in destructive behaviors, being bullied, and more. This book is unique in that it is written not as a how-to guide to fix your child, but as a book from one hurting parent to another, commiserating, sharing coping strategies, resources, and most importantly the knowledge that you are not alone in this struggle. The book description reads:

"“I can’t tell you how to keep your child from making mistakes. But I can equip you with facts, tools, and resources. I can show you that you can survive this nightmare. I can encourage you that one day—somehow—you can thrive again.”
—Dena Yohe, You Are Not Alone

You would go to the ends of the earth for your child. So, if your teenager or young adult is in the midst of crisis due to self-injury, mental illness, depression, bullying, or destructive choices, you probably feel broken, powerless, and isolated.

Dena Yohe wants you to know you are not alone. You are not a bad parent. And you are going to be okay.

Dena has been where you are. In You Are Not Alone, she speaks from experience as she offers healthy ways to maintain your other relationships, suggestions for responding to friends who don’t understand, and ideas for keeping up your emotional and spiritual well-being when your world feels as if it’s crashing down.

It is possible to find purpose in your pain, joy beyond your fear, and hope for every tomorrow.

Includes prayers, exercises, websites, and other helpful resources."

I don't have a child currently in this situation, but I do have a teenager who doesn't always make the best choices, and who I have some concerns about. I am a young mom and most of my friends my age have children who are much younger than mine and don't have teenagers yet. I often feel alone in my concerns of having a teenager showing some signs of rebellion and moms who haven't experienced having a teenager just have no idea what it's like and tend to have very unrealistic expectations of what it will be like and how they will handle it. So I was very excited to read this new book by Dena Yohe. I felt like someone finally understood what it's like to be the parent of a teenager who has some issues (and really, don't they all?). This is a small book, under 200 pages, and a very easy read. I sat down and read it in an afternoon because I just couldn't put it down. Dena writes in a knowledgeable, yet down to earth tone that reads like you're chatting with a good friend over a cup of coffee. I was encouraged by this book, and most of all, felt validated and most importantly, understood. Dena also includes many resources, prayers, and Scriptures to turn to. I highly recommend this book to any parent of a teenager, even if they're not necessarily in a specific crisis yet. I can't say enough good things about You Are Not Alone!

I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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