“Give Yourself a Break” by Kim Fredrickson

Give Yourself a Break: Turning Your Inner Critic into a Compassionate Friend by Kim Fredrickson

I really enjoyed reading this book by this licensed marriage and family therapist of over 30 years. I found it extremely helpful in my own life as well as helping and relating to other family members.

The author describes on page 12 her hopes for this book and why she wrote it-“to provide some understanding of why self-compassion is so hard to extend to ourselves, and second, that it provides hope and and practical help in learning to relate to ourselves in healthy and gracious ways”.

This book is all about having self-compassion. She explains that self-compassion is essential for handling and recovering from the difficulties of life.

She defines self compassion as having the same concern for your own pain and welfare. She goes on to describe it is not self-pity but a balance of truth. She goes into further detail with describing the differences between self compassion and self-esteem.

This book is divided up into 10 chapters with concluding reflection questions at the end of each chapter. She always includes an Appendix B in the back with suggestions on using this book and material with groups, which I found very helpful.

Chapter 6 about “Self Care” was extremely helpful to me and I learned alot in that chapter.

I would highly recommend this self help book if you would like to improve your relationship with yourself and show compassion to yourself and others like God did.

“The relationship we have with ourselves impacts all other relationships in her life, whether we like it or not.”

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books, a division of of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the Book
Many people are used to showing compassion to others. What many of us have trouble with is showing that same compassion to ourselves. Too often we say things to ourselves that we would never say to a friend. All this negative self-talk can have a devastating effect on our lives.

Licensed marriage and family therapist Kim Fredrickson wants readers to stop beating themselves up. Grounding her advice in the Bible, she offers practical steps, specific exercises, and compassionate words to say in order to build a loving relationship with ourselves. Through inspiring stories of transformation, she helps us learn to show ourselves the kind of grace and understanding we offer to others–and to change our relationships, our outlook on life, and our view of ourselves in the process.

About the Author
Kim Fredrickson has been a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified Christian life coach for more than twenty-five years. An adjunct professor, speaker, and author, she loves helping people become equipped spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually with practical skills to live more effective and fulfilling lives. Her website offers visitors helpful articles, encouraging recordings, and additional resources. She has been married to her husband, Dave, for thirty-seven years and they have two grown children. Fredrickson lives in Northern California. Learn more and read her blog at www.kimfredrickson.com.

You can purchase the book here: