How to Help Your Hurting Friend: Advice For Showing Love When Things Get Tough (invert)
#2 in Invert Series
on Goodreads (6)
What’s inside...
No issue is taboo for How to Help Your Hurting Friend, a frank and valuable handbook of practical advice for today's teenage girls. Previously published as Help! My Friend Is Hurting, Susie Shellenberger—author and teen advocate—addresses the most vital, personal, and life-challenging issues in young women's lives. Presented in handbook form, this biblically-based, relevant, and contemporary-focused book empowers girls to salvage and maybe even save the lives of friends. She addresses topics such as self-cutting and sexual abuse in a no-nonsense way and no advice is ever vague. This classic book for teenage girls distills the wisdom of the Bible and combines it with the wisdom of many experienced and anointed counselors. How to Help Your Hurting Friend is a reissued edition of Help! My Friend Is Hurting, has a new format including sidebars and intriguing illustrations, and is a great resource for teens, young adults, and parents alike. It includes commentary on today's challenges, advice, and a section of letters to the author with helpful, relevant responses.
Discussion points
What are some ways you can show support to a friend who is going through a tough time?
How did the characters in the book handle their friend's difficult situation?
Can you think of a time when you helped a friend in need? What did you do?
How do you think you would feel if you were in the same situation as the friend in the book?
What are some important qualities to have when helping someone who is hurting?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to relate the situations in the book to their own experiences. Validate their feelings and thoughts as they draw parallels. Use the book as a tool to discuss the importance of empathy and kindness, and how these values can be applied in everyday life. Recognize and praise your child's insights and emotional intelligence throughout the conversation.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: The book provides scenarios where characters display understanding and compassion towards others in difficult situations.
Real-World Application: Children learn to recognize emotions in others and respond with kindness, improving their interpersonal relationships.
Example Lesson: Supportive Friendship
Explanation: Characters in the story demonstrate how to be supportive friends, aiding each other through tough times without judgment.
Real-World Application: Children can apply these principles to be better friends in their own lives, offering a shoulder to lean on when their peers are struggling.
Example Lesson: Problem-solving
Explanation: The book encourages looking for solutions during difficult times and shows the importance of seeking help when needed.
Real-World Application: This teaches children to be proactive in solving their own issues and to understand when and who to ask for help.
Example Lesson: Communication
Explanation: This story highlights the importance of honest and open communication as a cornerstone of healthy relationships and effective problem resolution.
Real-World Application: Children learn to express their feelings clearly and respectfully, fostering better communication skills in their everyday interactions.