Tales from This Side of the Couch: Stories of the Healing Power of Forgiveness and Reconciliation by a Christian Psychologist (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798181210066)

A Christian psychologist's 50 years of stories about the one thing he found most healing of all: the power to forgive and be forgiven.

For five decades, Deacon Glenn T. Bailey sat with people carrying wounds that medicine alone could not reach - the bitterness, the grief, the silent resentments that quietly shape a life. In Tales From This Side of the Couch, he shares what those years taught him: that there is nothing more profound in healing emotional pain than learning to forgive, and to be forgiven.

Part memoir, part spiritual companion, this collection weaves together real stories from a lifetime in the mental health field with Scripture, Catholic teaching, and hard-won wisdom. Deacon Bailey writes with the candor of a man who has been there himself - sharing his own anger at God, the loss of his father, and the moments grace broke through when he least expected it. Through familiar parables seen with fresh eyes - the Prodigal Son and his resentful brother, the Good Samaritan, the strange lesson of the zebra mussels - he shows how unforgiveness poisons the body and soul, and how letting go opens the door to genuine peace.

This is more than a book to read. Each chapter closes with a guided "Now Think About It" reflection and a "Now Pray About It" prayer, gently inviting you to bring your own story into the light. Ruled journaling pages at the end give you a private space to write down the names, the hurts, and the prayers that surface along the way.

Whether you are wrestling with a wound you can't seem to release, walking alongside someone who is hurting, or simply longing for a deeper experience of God's mercy, these pages offer companionship for the journey.

There really is a balm in Gilead - and healing and reconciliation are always possible through the grace of God.

Inside you'll find:

• Twelve honest, personal chapters on forgiveness, reconciliation, and emotional healing
• A practical, step-by-step look at the process of forgiving - and being forgiven
• Guided reflection questions and written prayers in every chapter
• Journaling pages to make this your own private space where forgiveness begins

Perfect for personal devotion, small-group study, or anyone seeking to heal old wounds and find freedom in letting go.