He feels that the practice of psychiatry is both ''a privilege, and a calling.'' His book, ''Becoming Whole: A Healing Companion to Ease Emotional Pain and Find Self-Love,'' is the culmination of his years of experience treating thousands of patients. By systematically teaching the basic principles of psychiatry to enable people to help themselves and those they love, and powerfully illustrated by stories of patients in treatment, ''Becoming Whole,'' is devoted to helping:

This book is divided into twelve "sessions" about common emotional issues that start with opening up for therapy and facing your own demons. Following a somewhat chronological approach, the next sessions are about how to help your children deal with their own issues from young age to adulthood, keeping mature romantic relationships, how to deal with empty nest syndrome, healing from trauma and sexual abuse and lastly, a session about how to keep emotional health and self-love.

Becoming Whole is written as if you were having a one-on-one appointment with the author (the therapist). At times, he interacts directly with you and asks about your relationships, feelings and experiences, encouraging you to write down your answers for later introspection. But most of the time, you participate from a third-person perspective, reading about the stories of other patients with similar struggles. I found this approach very comfortable, as you don't become "the target" of the analysis and is, therefore, less intimidating. The book has an empathetic and calm mood that invites you open up and pay attention to the solutions offered inside each story.

Another great thing about how the stories are told, is that you see the response from the patients but also the therapist's perspective; what he is thinking and feeling when trying to help his patients. This is really helpful for those who haven't been with a therapist before and are reluctant to give the first step because of fear to open up or because of prejudices towards therapy. I really liked the way this book is made, it even includes a popular song for each session that matches the feelings from that chapter's issue. Music makes everything better and it worked well in this book. You can access them from the author's webpage. I would love to see a book just like this one but aimed at teenagers and young adults, as this one focuses more on adults who have a partner and kids. I requested an eArc from Greenleaf Book Group Press, Thank you!

This is a book that is a guide to becoming emotionally whole and finding yourself. There are 11 sessions that help you see where you've been. I really enjoyed this book.

I would like to thank netgalley, the author and publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Who doesn't have unresolved emotional pain? This book is a valuable resource for anyone who has any hurt places in their heart -in other words it will benefit virtually anyone. The book is a good quality product -well-written, clear and easy to follow without being simplistic. The author is compassionate and the case studies are interesting. I enjoyed the book and found it useful. It also acts like a workbook with specific steps outlined such as specified introspective thinking and journaling.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The book Becoming Whole gives in 11 chapters, called'sessions’ clear step by step instructions on how to address and eventually overcome difficulties or issues people seem to encounter repeatedly in their lives.
The author begins with a set of questions on which you need to honestly reflect so that you gain a better understanding even insight into yourself. This alone makes the book a worthwhile read. The other chapters or lessons address a wide variety of issues ranging from teenage anxiety to attaining a realistic romantic relationship. It is written in clear,emphatic language and thus enjoyable to read. Some brief case histories highlight the authors points. Additionally, there are links to music tracks on Kehr’s website . Especially useful are the checklist at the end which serve as reminders. This book is a to go to for everyone who wants to become more whole, gain more insight into their and other people actions and improve all relationships, therefore it is highly recommended.