Scammed by an evil Las Vegas con artist, pianist George Sistern descends into a deep depression; and even after three years, his pain, guilt, self-loathing, rage, and desire for revenge remain. Through an acquaintance, he contacts Mildred Markowitz, a psychologist and philosopher of genius. Dialogues with the Wise Woman is more than a novel. It is a psychological and philosophical treatise that tackles many important issues: What is evil? Can good and bad be determined? Is revenge ever justified? What is the best way to deal with the current violent crime epidemic? Can all criminals be rehabilitated? Is there good in everyone? What is self-esteem, and how does one acquire it? How does one release toxic and distracting thoughts? How should one prioritize time, the universal limited commodity? How can we determine the most ethical course of action? What is happiness? A no-holds-barred search for truth that encourages readers to utilize their own rational judgment, Dialogues with the Wise Woman is the perfect read for intelligent skeptics everywhere.

Mannu Bhandari's genius lies not in elevating women to heroines or superior beings; rather, she forces us to acknowledge that flawed, confused, and self-centered women are as worthy of agency and respect. She wrote among literary giants who were mostly men, but carved a singular space for herself with her unflinching gaze at the hypocrisy of a society that claims to venerate women yet balks at giving them the keys to their shackles. These 18 stories are representative of her wonderful insights into the inner life of women – her characters span the spectrum from rural to urban, illiterate to educated, homemakers to career professionals. Through all the stories runs a vein of gentle mockery – the inimitable Mannu Bhandari style.

Collaborative-Dialogic Practice provides professionals a humanizing approach in facilitating transformative dialogues with their clients, making a difference, and creating surprising possibilities in our fast-changing, diverse, and ever-shrinking world. Written alongside a collection of international experts, Harlene Anderson and Diane Gehart introduce collaborative-dialogic practice as a way to encourage relationships and conversations that create generative space and promote meaningful changes in clients, even in the most difficult situations. Split into theory and practice, Part 1 introduces collaborative-dialogue and locates it within traditional and contemporary challenges and practices, providing an overview of its conceptual framework. Chapters in Part 2 then detail the practice in a variety of contexts, cultures, and diverse populations, illustrating how readers can translate the concepts to their distinctive practice settings, and their clients’ unique situations. Accessible and applicable, this book will be an essential resource and guide for professionals in diverse contexts, cultures, and disciplines, including counselors, psychotherapists, consultants, leaders, mentors, educators, and trainers.

Immersed with wisdom, Empowering Dialogues Within is a unique client workbook filled with narratives, case vignettes, and exercises, providing mental health professionals with a broad-based toolkit to help clients become more self-aware. It is filled with instructive case examples and practical advice for building clients? confidence, wisdom, and sense of wellness and a foundation for lifelong strength and growth.