To truly “be there” for others

 

Even on hectic days, by pausing for a few minutes to listen, we can be a comforting presence for someone in distress.

Through writing, speaking and teaching, Val Walker's mission is to guide us as comforters, strengthening our ability to support people facing loss, crisis and illness.

 

• Out October 2010 with Tarcher/Penguin

 

The Art of Comforting

What to Say and Do for People in Distress

Val Walker

 

 

2011 Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal Winner

 

"Must reading for everyone...The message is instantly applicable as well as enormously comforting."
—Christiane Northrup, M.D., New York Times bestselling author, Mother-Daughter Wisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause, and Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom

 

"...filled with clear examples and actionable steps that help readers effectively comfort those in need...Her voice is comforting, and some sections read like a memoir; her candid revelation of her own struggles reaffirms for the reader that a comforter does not always have to be strong."
—Publishers Weekly

 

"Her message comes not only from experience, but from others in the grief/trauma counseling field, in this guidebook that rings true and pulls the reader in for more. Recommended for all interested adults."
—Library Journal

 

"With clarity, compassion and wisdom, Walker teaches the art and the craft of comforting others and ourselves. In today's distressed and frenetic world, she does us all a great favor. She teaches us what we most need to know. This fine book is a resource for all those who want to be able to help friends, family members and other people who are in need of our kindness."
—Mary Pipher, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling author of Reviving Ophelia, and The Shelter of Each Other

 

"In The Art of Comforting, Val Walker points to a great irony in our society today: as hyper-'connected' as we are, deep down, many of us fear that we lack the ability to effectively comfort another human being. This wise and inspiring book provides a step-by-step guide to sitting down and establishing a human-to-human connection, even in the most difficult or chaotic situations."
—Greg Mortenson, New York Times bestselling author of Three Cups of Tea

 

 

• Contact:
  Val Walker, MS
  (207) 846-5928
  Vnwswan@aol.com