New book isn’t a typical work on spirituality
A NEWTOWNMOUNTKENNEDY woman will launch her first book in Wicklow on September 8.
Therese Hicks who is a native of Philadelphia moved to Ireland in 1998 where she worked in Wicklow town with the HSE for almost eight years before retiring in 2014.
Therese’s book, Spirituality: A User’s Guide, is not a typical book about all things spiritual.
She said: ‘It is oriented to those still searching for words to describe the meaning of their life.
‘Many surveys have alerted us to a large number of people who now consider themselves “spiritual but not religious”. Traditional religion has often lost its appeal for people, but finding a meaning in life then becomes a challenge.
‘Young people just starting out are in this boat. Young parents with children starting school have to make decisions regarding what to do about religion and religious education for their children.
‘Older people may have outgrown what they believed in their earlier years. Few have any idea where to start looking for answers to this most pressing question. All of these people will find this book useful and enlightening.
Therese said the idea for the book came after she found herself in a similar position many years ago, and over decades has gradually discovered what is involved in a psychologically healthy spirituality.
Her book looks at the various components of spirituality and their history. This information gives readers some guidelines for deciding what set of beliefs will take them in a healthy direction. There’s no recommendation in the book for any specific spirituality, but there are extended discussions about what psychological health looks like, and how past and current spiritualities do, or don’t, promote such health.
Therese, who has a BA and MA in theology, spent six years working with an Irish missionary community in West Africa working in Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana.
She then returned to America where she did an MA in Counselling Psychology in Boston and worked as a psychotherapist in Boston before moving to Wicklow.
‘My search for a satisfactory spirituality has informed my life, and my book is the story of what I have found and how I got there. I also look at the history and psychology of Christianity as well as the more recent stories people use to make sense of living and dying.
‘A core requirement for a healthy spirituality is its ability to promote love for ourselves, others, and the planet.’
Therese said her own life has been dedicated to finding workable ways to participate in compassion and love in the face of life’s challenges, obstacles, and pathways.
She said that retraining as a psychotherapist gave her a whole new lease of life.
In her spare time Therese is involved in local history research, hillwalking and gardening.
Spirituality: A User’s Guide will be launched in Bridge Street Books on Friday, September 8, at 7 p.m. There will be refreshments and a discount on the book price available at the launch.