WHO'S PUSHING YOUR BUTTONS? Handling the Difficult People in Your Life

Do you have crazy-making relationships that won't go away? Here an articulate mental health expert describes a variety of button-pushing patterns and their emotional dynamics. The rational perspective is comforting at first and allows some distance from the pain. But then the genial Dr. Townsend presses listeners to understand their own reactions and do something. He's a clever writer and enjoyable to hear in spite of occasional indulgences in intellectual wheel-spinning. The morality of Christianity is obvious, but the stronger influences are the secular themes of self-scrutiny, honesty, and accountability. A key lesson is the author's advice on how to talk with troublemakers about their behavior, once insight about the dynamics has been gained. T.W. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]