More Reviews of The Ethics of Caring

Arnold Mindell, Ph.D:

The Ethics of Caring is a state of the art approach to dealing with relationship issues and in particular body contact arising in therapy. Her courage will inspire others to tackle issues which break open the boundary between politics and individual experience.

- Arnold Mindell, Ph.D, author of The Quantum Mind, The Leader as Martial Artist, Sitting in the Fire, The Shaman's Body, The Dreambody in Relationships, and Coma

Robert R. Newport, M.D:

The Ethics of Caring is an unique book addressing in an honest and humble way the dangers and pitfalls that all therapists face daily in their practices. It treats the specialized conditions of altered consciousness, therapeutically induced or otherwise, in a coherent and logically consistent way. It offers a conceptual framework which is widely accepted outside our culture, but has not been previously discussed in any standard texts on either ethics or therapeutic interpersonal dynamics (e.g., transference and countertransference.) This book is exceptionally valuable to students and practicing therapists alike.

- Robert R. Newport, M.D, psychiatrist

Becky Williams:

We have found that the usefulness and relevancy of The Ethics of Caring grows with the helping professional as she/he transits the stages from novice to seasoned one....caring ethics is a spiritual path.

Becky Williams, Director, Twin Lakes College of the Healing Arts, Santa Cruz, CA

Joy Manne, Ph.D.:

If you want to trust your process safely, whether as therapist or as client, this book is indispensable reading. Every therapist can use it as a bedside book, using the self-reflections provided at the end of each chapter as meditations to end the day well.

- Joy Manne, author of Soul Therapy, from The Therapist

More Reviews:

"In each section the reader is given clear examples and lists of questions which help probe the reader's own inner work in relation to that given chapter. You do not walk away from this book without a bit of self-examination and without additional viewpoints from which to approach clients."

- Kathleen Silver, from review on Breathnet listserv

"This book is six years old. Why am I reviewing it now? Because, to my chagrin, I only just discovered it. I wish I'd read it much sooner. In my opinion, The Ethics of Caring can begin to do for Pagan elders what Robin Wood's equally excellent When, Why ... If does for our beginners. Fortunately, it's still easily available through the publisher at: hanfordmead.com

"There are few written resources for those of us who teach Pagan spirituality, lead covens or groves, or serve as religious elders in the NeoPagan movement. For now, we need to glean good ideas and information from non-Pagan writing. As long as we do this, we will also need to struggle with problems of translation and adaptation. We tend to balk at externally imposed rules of any kind, especially at those that seem simplistic or rigid, and most especially at blanket prohibitions. We prefer 'high choice' situational ethics which emphasize freedom and responsibility over obedience.

"Taylor's very different approach is much more appropriate for us, in two major ways. She's not satisfied with just avoiding preventable problems. Her goal, instead, is to help her readers create and maintain 'right relationship' with their clients and to guide them toward developing an 'internal locus of control,' a personal sense of the wise, kind and helpful ways to work with people, creating an ethic of care instead of rules. Taylor takes a nuanced and compassionate approach. By understanding how good people become confused about what they should or should not do, we are both warned and strengthened. Her chapters on money, sex and power contain some of the most insightful discussions of these complex issues that I have ever seen.

"The book's structure is based on the chakra system. Because many of us are familiar with the chakras, the information will be easy for us to assimilate. The writing is mostly clear and accessible, with good endnotes and a glossary for those who are not familiar with some of the jargon. What's more, Taylor's own therapeutic practice, as with many alternative or New Age approaches, involves a lot of work with clients in altered states of consciousness. So the core of the book is an exploration of the special needs, issues and vulnerabilities of people who are exploring non-ordinary reality, which we would call the Inner Planes or the Otherworld. This strong emphasis is obviously and directly applicable to our ways. Although I have a few quibbles, this is the best book of its kind currently available. Recommended."

- review by Judy Harrow
Pan Gaia magazine