Ordering the Robert Bly Tape and Advising New Dimensions Radio about Don's Book

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Jim, Rich, and anyone else interested in Robert Bly's tape called "The Power of Shame," New Dimensions tape Number 2140: Call 1-800-935-8273. I just phoned them; they have the tape available. The tape is pretty remarkable and is useful for anyone, but particularly men. Bly tells stories (fairy tales and his own life) that illustrate most aspects of shame and shame defenses. He even refers to Tomkins affects. He talks about shame cycles, shame in systems, shame healing, and his own mistreatment and how he passed it on to his kids (good for abusers to hear).

Rich, if you receive the tape and listen to it, notice any hesitation feelings that may come up about playing this tape before your offenders groups. The hesitation you may feel may, at least in part, be internalized "norm enforcement" by your clinicians' community accusing you of being on the side of the abuser. This is the way the mental health system keeps us from truly healing our clients. This is not new news I'm sure (it's just a systems view of group pressure we all experience when we try to introduce shame language). So to play the tape to/for your offenders groups you can shift into "intervention awareness" and strategize how to do it safely to establish the healing norms in your groups without causing norm enforcement against you by the larger clinicians' system. Strategizing as a change agent can actually be fun and exciting and a way to counteract the norm enforcement shame. Go slow to go fast...but never give up!

Anyone and everyone who calls for the Bly tape: why not suggest to whoever takes your order that Michael Toms (interviewer and President of New Dimensions) interview Don Nathanson for syndicated radio broadcast (a hundred or more stations) on his book _Knowing Feeling_? N.D. likes to have listener input. Don, if you read this, perhaps you could send a copy of your book to Michael Toms, New Dimensions Radio, P.O. Box 569, Ukiah, California 95482.

People can also e-mail New Dimensions suggesting that Don be interviewed. E-mail address is ndradio@mcn.org. Thank you!

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