Relational Masks : Removing the Barriers That Keep Us Apart

The Avoider. The Deflector. The Self-Blamer. The Aggressor. Recognize someone you know? Or yourself?We all know people who seem to get stuck in unhealthy patterns of relating to others. Sometimes we're puzzled by a loved one's evasiveness or surprised by a friend's defensive aggression. Occasionally we look in the mirror and see such troubling behaviors in ourselves. All of these are masks that we hide behind, and they prevent us from having authentic relationships with others. Counselor Russell Willingham identifies the relational masks that obstruct us from relating freely to other people and to God. Drawing on a wealth of practical experience and biblical insight, he diagnoses the destructive ways that we respond to others and shows how underlying false beliefs govern our thinking and actions. He also shows how each mask can be subverted from within and turned inside out to help us move toward healthy relationships. Each chapter includes tools and questions for discussion and application.Discover how to relate to others with the honesty and authenticity God intended--and find the relational freedom and satisfaction you?ve been yearning for.

Russell Willingham is executive director of New Creation Ministries, based in Fresno, California. He counsels, leads groups and speaks nationwide on issues related to sexual addiction. He has presented workshops at several annual conferences of Exodus International, at the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference (2001) and at the AACC Superconference on Sexuality (2002). He is also a participant in AACC's video curriculum on healthy sexuality. He is an ordained ministerwith the Assemblies of God International Fellowship and works under the supervision of Dr. Jonathan Olford, Ph.D. of the Link Care Counseling Center in Fresno, California.