Only Trying to Help

Informal counselors walk among us. They are our best friends, bartenders, siblings, parents, God parents, mentors, neighbors, activists, volunteers, teachers, coaches, and colleagues at the watercooler. They're all people who try to help— doing their best to listen, communicate empathy, and set boundaries, despite not having a fancy credential as an advisor or therapist. If you're one of these helpers, and you're tired of winging it in your relationships, this book is for you. This book is for the people who want to support a friend who is battling cancer. This book is for the people who want to help loved ones grieve the loss of jobs, marriages, pregnancies, pets, and parents. Dr. Kate Watson merges her ten years of experience as a mental health professional with decades of research in psychology, linguistics, and sociology to develop a guide for those compassion souls who want to become more effective helpers. Through the use of storytelling, Dr. Watson explores well-meaning encouragement, well-meaning compliments, well-meaning advice, well-meaning humor, well-meaning lies, well-meaning apologies, and well-meaning gift giving. Some stories will make you laugh, and some will make you cringe, but you are likely to notice your own voice and heart reflected in these tales.

Informal counselors walk among us. They are our best friends, bartenders, siblings, parents, God parents, mentors, neighbors, activists, volunteers, teachers, coaches, and colleagues at the watercooler. They're all people who try to help— doing their best to listen, communicate empathy, and set boundaries, despite not having a fancy credential as an advisor or therapist. If you're one of these helpers, and you're tired of winging it in your relationships, this book is for you. This book is for the people who want to support a friend who is battling cancer. This book is for the people who want to help loved ones grieve the loss of jobs, marriages, pregnancies, pets, and parents. Dr. Kate Watson merges her ten years of experience as a mental health professional with decades of research in psychology, linguistics, and sociology to develop a guide for those compassion souls who want to become more effective helpers. Through the use of storytelling, Dr. Watson explores well-meaning encouragement, well-meaning compliments, well-meaning advice, well-meaning humor, well-meaning lies, well-meaning apologies, and well-meaning gift giving. Some stories will make you laugh, and some will make you cringe, but you are likely to notice your own voice and heart reflected in these tales.

Dr. Kate Watson earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Towson University and her graduate degree in psychological counseling from Columbia University. She earned her doctorate in health policy and social justice from Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health and a certificate of Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Today, she is the president and founder of the Advocacy Academy, a Philadelphia-based training, consulting, and coaching company. She is a director emeritus of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and a current board member of the Lady Parts Collective, a Los Angeles–based theater company specializing in the development of work relevant to women in the United States. Kate is an ongoing consultant to the Department of Defense, the NFL, and major television networks. She has conducted trainings in twenty states, eight countries, and across many fields: health care, education, social services, financial advising, victim advocacy, corrections, etc. Kate trains approximately five thousand to ten thousand people a year. She also coaches individuals on how to be better advocates for people, causes, and communities. With her friend Leslie Ballway, Kate is the host of Only Trying to Help, a weekly podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, and directly through her website: www.OnlyTryingToHelp.com.