Title: Emotions Redeemed
Author: Covette J. Hamilton
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-64361-538-7
Pages: 84
Genre: Self-Help
Reviewed by: Tara Mcnabb

Read Book Review

In this uplifting self-help guide, author Covette J. Hamilton aims to help women struggling with toxic emotions through a religious approach that emphasizes letting go and transforming them into something positive.

As a former classroom teacher, Hamilton encountered countless young girls in their teenage years who were clearly suffering from low self-esteem. Not only that, but there also seemed to be a widespread commonality among young women that included intense feelings of anger, resentment, jealousy, and fear. After investigating further by asking questions, the author was able to pinpoint the origins of the girls’ toxic emotions as beginning in childhood. This ultimately became the inspiration to write Emotions Redeemed in order to show women a different road to recovery. At just eighty-four pages it may seem like a light read, but it’s packed with resonant insights and wisdom.

Each chapter is named after a metaphorical profile, such as “Fearful Francine,” or “Guilty Gilda.” Each harmful emotion is analyzed and examined in-depth from the perspective of a young woman. The author skillfully traces the root causes of the woman’s current predicament by showing the reader how serious emotional handicaps are often years in the making. By taking this stance we are able to view each profile as a whole, taking into account the many different variables and circumstances that contributed to such an outcome.

At the end of the chapter, there are guided worksheets for journaling and self-reflection that can help foster a sense of healing. Also included are several relevant scriptures pertaining to each toxic emotion for further reading. For continued emphasis on the role faith can play in overcoming obstacles, the author successfully weaves her own references from the Bible into the narrative; “Writing and memorizing scriptures is key to the Holy Spirit bringing back the word of God when we need it. If we don’t know the word, how can the Holy Spirit bring it back to our remembrance?”

With America in the depths of a nationwide depression epidemic, this book couldn’t be timelier. Women, both young and old, are constantly bombarded by conflicting messages from the media, making the problem worse. Emotions Redeemed is a heartfelt step in the right direction by using a faith-based approach that urges women to re-examine old thought patterns. With a gentle and encouraging tone, Hamilton points the way to a more fulfilled and richer emotional life that brings one closer to God’s love.