Since you're probably here for a pick-me-up, it occurs to me that you may also want to experience my SUREFIRE recipe to make life taste a little sweeter....
The stories that I tell here and ideas that I share have saved my life... more than once.
Patrice DickeyYour Guide to the Life You Love
Do any of these apply to you?
- You're in despair over ever finding your true self and creating the life you love
- You've just lost a job or your main source of income has dried up—and you are completely clueless about what you'll do to survive
- You feel that you've lost the zest for life and you're lacking purpose—but you're not "clinically" depressed and you'd rather NOT go the drug/ antidepressant route if possible
- You're scraping yourself up off the tarmac after a huge blow such as a partner's infidelity or the break-up of a relationship—whether friends or lovers—all kinds of break-ups HURT
- You're trying to be helpful during the long term illness of a friend, loved one or family member—and perhaps even expending your own life energy as a caregiver — but you're not sure whether you can endure it ONE MORE MOMENT
- You feel that you're being sucked down the vortex of codependency as you witness someone you love actively destroying themselves with drugs, eating disorders, alcohol, Internet porn, sex addiction, compulsive shopping, exercise bulimia, workaholism and/or their Crackberry
- You're broke or deeply in debt—your financial ship is about to sail over the edge of the world—and you know you need to turn it around
- You keep telling yourself that today's the day you'll begin that positive step in a new direction, but the days pile one on top of another and suddenly it's been months—or years—and you haven't budged
- Your heart is broken and you feel like you have a big "LOSER" sign flashing on your forehead
- You seem to be a Bad Luck MAGNET and have no idea how to reverse that trend and get back into the flow
- You're dealing with the mental illness of a loved one, or watching them struggle and feeling completely helpless to offer anything meaningful
- You HATE yourself for taking that one more bite and then discovering that the entire bag of cookies (pizza, half-gallon of ice cream, barrel of chips) is gone - OR that one more drink, and the next morning you wake up feeling like your head is a too-ripe melon about to explode, and a small army has camped in your mouth overnight
- You're sick of perky checklists that make "having a life" sound so easy and natural—and if one more person tries to cheer you up you think you'll have to either strangle 'em or throw yourself in front of a train
- You've felt physically ill or sick at heart for a long, long time
- You try to avoid "systems" because you're pretty much of a renegade in life and other people's systems have never really worked for you—in fact you might even consider yourself a "contrarian"
- You hate yourself for any reason—usually stemming from NOT having been able to rescue the people you love from their own self-destructive behaviors
- You feel like you've FALLEN AND YOU CAN'T GET UP!
- Or, you 're down so low you've had to dig toward the light just to reach the surface...
Well, I've been there too.
In fact, some might say I've had far worse "luck" than most, as I've endured the untimely deaths of three of the greatest loves of my life—one high school boyfriend, one from college, and one in my adult life. These lovely spirits are now among my guides.
PAT HUDSON
Red haired, wild Pat Hudson, our own modern day Tom Sawyer, shows off a catfish from the Mississippi River.
ROBIN CLARK
"Write fearlessly, and from the heart." Robin Clark, 20 years old, under the Davie Poplar at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill.
FRED DRESCH
"For the next level of healing, go left." Fred Dresch at the Tybee Island house.
But my story may not be so different from yours—I've scraped myself up off the tarmac INNUMERABLE times—and have always managed to put myself back into the game—despite extremely intense family "issues"—oh how I love the subtle nature of that word!
My mother Mary Beth in happier times.
My beloved mother, who is now completely healed and whole (in the next dimension) was such a beautiful, brilliant Mary Poppins when my sister and I were young children— and I witnessed—and was unable to stop—her deterioration through mental illness and alcoholism to a person more like Norman Bates' "mother" in Psycho.
But I can't go into all the gory details here—suffice to say that I have lived through insanity (including my own severe co-dependency) and found my way out the other side.
BACK TO THE GARDEN is a marvelous read filled with many tools for creating a life of joy. It offers a pathway to self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-respect and self-love. It demonstrates how a simple shift in perspective is often all it takes to move us to a higher level of consciousness where joy resides.
–Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., author Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway and The Feel the Fear Guide to Everlasting Love
BACK TO THE GARDEN is well written and informative. If you want to be happy; if you want to try to be successful and prosperous, pick up a copy.
–James Taylor, host, "Writers in Focus" FGTV
It's a wonderful book about facing your shadow side and demons...The Celestine Prophecy is a great book but the writing is more enjoyable here.
–Suzi Marsh, host, "Choosing Life" WSB Radio
Anyone who's experiencing the ups and downs of life or has suffered a loss will find BACK TO THE GARDEN a refreshing, uplifting companion. It helps you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.
–Colin C. Tipping, creator
RadicalForgiveness.com
A fascinating internal journey of a woman determined to go her own way, taking readers along as intimate companions while traveling from misadventure to disaster to illumination. In BACK TO THE GARDEN, Patrice Dickey faces her life with naked frankness and learns from her (many) mistakes to find a way to the light.
–Alex S. Jones, Harvard University, co-author The Patriarch and The Trust
You have certainly led a most remarkable life. It is quite clear that through your work you are having a most positive impact in changing the lives of others.
–Condace L. Pressley, host of Perspectives on News/Talk 750 WSB, Atlanta
BACK TO THE GARDEN ...is a highly readable mix of personal memoir and advice based on her work as a workshop leader and personal coach.
–Cliff Bostock, Ph.D., columnist, Creative Loafing, cliffbostock.com, Atlanta
We've all got deep stuff. It's just a matter of learning to use that as fertilizer rather than becoming buried in it.
– Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gee, where to begin—bold, brave, scholarly; also sincere—tried & true honest, fun, poignant. And it is practical wisdom in small healthy doses; to-the-bone "truth," not "truthiness." Love the design, too. The Haunted Bed—YIKES!!
–Marcia R. Oliver, Earth Mother, Franklin, OH
Patrice Dickey taps into the mysteries of the unseen in a stunning, evocative exploration of her own journeys into the intuitive and the universal mind. BACK TO THE GARDEN beautifully reinforces the power of personal choice and the numerous tools available to manifest and create the lives we love.
–Laurie A. Monroe, past president, The Monroe Institute, Faber, VA
I imagine you're sitting at your computer or maybe at a coffee house or relaxing somewhere with your laptop, reading my letter to you and thinking, yeah, I'm just about at the end of my rope.
But you're reaching out for something hopeful that's not too sweet, too perky or too in-your-face.
In other words, ideas you could tolerate and maybe even try, using baby steps. Stories of regular people, like you; not super athletes, moms-turned-moguls, or rock stars, but people just getting by in the day to day.
If you're in pain right now and you need to scrape yourself up -or simply drag yourself out of bed—before you sink so deep into despair that you won't recognize yourself, I have a special, limited-availability offer for you.
Today you can get BACK TO THE GARDEN: Getting from Shadow to Joy and its companion CD, 21 Selected Chapters narrated by Emmy Award winner Andrea Berry. It's a beautiful lavender soft-cover book with lots of artful photographs and the actual CD, or as IMMEDIATE DOWNLOADS.
Without giving too much of the story away, I want to introduce you to some of the "characters"—and I do mean that in the truest sense of the word!
Here's my father, Joe Dickey, the best looking young man at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where my mother first invited him to a Sadie Hawkins dance.
And here we all are as a happy family at Ocean City, New Jersey. That's me in my mother's arms, and my sister Sue hoisted up by my "movie star handsome" Dad.
One Thanksgiving, just a few years before my mother died, I challenged the entire family to think of a time when we were all happy together. Tellingly, the other three all mentioned a time before I was able to speak, when I was still a toddler—on our happy summer vacations at Ocean City!
Here's my cat Hillary Rodham Kitten— feeling quite comfy in her Oval Office!
I SWEAR to you that my sister and I actually did change clothes as we were growing up—but it's amazing to see how similarly we dressed from little girls to adulthood!
Here is my sister's beautiful daughter Elizabeth, our miracle child, for whom Susan struggled for eight years before she was born. She has definitely brought color to all our lives!
And of course there's the Haunted Bed.
Author & psychologist David Ryback reviewed my book for the National Speakers Association Atlanta Chapter.
BACK TO THE GARDEN is a marvelous read by Atlanta corporate coach and workshop leader, Patrice Dickey, who shares her life like an open book (pun intended). Using a non-linear, free-association approach to story-telling, Patrice takes us along on her story of disappointments—the men she seemed to attract "workaholics, eccentrics, or some captivating combination of the two" were not unlike her own personality, she admits—through a healing process that leads her to "the next level" as she takes her mother's advice to "cultivate her garden."
At the advice of her former shrink, Patrice takes on a year of celibacy and loneliness, accompanied only by her big cat, Hillary Rodham Kitten. "For one long, lean year I subsisted on a peanut butter extravaganza, livened up by the occasional tomato sandwich. Tight money, tears and struggle ..." (Which aspiring speakers can't identify with that?) Out of this experience, "creativity began tumbling out," and, coining a new term, "deservability."
The message of the book, one we speakers can easily take to heart, is simply: "Keep going, keep creating, keep traveling through the darkness and stay faithful to your vision." And even more important: "Let your love show!"
I'm glad you're pleased with the award—you had a lot of competition and really excelled. –George Weinstein, president, Atlanta Writers Club 2006
The award from the Atlanta Writers Club was the book's first. I'll admit you could have knocked me over with a feather—I was so AMAZED and THRILLED to be validated in this way—having earned my living as a "hired gun" or PR person for so many years, and writing about topics that were interesting, yes....
But not NEARLY as interesting as my own stories, and those of the lovely people who have learned and grown through my Evening at Emory class, Get the Life You Love, since 1999.
BACK TO THE GARDEN competed in six contests, and it won five awards. I just have to raise an eyebrow and think, "Wow."
Although I'm grateful for the awards, it honestly has been much more gratifying to me to hear the results that so many people have gotten SIMPLY FROM READING THE BOOK.
The IPPY Award was the second the book won. Host James Taylor of Writers In Focus on FGTV was really impressed with that—which led me to believe that I should be, a little bit.
Hey, if the book helps someone, that's what impresses me.
You have created a brave and beautiful thing here. I truly admire your courageous commitment to wellbeing, sanity and compassion. I wish you and your lovely book much success.
–John Stephens, founder/artistic director, Theatre Gael & WorldSong Children's Theatre, Atlanta
Your book inspired me to take some bold steps myself, to move beyond my comfort level and leave the Midwest for New York. It has helped me rise above the shackles of complacency and lack of direction.
–Kent Johnson, businessman, New York
BACK TO THE GARDEN is a courageous story of grace and wisdom emerging from chaos and trauma—reminding us to let go of outcomes and step out on faith.
–Joyce Kinnard, co-author The Lemon Book, cancer survivor, Atlanta
I absolutely love this book. It hits at the heart of what many deal with these days: how do I create a happy life out of the frustrations of my former struggles? The easy flow of the writing gently seduced me. In reading the stories of the author and her friends, the lens she held to their life events and insights led me naturally to my own inner exploration. We may not know the number of our days, but through the profound illustrations in this deeply moving book, the author gently guides us as to how to make the best of them.
–Robert E. Dallas, Ph.D., The Dallas Center, Atlanta
This is simply the best of the self-growth books. Patrice has gone through what she writes about and comes out on the other side, transforming her life - and she writes beautifully! I have pages marked with my favorite quotes to re-read and let soak into my mind.
–Carol Dallas, Neurotherapist, The Dallas Center
Your wonderful book touched me at the time when I needed it the most. It is such a good read as well as being inspirational, uplifting, evocative and engrossing. I laughed, cried, was transported to the places, and came to know the people you wrote about. I can still smell the fragrance of your magnolia flowers! I'm halfway through it again!
–Kim McLagan, entrepreneur, Texas
Mack, sporting a shark tooth bolo tie created by Fred Dresch, escorts daughter Suzanne at a formal occasion in Memphis.
It got me in touch with my feminine side. More than once while reading it, I had to take to bed with a box of Kleenex and a bottle of Midol.
–Mack Ray, Arkansas farmer & columnist
A beautifully written book; reading it is like visiting with a friend of having a conversation with the author by an open fire on a winter's day. Please save me 11 books. My list of those with whom I must share this treasure is growing—I trust I can always add to the list!
–Nancy B. Clark, retired teacher, Atlanta, GA
I love your book! Although I'm not there now, there was a time when this book would have spoken to me in a very needed and comforting way... You brought me to tears... There are many similarities of a very painful time in my life, and you have a very gentle way of opening that up, showing yourself, and making it okay. Women in distress need your message more than most, and will reach out for it.
–Marcia Hoeck, HoeckAssociates.com, Toledo, OH
Writer's Digest 14th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards
Judge's Comments
This really is a delightful book, full of pithy, wise, fun, real, honest short selections, each to the point and with a message one can carry away to ponder. Written by a woman who has obviously Been There, the book shares, directs, reflects wisdom and understanding at every possible turn—and quite painlessly. The writing is witty, accessible, easy and enjoyable to read, chatty or conversational, on universal subjects, what we will all encounter as we lead full lives—for wide audience appeal. Dickey offers effective ideas, new fresh perspectives, techniques or tools to deal with these everyday problems or situations, life's inevitable stopgaps. The subject titles are fresh and catchy; and the interior design and cover are attractive. I like this book.
Throughout my life, I've always been attracted to artists--possibly because I have artists on both sides of my family. My parents were both so beautifully musical, and my mother was truly an artist as a teacher of young children.
A lot of the message of my book, through so many life examples, is the importance of letting our creative lights shine. That's who we are, after all--Creators. I also share simple, painless ways to kick-start creativity.
Although I was devastated when Pat Hudson (my high school stalwart) drowned in the Mississippi River, his brother, Memphis artist Stephen Hudson, painted this beautiful watercolor of him as an angel, and that provided some solace.
Nearly 20 years after his death, at the Monroe Institute I met him in the beyond and he got ME kick-started into writing my books. Thank you, Pat!
Here's cousin Deana Blanchard and her husband Chuck Young (yes, he's earned the name--he is 16 years younger than she is!) They live in paradise--Sweet Hollow, in the artists' colony of Burnsville, NC.
We've had more than one powerful experience over a bonfire at their home in the western North Carolina mountains--one involving release of a spirit.
Aunt Susan Mauntel has successfully reinvented herself numerous times through numerous careers---always a great example when I've wondered WHO do I want to BE when I grow up?! Right now she's an artist and theater producer in Aspen, Colorado.
My dear friends Ed Myers and Maureen O'Leary, some of Fred's best friends since college, have been in the film business (like Fred was) for decades -- Ed's a cameraman and Maureen's a costumer.
Here we're on Tybee - Ed in his swashbuckling mode. They are as beautiful on the inside as the outside --they and their very hip kids Laura & Devin play large in my book.
And of course there's The Fred--here shown painting on Tybee Island during our heavenly house-sitting experience at Ed Myers & Maureen O'Leary's big old rambling marsh-side house. How many times did we pack off for shark tooth hunting adventures--and all their potential dangers?
My friend Claire Vohman created this beautiful heart art, included in BACK TO THE GARDEN along with "My Little Heart Song"--which I sang over and over to myself when, once again, my heart had been stomped flat. Amazingly tough little muscle though. It plumped itself out and opened up again.
Here I am dancing beneath the Torii "Spirit Gate" in my back yard on the Path of Possibility--it's the walk between this world and the next, between the mundane and the magical.
Over the years I've discovered that the greatest art of all is creating a beautiful life for oneself. I observed the mess my parents made of their lives, and vowed to do something different. The pain was simply too great to repeat their history. You can do it too. Let me help you get there.
Best Books 2006 National Book Awards Finalist, Spirituality
Best Books 2006 National Book Awards Finalist, Aging/Death & Dying
BACK TO THE GARDEN: Getting from Shadow to Joy is a unique and compelling read that is worthy of your time and attention. With this book as your roadmap, you will experience spiritual and emotional growth in every aspect of your life.
–USA BookNews.com, sponsor of Best Books 2006 Book Awards
Here's a review by Reader Views--they describe it really well!
Award-Winning Inspirational Book Offers an Authentic Path to a Life of Joy
Patrice Dickey's critically acclaimed self-help book "Back to the Garden: Getting From Shadow to Joy" brings readers along the path of possibility with spiritual insights and true stories of heroic individuals who successfully made their way out of the shadows.
(Avondale Estates, Ga.) True life transformation rarely follows a linear model, which is why Patrice Dickey chose not to follow the conventional "self-help" model of checklists and exercises in her inspirational book BACK TO THE GARDEN: Getting From Shadow to Joy. "Back to the Garden" has won awards in the inspirational/spiritual category in contests including Writers Digest, the international IPPYs and Best Books USA, as well as first prize for non-fiction from the Atlanta Writers Club.
Dickey allows her vulnerability and personal struggles to shine through in "Back to the Garden," a choice that readers have overwhelmingly appreciated for the authenticity it brings to the book. Along with her own experiences, "Back to the Garden" also contains inspiring stories from class members in Dickey's "Get the Life You Love" at Emory University in Atlanta, including a grieving empty nester and man molested in childhood.
"Back to the Garden" describes the author's own journey to self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-respect and self-love through the metaphor of gardening.
"When we come to an ending, we must be willing to spend some time in the void as nature does, experiencing the powerful lessons there and regaining our strength before the next new beginning," Dickey says.
"We all have plenty of manure in our lives, and it's our choice whether we'll use it as fertilizer or just leave it in a big stinky pile," she laughs.
"Back to the Garden" serves as a guide for readers to grow into the full, joyous lives they are meant to live. The book is sprinkled with spiritual wisdom, presented through uplifting poetry, song, mythology and a wide variety of religious examples.
"Back to the Garden" helps readers to step out of the shadows by presenting honest clarity and insight, with warm humor, personality, wisdom and strength that's never overbearing.
Readers who prefer a more interactive journey can check out the accompanying CD audiobook and/or single chapter mp3 downloads.
The book -and CD--have gotten lots of publicity--lots of TV & radio interviews and a whole lot of print as well.
Here's what Evening at Emory wrote up about "PD's CD Release Soiree at SILK:
GIVING BACK TO NATURE
Patrice Dickey, "Get the Life You Love" Instructor, said, "...It was my honor and privilege to give back to nature on my birthday with the release party for my new CD Audiobook, 21 Selected Chapters from Back to the Garden: Getting from Shadow to Joy."
Patrice Dickey's CD Release Soiree at SILK benefited Atlanta-based Park Pride, a non-profit which leads and advocates action for parks and green space.
"What a great way to celebrate--raising friends and funds for a cause I totally believe in--the healing power of nature! We even made the Atlanta Constitution's Social Butterfly Blog-- and Peach Buzz! One of the women in Garden Club laughed and said, 'Now you can die happy!'"
Here I am "getting natural" at my CD Release Soiree on my birthday.
BACK TO THE GARDEN is a wake-up call and has given me an entirely different perspective on the challenges in my life and their effect on me. Patrice Dickey is absolutely the most positive person I have ever encountered, and she manages not to be obnoxious or annoying about it — a real feat! This is a woman who has weathered plenty of adversity, but in telling us about those experiences, "poor me" is nowhere in her vocabulary. Instead, she has taken those lemons, made gallon after gallon of spiritual lemonade and offered it to all the rest of us, along with the recipe. What a gal!
–Diane Payne, writer, Atlanta, GA
I love your style of writing, your honesty, the pictures, the headings, just everything! I catch myself going back over and re-reading sentences. I love your descriptions! At one of my workshops, a woman happened to see my copy of BACK TO THE GARDEN. I began telling her about how much I had learned from it, and suddenly realized that I was talking about you like an old friend... I didn't ever tell her that we had actually never met! She later emailed me that she had bought a copy and she, too, enjoyed it. My daughter Lori told me that she was re-reading your book. She is making some major life and career changes... and she said that your book had new meanings for her, and it was even better the second time!"
–Sarah Crutchfield, TheCabinPath.com, Atlanta, GA
Whenever I am feeling down or having a pity-party for some reason, I re-read your book and it is such good medicine for me!
–Tina Brennan, Orlando, FL
Loving your book... it has got my mental wheels spinning!! Clearing under the bed this weekend, working in garden, etc... energy galore!
–Novia Lytle, Atlanta, GA
I've enjoyed reading BACK TO THE GARDEN. I remind myself that this is not a novel that might be slurped down in a sitting or two, but rather some thoughts that bear slow reading and reflection. I also must confess that I stole a look toward the end and read your description of the magical evening we had with my mom, some hot dogs, and a group sing. I'm so glad you got that in writing—it was definitely a seminal event in my life, and, as it turns out, one of the last quality times Mom and I had together. Your words brought tears of love and loss to my eyes.
–Deana Blanchard, SelenaGlassandMetal.com, Burnsville, NC
I am so grateful that a person like you exists on the planet. You're so upbeat and you don't give up on anybody. You help people step out of their fears and into their light. You are honest about many things that people don't like to be honest about. It's a book about possibilities—we don't have to live with our fears until we go to the grave. All the examples you give of people—and the beautiful pictures! It gave me true enjoyment. I've read a lot of self-help books. What is unique about yours is that your light and life come through as though you are speaking. You didn't hide in the book. You are present."
–Sarah Hohenberger, Philadelphia, PA
I'm REALLY enjoying it—and the snippet-long tidbits (I'm reluctant to call them "chapters") are a super idea. I know your book will do great. The energy it transmits is powerful and your style of writing is terrific— especially all your wonderful descriptions. Your words truly bring your subjects to life with color, texture and emotion.
–Susan Trammell, spiritual teacher, posliv.org/GTWS Atlanta, GA
Just want to thank you for all of your very personal, introspective, experiential sharing in your book. I really enjoyed the reading and the growth I experienced because of it. So once again, thank you!
–Tom Osbourne, oral surgeon, Atlanta, GA
I am midway through your book and it is nothing short of wonderful and inspiring. I am anxious to see what in the upcoming chapters awaits me. Thanks for writing this book!
–Katie Macias, Decatur, GA
Your book is awesome, as are you. It is so authentic that it is really easy to draw from. I am already inspired to make changes in a lot of areas in my life (most of them inside my head). I would also like to purchase anther two copies of the book for my two cousins.
–Vanessa Jackson, Atlanta, GA
I hope I told you what a wonderful job you did with your book, but if I didn't, I'll say it now. You did a terrific job. The writing is very accomplished, and the whole organization and presentation is great. I love the cover. Congrats again!
–Nan Satter, professional editor, New Paltz, NY
Thank you Thank you for your book—the second time through is powerful again! So much generosity in your sharing—all the tools and resources will continue to serve me in the future.
– Julie Austin, musician, Scottdale, GA julieaustin.com
I absolutely love your book—I am about 1/3 through and truly relish it. Your honesty, clarity and spiritual insights are a treasure. I want to buy six more copies for friends. Thank you for writing it!
–Carole Addlestone, Atlanta, GA
I'm reading your book. I'm enjoying getting to know you. You've led an interesting life. You're braver than I am. I would never tell all my secrets. You also have a clever way with words. I think you're a lot like me; you get bored easily.
–Jack Thomas, Covington, GA
Your book is wooooooooonderful. I absolutely love it—it is obvious you have written more than a book or two—you have a real gift for languaging thoughts and emotions in a very unique and authentic way. Your book really is a journey... it truly is a gift.
–Jennifer Whitaker, Halogenex.com, Atlanta, GA
I knew in college you were not cut from the usual cloth, but I didn't know much more than that. You write beautifully, with humor and personality, wisdom and strength that is never overbearing. If you have only one more screenplay in you, your life's story has all the elements—even a father with matinee idol looks to balance some of the tragic subject lines. By the way, I made sure my college-bound daughter read your chapter on 'The Easy Subterfuge.' Thanks for telling it all so well.
–Don Guthrie, words&wares.com, Atlanta, GA
I am enjoying your book so much, I started making notes. I find it very refreshing because you say it better than anyone and I have spent the last 4 years reading them all. Yours is the best, by far. No Lie—Frog Eye! When is the workbook coming out?
–Janet Smith, artist, Memphis, TN
Over the years I've bought and collected several inspirational/spiritual/self-help books none of which I finished reading - except for yours. As I read your book I gained a sense of strength, hope, and empowerment to finally deal with so much hurt, pain and insecurities in my life. I so much want to connect and discover the person I've neglected to be. Thank you Patrice for your book, your class... what a wonderful thing!
–Edivia Tangren, Realtor, Decatur, GA
When I started reading your book, I was just BLOWN AWAY! I was actually crying! You struck me over the head with the info about Fred staying up all night and wrecking his health—there's a message for me here. I felt like I was peeking into your diary—that I was reading the lessons of life you'd learned, directly through your eyes.
–Mandy Roth, writer, Atlanta, GA
Every young woman should know these things! I'm buying one for all of my employees.
–Michael Hudson, entrepreneur, Germantown, TN
I raced through it in two days at the beach—couldn't put it down! But there was so much meat in it I'm going back to read it for a second time.
–Deborah Osgood, CPA, Jasper, GA
There's no better way to identify with this kind of work than by reading the experiences of one who's lived them. It's the same reason AA works—because people empathize with the place you're coming from. The book shows an authentic understanding of that gap for people who don't love themselves enough. If we're walking around mired in self-hatred, what good are we to ourselves or anyone else? Your book points out that we CAN learn to love ourselves, and how to go about it.
–Mary Kaye Denning, marketing guru, Cleveland, OH
"Most amazing self help book I've ever read! It actually works."
MySpace, SlapMeandCallMeNorma
We did meet in Dallas! It was AMAZING! Your lecture was awesome and the book has somewhat pieced together the mess that was my life. Speaking so much in first person, it made the book that much easier to understand. I kept using your metaphors in conversation... "Salty tears are good fertilizer to a realized life." Sheesh.
–Caitlin, Broken Arrow, OK
I have to tell you I THINK YOU ARE BRILLIANT! WOW you have blown me away!!! This book is gonna be HUGE!
–Paige Brown, jewelry artist, Atlanta, GA
I've enjoyed your book very much. You give a lot of good advice, and I'm trying to heed as much of it as I can....particularly about getting sucked into the vortex of too much television. Oh, and about exercising and eating right. Your chapters on those topics were very convicting, which is a GOOD thing. They inspired me to go out and play tennis this week for the first time in YEARS! So, thanks!
–Marty Spears, TV producer, Winder, GA
I enjoyed your book very much, especially the charming mixture of autobiographical material with wise and witty observations about how to live more fully.
–James Flannery, The W.B. Yeats Foundation, Atlanta, GA
My wife has been walkin' in The Garden a little bit each evening, and thoroughly enjoying it. And relating: her father was an alcoholic, who died when she was 8. As the youngest of six, she was raised very dysfunctionally. She grew up feeling "if she had just been good enough" daddy wouldn't have died (this was her own trip, not enforced by her mother). She's been beating herself up for most of her life, and having to fight overwhelming perfectionist tendencies which often manifest at work (taking things personally, or taking on "failure" for things she can't control). All this despite being very successful —ah, an old story, si?
–Steve B., Phoenix, AZ
I love your narrative technique; you write like a master. May your genius continue to flower.
–Ramesh & Meena Madan, Avondale Estates, GA
The book is a beautiful reminder of patience, having it presented in so many different ways, especially through the garden metaphor. It reminded me of the Loving Relationships training — how are you going to frame what you're doing now; how are you going to try to control it or not? You've identified God and spirituality as very important resources in your healing. The question is, which came first—the garden or the healing?
–Betty Grant, public relations, Atlanta, GA
I do think the message you deliver in BACK TO THE GARDEN is finally beginning to sink into my brain, heart and soul. It has been very hard for me to give up my old ways and learn new ones, but ever so gradually, I am experiencing major changes to my way of thinking. It sometimes seems that for every step I take forward, I take two backwards, but even this is improving. Thanks so much for mentioning that you have been there also. It's always great to know others have similar experiences. One of the things I have never really recognized in myself is creativity. Well, you hit on that ....I am thinking about that too.
–Linda Jones, research coordinator, Stone Mountain, GA
I read BACK TO THE GARDEN when I was in France last year and still dip into it for the moments of inspiration.
–Sarah Kelly, marketing consultancy, Belfast, Northern Ireland
I love your eloquent writing style and your ability to draw the reader right in...You have amazing gifts and talents! There's such forthrightness, compassion and wisdom in your book and I feel such a kinship with you—thank you again for all your inspiration and encouragement. Thank you for bringing your joy, love and positive intentions through your book and to our class, and making a difference in my life. Namaste,
–Kim Saunders, Alpharetta, GA, EnrichCafe.com
CD Testimonials:
I just wanted to take a minute and let you know just how much I appreciate the CD book. I put it in my CD alarm clock, and for the past few mornings, I've woken up to Patrice's healing and inspiring words, and Andrea's soothing, reassuring voice. The combination is incredible. I have the volume down so that I wake up naturally, so each morning it's been a different part of the CD that I actually come fully awake to. Know matter where my conscious mind is when I am fully awake, I know that my subconscious has heard and absorbed plenty. How?? Because this past week has been a huge roller coaster, and while I have definitely been re-active and had low moments, I have also found some place within to go to and remind myself - it won't be like this forever, and I do have all the tools necessary to end up just where I belong and desire to be (to include friends who hear me and encourage me to move forward).
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! To both of you.
–April VanMansfeld, EarthMuther.com, Decatur, GA
I keep your CD in my car and have listened to many sections over and over for inspiration. Thanks for all you do!
–Karen Hughes, AICI, ImageAssets.net, Alpharetta, GA
When I'm asked who is the audience for this book, I feel that the numerous testimonials tell the story more eloquently than I do.
But if you're in the midst of transition, suffering a loss, or experiencing the ups and downs of life, it's for you.
If you consider yourself a Renaissance man or woman who has many talents and looks at life from a creative, right-brained perspective, it's for you.
If you are a spiritual seeker, a person who enjoys gardening, or a young person starting out in life, who wants practical tools to help yourself develop your vision and achieve your goals, you will find lots of practical magic here--and it's fun!
The book is filled with the riveting stories of real people who have used its simple wisdom to free themselves from shadow issues and self-defeating behaviors that hold them back, including stories of friends from my classes at Emory, yoga classes (yes, I'm a yoga teacher as well), church experiences and spiritual endeavors along the way.
Readers will learn how perfectionism can wreck their health, happiness and peace of mind--and some easy tools to get beyond that self-destructive approach to life and on to true happiness.
They will see how tapping creativity can save their lives--and how to get their own creative juices flowing again.
They'll discover what happens when they get rid of the 'Haunted Bed' in their life, and how visualization, Treasure Mapping and Personal Crests:
- brought a new swimming pool to a cash-strapped graduate student
- hatched a career as a holistic chef for an empty nester mom who was in deep grief over the death of her sister
- brought peace of mind and the perfect career to a young man who had been molested as a child
They'll discover some of the many ways people make themselves sick every day, and how to recognize and correct these negative behaviors.
And they'll see how dreams, intuition, hypnotherapy and other tools help to access the subconscious and lead them back to their true selves.
Best of all, as this photo of the marsh at Tybee Island illustrates, they'll discover that silver linings really do exist.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope you'll decide to journey on with me. Set your intentions, visualize, and take action. You too can Get the Life You Love. Your moment of power is now!
Click here NOW for this special limited time offer--
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Love and Well Wishes,
Patrice Dickey
Your Guide
to the Life You Love