Caren Goldman, author, award-winning journalist, editor, and breast cancer survivor specializes in writing about spirituality, psychology, health, religion, and the arts and humanities. She is the author of Healing Words for the Body, Mind, and Spirit: 101 Words to Inspire and Affirm (Morehouse 9/09), the co-author of Finding Jesus, Discovering Self: Passages to Healing and Wholeness (Morehouse Publishing), and the author of Vitality and Wellness: An Omega Institute Mind, Body, Spirit Book (Dell), a regular contributor and associate editor of The Bible Workbench, and a former assistant editor of the Cleveland Jewish News. For over thirty years, hundreds of her freelance articles about the intersections of spirituality, health, and religion have appeared in national magazines such as Spirituality and Health, Yoga Journal, and Body & Soul as well as major metropolitan daily, weekly and religious publications such as Forward Day By Day. She also served as adjunct faculty in the mass communications department at Bowling Green State University.

Before specializing in writing about spirituality and health, Caren jump-started her professional writing career as a news, investigative and features reporter at the Cleveland Plain Dealer. She speaks and leads seminars, retreats and workshops throughout the country. When she puts on a different hat, Caren works as a Bridgebuilder™ conflict resolution consultant and Healthy Congregations™ facilitator to congregations and nonprofit organizations. She also plays an accordion to amaze and amuse mostly herself. She and her husband, Rev. Ted Voorhees, live in St. Augustine, Florida and Asheville, North Carolina. Caren can be contacted by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Official Website: www.carengoldman.com

Edwin “Ted” Voorhees is an Episcopal priest who has served congregations in North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Florida. Currently, he is the vicar of St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church in historic Lincolnville, a St. Augustine, FL neighborhood that served as a hub for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and others during the Civil Rights Movement.

Ted has written for Forward Day-By-Day, Episcopal Life and other publications. He served as an associate editor of The Bible Workbench and is a currently a contributing writer. A popular retreat, seminar, and workshop leader, Ted is also sought aafter as a speaker for ecumenical and inter-faith events. Additionally, he is a Bridgebuilder™ conflict resolution consultant and a Healthy Congregations™ facilitator who specializes in working with struggling and stuck congregations of all faiths and non-profit organizations.

>He calls St. Augustine and Asheville, North Carolina “home” and enjoys visiting with his grandchildren, commuting on his scooter, playing golf with his wife, Caren Goldman, and listening to her accordion concerts. Ted can be reached by e-mail at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Healing Words – Ten ways to make them work for you. (All profits go to breast cancer research and causes)

By Caren Goldman, author of Healing Words for the Body, Mind and Spirit: 101 Words to Inpspire and Affirm (Morehouse Publishing 2009)

We all know that words can be powerful “medicine,” especially when they help us to express and affirm our deepest beliefs and hopes for healing and wholeness. Healing words can take many forms. Examples include affirmations, prayers, mantras, and chants. Below are ten ways to use words as instruments of healing for your body, mind and spirit.

List – your favorite healing words or affirmations and take them everywhere. Pick one to ponder or say silently or aloud while stuck at a red light or in a traffic jam. Keep your list next to the phone or on it for times when you’re put on “hold.” Turn a chosen word into a mantra as you drive. And recall it when you get stuck waiting for an appointment in, of course, a waiting room.

Reframe – those negative words, thoughts, and sayings that start chattering in your head. Clichés such as – “Life gave me lemons so I made lemonade” is one example. One Chinese saying teaches that a “crisis” is an opportunity sailing on the wind. Some people see a mess on the road or in their lives and call it “crap,” while others believe it is 100% organic fertilizer.

Rituals – shift us from ordinary time and space to sacred space. Creating one or more rituals are a way to focus on our desire for the well being of ourselves and others. Begin your ritual by stating an “intention.” It can be as simple as Amen, Om, “So be it,” or “Thy will be done.” Then allow it to begin leading you on the healing path you hope to follow that day or forever.

Dream – about healing words. Before bedtime randomly pick a word from my book Healing Words for the Body, Mind and Spirit, a dictionary, bible, or your personal list. Repeat it to yourself several times. Then write it down, place it under your pillow, and keep it in your mind’s eye as you drift off. If it speaks to you during the night or upon awakening, take note of it by keeping a pad or recorder by your bedside.

Journal – about a healing word. Consider writing an affirmation, poem or personal story about the word or positive feelings you associate with it. “Journal” other ways, too by playing a chosen word like the blues on a harmonica or by dragging your hands on the black keys of a piano with the pedal down or by singing it. Experiment with using any art materials you have on hand - markers, crayons, clay, paint, pastels, or just a pencil or a pen.

Travel – in silence to a natural setting where the sights and sounds can help to instill calm and awaken dormant healing thoughts and beliefs in your psyche and soul. Additionally, if you find that your musings suddenly inspire you to do something new or unusual - like bake a loaf of bread, telephone someone, get a pet, or go to sacred ground such as a church, synagogue, mosque, river, desert, or mountain top - follow your nose, instincts, or intuition. It just may be an surprise signpost pointing to a healing path.

Experiment – with healing words in gatherings. When someone is suffering physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually, invite people to come together in a healing circle. Use words and other symbols of health, wholeness, and healing ritually. Pick words from your religious and ethnic backgrounds or from other sources from a basket. Include music, inspirational readings, and personal stories. Julian of Norwich wrote: “All will be well, all manner of things shall be well,” which people of all faiths or none whatsoever can say together.

Senses – especially your intuition – may be whispering healing words when new thoughts arrest your attention. At those times look around and give all your senses permission to have their say and guide you in the direction of healing and wholeness.

Silence – speaks in mysterious ways and there are times when the sound of the word silence says it all. Sometimes when someone needs our presence but not necessarily the words we grope to express aloud, it’s important to remember silence is not necessarily a void to be filled. Indeed, when we speak healing words from the heart that way, we may be saying a lot more than we ever imagined we could.

Shift – gears and mindsets occasionally by picking a word and then taking the position that it picked you. Then ponder these questions:

• Why this word at this time and in this place?

• How have I experienced this word in my life?

• Where in my life might this word be missing?

• What can this word teach me about my healing process?

“Caren Goldman has written a book about more than words. Rather than pious platitudes, her reflections out of the depth of her own experience turn familiar words into icons of healing and hope. I am grateful for her sharing what she knows and lives in a way that matter to me.”
~ William Dols, Ph.D., founding editor of The Bible Workbench and author of Finding Jesus, Discovering Self: Passages To Healing And Wholeness

What Readers Say

Healing Words rates 5 stars on Amazon.com. & Barnes & Noble.com
A sampling of reviews posted on Amazon include:

A reader from Cedar Rapids, IA
This was given to me during the middle of chemotherapy, when I was quite discouraged. This book is a wonderful resource - it does not confuse healing with a medical cure, but uses a broader definition of healing.
I have given four copies of this book to friends who have either been diagnosed with chronic illnesses (cancer, diabetes) or who have undergone wrenching life changes. All have called or written with stories of how this book has helped them have a new perspective, and to see hope.
The essays are also short enough that someone who has very little energy can read the book. Although some of the book is faith-based, it is not faith-specific. It was written after the author and her family underwent a dreadful series of diseases and disasters, and calls on their experiences and faith for some of the illustrations.
Affirmation books are generally wishy-washy. I find "new age" stuff to be full of pabulum. This book pulls no punches, and the writing carries an honesty and vigor that is refreshing. This is an excellent book, in every meaning of the phrase. Buy it, for there shall surely come a time that you will either need it immediately, or will need to give it with little warning.

Caron Alexander from East Linton, Scotland, United Kingdom
While living in Scotland, far away from my support system of family and friends, and struggling with a myriad of physical, emotional and spiritual difficulties, I received this book from my mother. Words to describe what a blessing this book has been elude me - so I'll borrow some of yours... All I can say is I have "Gratitude", "Peace" and "Optimism" for the first time in a very long time. Your words, Ms. Goldman, and message "Comfort" me and, I'm sure, many others. May we all have "Laughter", "Joy" and "Play" while we "Heal" and have "Wellness" on our "Journey". Thank you for sharing your "Wisdom" and "Spirit" with us.

A reader from OH
Life seems to be one continuous gift, even in times of great darkness. I am at such a critical place in my own life now, grateful that darkness holds the promise of great discovery and healing. These healing words; these remarkable stories not only bring me much solace, but also the necessary loving nudge to dare me to continue to live in the tension of the questions before me.

Michael Herman from San Diego, CA
When one becomes seriously ill, he/she may feel ravaged from the storm of the illness and, sometimes, even more so from the 'cure'. This book offers the mind and body of the ill person a shelter of sorts. The words are caressing and healing and the individual sections are all done very well. The overall tone of the book is one of caring and compassion. My first thought when flipping through it was that it would make a great gift and fantastic aid for someone going through chemotherapy or any other significant medical crisis. Upon deeper reading it was apparent that it would be a great 'read' for anyone under any circumstance. Highly recommended.

Constance Lutton from Coconut Creek, FL
This book has renewed a piece of my spirit that has, through a series of tragedies and crisis, been sadly damaged. Inspiration comes in many forms and none more lovely, welcome and effective than this God-send of a book. The light your words shed on my shadowed soul prompted me to send a copy to my daughter in Scotland who was also battling health and life issues. We have regained some peace of mind and are healing - mind, body and spirit. Thank you, Ms. Goldman, for your healing words.

A reader from Chicago
I was able to use this book with my students to assist them in their own understanding of death, forgiveness, grief, as well as trust, joy, and courage. I was able to use the stories, and then discuss them with the children, many of whom have witnessed the death of a parent, friend, and who are either in the child welfare system or with the corrections facility. With these stories, I am able to assist them in resolving their conflicts.

Selene Ritter from Cleveland, OH
I just wanted to say a few words of appreciation for 101 Healing Words. I work with people living with life threatening illnesses and mortality issues, as well as the emotional and spiritual aspects of how their past may play into their present. So many people with illness seem to have a troubled past and now an unpredictable future. I felt so connected to many of the stories and the images they provoked of not only my clients, but of myself. I think this book is very valuable to anyone that has ever directly or personally dealt with illness, whether it be physical or spiritual.

A reader from Chicago, IL
After reading several books of this genre, this was the first one that I actually felt had any direct relevance to my life. For me, the words themselves do not do the healing, but rather provide a focal point for reflection which has given me a fantastic new perspective on the events in my life so far. The book does not preach, but still shows the reader how they can open themselves up to the world around them. I highly recommend it!

Ling from NY, NY
I've given this book to two dear friends who are in need of comfort and healing. Since I am unable to spend as much time with them I would like to be, I am glad at least that they have this book of Healing Words. Caren Goldman's wisdom and love of life shine through the pages and I am grateful to her for writing this book.

Hilary Abramson from San Francisco, CA
I have purchased copies for everyone I know facing the challenge of more than temporary illness or loss. Only if you've been there (I have) can you understand the importance of this book. It's a waste of time to respond to it academically -- intellectually. This is for people faced with their mortality who are trying to do what we all will have to do -- let go of the illusion of control. The real review comes from them -- it helped.

Michael P. Marcotte, M.D., from OH
Caren Goldman has provided a tool for all to use to help us become whole. We all need to think of ways to awaken our inner spirit and this book provides us with words and thoughts which provoke healing and wholeness. The opportunity to take a few minutes daily and think about life's fuller meaning can only help with the healing we all need and desire. Caren's book can be used by those suffering from emotional, physical and psychological illness to reach for a fuller understanding of their place in the world. As a Perinatologist who works with women and their families who must experience unexpected and unfortunate outcomes in their pregnancies, it is often valuable to have a tool like Caren's book which these families can use to help them make some sense of their difficult situation. I have encouraged many of my patients to utilize books and other resources to deal with their internal suffering and begin or continue on the road to personal wholeness. This book is just what is needed to help those who are suffering to reach into themselves and discover a source to wholeness.