Book Review: Five to Thrive by Dr. Kathy Koch

The Core Needs reviewed. 

Kathy Koch is a brilliant person-- and she is SO gifted in sharing what she knows in a reachable way that all can understand and learn- and she is a natural motivator and cheerleader as she writes- she graciously thanks you for reading-- she engages you with questions as you read, and then stops you as the concepts change with an assignment-- and these are challenging but with her input so achievable.

As I found in her 8 Great Smarts and Start with the Heart books- you can hear in her writing that her faith and her personal relationship with God continues to be active and growing, and the richness of scripture she shares as it applies to what she knows as an educator and psychologist is such a fresh and insightful way to apply research! As well as her consistent perspective that we are His workmanship.

She encourages all of us to see our gifting and to see who we are through God's lens. This book surprised me as my knowledge of the core needs has always been rather dry and limited- knowing that if we don't have security or identity- we can't belong- and that all three lead us to competence and purpose... But the concept that only God can really meet these needs and He desires to make us whole! This is truth- I knew it when we fostered a child and worked first on his security, identity and belonging- and as we did- he calmed and trusted us- but that we were really helping him realize humans are broken and can't always meet his needs we will fail. But God can!!

Read this book- you won't be disappointed. The core needs are something that helps us realize who we are and Dr. Kathy helps us see and plan to IMPROVE and grow- and her suggestions are the clearest and simplest- and set to support the reader in making a real change for the positive.

The physical book is worth owning-- it's the perfect size to throw in a bag and it just feels good!! Also it's written in contrasting colors- with charts and boxes- and plans to accomplish identifying your core needs and ways to grow. I suppose the kindle will look as good- but if you waver at all- get the book!! Moody is thoughtful about making it worth owning!

Blessed- to launch this my fourth book of Dr. Kathy's and to have read and used 5 or more of her books in my personal and professional life. Thank you Moody Books and Netgalley for the opportunity.

Raising the Challenging Child: How to Minimize Meltdowns, Reduce Conflict, and Increase Cooperation

I'm an avid reader of parenting and classroom management books for 20 plus years, and I'm an avid reader so that's a lot of books!!

This resource with the examples and scripts built in is exactly what tired, weary, parents and teachers need.  The tips.  Seal the deal.
See for yourself!




I liked it so much I have two physical copies and the kindle version!

 I want to have access to it and be able to share it with other parents!





This is a parenting book for the non-reader. Achievable. Simple. Clear to understand.  Takes a heart focused on serving and growing kids to achieve the strategies.   And suggests do overs galore.  Grace as it's best modeled for us.


This is the parenting book for the reader. Well formatted. Clear Strategies.  A book to be read over and over to remind you that you are growing and improving as a parent and that it matters!!

 Whether you are parenting a child from a hard place, a neuro-typical child, or a special needs child, this book brings all the best practice strategies of research alive and models them with tips, scripts, and real life examples!


I rarely give a book five stars, but this book is well deserving of this high accolade!  And if you want to know kindle or physical book--it has such great charts and scripts- I'd say physical book is really nice to have in your hands and implement.

This book does not whisper the Word directly to your mind as you read it.  But the worldview and strategies are biblically based on the foundations of love, connection, and grace in your parenting.  Share a verse in the comments that comes to mind as you read the book to demonstrate that while the authors have been therapists, who wanted these strategies to be used by all parents no matter their beliefs, you will recognize clearly that with the Holy Spirit, being this kind of parent is pretty impossible! 

written by: Karen Doyle Buckwalter, Debbie Reed, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine

Bethany Partner Review: Braver, Stronger, Smarter A girls guide to overcoming worry and anxiety by Sissy Goff

If you have a worrier or a girl with anxiety who is young- like elementary age-- this workbook is for her. I've done therapy with a young boy for these concerns, and this book- wow! A chance for a parent or trusted friend to help a girl process and learn how to overcome fear, anxiety, or worry. It offers best practice solutions, in a gentle friendly, real approach that will appeal to girls. The therapist shares using her small dog, Lucy's, perspective she defines it, teaches strategies, asks the reader to draw, write, and reflect on her own perspective and share her thoughts, beliefs, and plan her actions. The author cautions the reader to go slowly through this book, and while I know many parents want to 'fix' concerns-- having done weekly therapy with a young child- it is a marathon and it really does need to be approached slowly over time and internalized to be effective.

I love that this is a biblically driven books and one of the strategies is to chose worry verses to recite and help overcome the worries. This perspective is needed and in me experience one of the best techniques to cope with those feelings that are not facts or logical, but yet they can control your life if you allow them to. There is also a book for adults that partners with this one- and I'd be interested in reading it as well.

I bought the kindle version today. I can't wait to work through the workbook with my daughter.  She' been too tired to be processing much with the holidays, but we will work through these books, as anxiety is a struggle for us. 

Thankful to partner with Bethany House Publishing and read this book. I will be adding it to my resources and using/recommending it others who may be able to use it.