Unleashed - A book review

​People seek out therapy for a variety of reasons including: a crisis, increasing dissatisfaction, increasing emotional distress or a repetitive experience of being unable to overcome a destructive pattern in their lives.  Sonja Corbitt, in her book Unleashed, eloquently describes how God utilizes these sequences or “patterns” in our lives to create a journey in which we can experience His healing.  These patterns typically have a dark emotion driving it like anger, shame or fear.  “Salvation in the scriptures is synonymous with shalom, or peace.  It’s a great big, full, unleashed word, meaning integration wholeness, fulfillment, and sanctification.  Not merely about behavior, salvation, and peace involve motivations, and often these are buried deep in denial and the subconscious” (p.11).  This was the quote in Unleashed that hooked me to read the whole book - only 8 chapters long but each sentence appears carefully crafted and directs us to the teachings of the Church and Sacred Scripture.

Reading this book was the result of a series of patterns in my own life.  The first pattern was an emotional one.  In the last 2 years a persistent frustration had been growing and spreading to multiple areas of my life indicating that development needed to occur and my own strength was insufficient.  The second pattern was directional.  I was not sure where to begin in the busyness of my life, and someone shared and encouraged me to read Unleashed (btw - thank you), but I had not prioritized it.  Then in a recent confession, the priest, who was unfamiliar to me,  recommended I complete some reading as part of his spiritual direction, but the chosen book did not arrive in time for the Christmas break.  Unleashed did.  

Unleashed by Sonja Corbitt Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN - 2015. Reviewer: Eunice Peterson.

Sonja Corbitt’s personal transparency of her humanity and wounds invites the reader to consider their own families of origin and subsequent life choices.  Each of us have wounds and our protective responses created hurdles to the healing Christ longs to give us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Sacred Scripture, his Mother Mary and the Church.  Often these hurdles will present themselves as patterns as God, our creator, is a God of order.  They have value in our spiritual growth as our predominant fault will be revealed providing opportunity for the Holy Spirit to heal.  The revealing, though painful and humbling, allows for us to see and experience the tenderness and persistence of our Lord.  He desires wholeness for us.  It is through cooperating with his grace we let go of fear, learn to trust, and He tenderly releases us from destructive relationships, habits, circumstances and desires.

However, Ms. Corbitt does not delude the reader into thinking this will be a quick fix.  She recognizes that God allows patterns to reveal exactly where He wants to work.  Ms. Corbitt recognizes the courage and challenge required of the reader to identify the worldly comforts that have become unsatisfying but provide an illusion of control or protection.  Her heart-felt examples articulate her understanding of suffering and the hope it brings when God’s mercy is allowed to mold it and we submit to his timing.  Furthermore, she is delightfully brash in encouraging us to ask of God and seek the desires of our heart. 

Ms. Corbitt presents a solid foundation and understanding of scripture, church teachings, and lives of Saints on which to build the map to “unleash” the reader from the “patterns” which have become destructive.  The Holy Spirit works with us - as is - and through the Word.  He creates order from disorder.  “The Holy Spirit works outward to inward and in an upward spiral to God” (p. 37).   Ms. Corbitt is gifted as a writer, and intertwines personal narratives, scripture and teaching. Therefore, one reading will not be sufficient to fully comprehend her message.  Ms. Corbitt finishes each chapter with a review and invitation to guide the reader to deeper understanding and healing.  This book could be utilized as a devotional, reference or group study.

The new year encourages us to reflect and pursue newness, change or growth.  Even if you are not at a point of dissatisfaction or crisis, but you have come across this brief review - consider it an invitation to explore your spiritual development.  If like myself there has been a pervasive experience that is demanding change, or begging for healing - grab a copy of Unleashed, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, risk trusting and embrace the journey of healing.

​​​Eunice Peterson is a Registered Psychologist in private practice.  Her practice’s primary focuses includes: trauma integration from a neurobiological perspective, disorders on the anxiety spectrum, grief and loss and life transitions.  She, her husband and five children have resided in Calgary since 2010.