Stories of Hope and Resilience This book is a collection of eight stories about how real people coped with suicide, brain injury, dyslexia, alcoholism, sexual abuse, racism, teen parenting, and growing up gay in the 1960s. Alongside the personal stories, the authors - Julie Mulcahy and Debbie Knowles - have consulted "the experts" in order to provide practical commentary about complex issues. The stories themselves are of hope and wisdom and resilience. Julie and Debbie believe real stories of real lives are the most interesting stories of all. Both of them had life-changing experiences of their own. Could their experiences be helpful to others? Julie wrote about living with her daughter's brain injury and Debbie wrote about her brother's suicide. What had these painful things taught them? They wondered how other people coped with the things that had happened in their lives. They realised that things go wrong, even in the most sunny, well-regulated families. Put simply, if we can face up to these things, then there is a lot to learn from the honesty and courage of the contributors of these eight stories. Original works by New Zealand artist, Robyn Gibson, cleverly echo the emotions described in each story.
About the Author: Julie Mulcahy & Debbie Knowles Julie and Debbie are both registered teachers. They have worked for many years in Secondary Schools as English teachers and later Learning Support teachers. Julie was the Resource Teacher for years 11-13 in 6 North Shore Secondary Schools and Debbie was the Coordinator of a Learning Support Department in a large Secondary School. From 2006 to 2011 Debbie and Julie were also consultants for Springboard nz, a referral company they began, for students with Learning and Behavioural difficulties. They were in touch with service providers and specialist services in order to find the best available support for their individual students and clients. In 2008 Penguin published their book "What You Need To Know Before Your Child Starts Secondary School". This was a parent-friendly book that covered everything from N.C.E.A. to tattoos and quite a lot in between. "Blue Sky With Clouds" is their most recent book and it is based on their own life-changing experiences. Julie's daughter received a brain injury and it affected everyone in the family. Debbie's brother killed himself, and although it was 40 years ago, it has also changed her life irrevocably. They both wondered if their experiences could be of any help to others. They realized there were so many other people in families not a million miles away, who had also had life- changing experiences. How did these people get through them? How had they coped? What had they found that was helpful? What had they done that was helpful, whom did they talk to? Julie and Debbie wanted to know. And that was how they began their new book.