Let's Look Together : Henri Nouwen as Spiritual Mentor

Overview

“Let’s Look Together is a gem in the realm of spiritual mentorship—immersing us into Nouwen’s transparent way through his life and writings as well as into the author’s own engagement and furthering of Nouwen’s insights. It’s also an invite into self-mentoring as we ourselves partake, appropriate, and personalize both their combined offerings to us all. Truly a welcome gift to receive!” —Wil Hernandez, PhD, Obl., OSB, spiritual director, author, Mere Spirituality: The Spiritual Life According to Henri Nouwen

“There is nothing better than learning from two great spiritual mentors at once. Robert Wicks guides the reader through some of the essential wisdom of Henri Nouwen with depth and clarity. The four key themes of Henri’s spiritual insight—desert wilderness, ordinariness, compassion and community, and vulnerability and prayer—offer both novices and seasoned spiritual practitioners a new way to think, reflect, feel, and see on the journey of faith and discovery. Wicks has given us all a gift by sharing his experience of Nouwen as a personal spiritual mentor and by inviting us to be accompanied by Nouwen’s spiritual wisdom along our own journeys.”—Daniel P. Horan, OFM, professor of philosophy, religious studies and theology, Saint Mary’s College; author, The Way of the Franciscans.

Henri Nouwen was a role model for mentoring—not because he was perfect but because even when broken, he was real, insightful, hopeful, and willing to be open to make things new again and again. Although amazingly talented, his shortcomings were also a gift. He let them become portals for grace and an honest appreciation of God’s love amidst his own neediness, imperfections, and failures. Seeing him find his way, gives us courage and direction to find ours.

Let’s Look Together presents four major themes from Nouwen’s life and writings (Desert Wisdom, Ordinariness, Compassion, Prayer and Vulnerability), as Robert Wicks builds on, and seeks to apply, them in daily life, offering an invitation to readers to do the same. 

Robert J. Wicks received his doctorate in psychology (PsyD) from Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital. Dr. Wicks is professor emeritus at Loyola University Maryland, and has taught in universities and professional schools of psychology, medicine, nursing, theology, education, counseling, business, and social work. His expertise is in resilience, self-care, the prevention of secondary stress, and the integration of psychology with spiritual wisdom. He has spoken on these topics on Capitol Hill to members of Congress and their chiefs of staff, at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the US Air Force Academy, the Mayo Clinic, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the Defense Intelligence Agency, Harvard Divinity School, Yale School of Nursing, Princeton Theological Seminary, and to members of the NATO Intelligence Fusion Center. Dr. Wicks has published over 50 books including the bestselling Riding the Dragon: Ten Lessons for Inner Strength in Challenging Times; The Tao of Ordinariness: Humility and Simplicity in a Narcissistic Age; and Bounce: Living the Resilient Life.