Books
Not By Chance
For those who’ve heard “trust the process” …someone has finally explained the process.
Your struggling teenager is going to a residential or wilderness treatment program. Their addictions, learning disabilities, or emotional/behavioral issues have brought you to a moment of decision. Heartsick, anxious, and exhausted, questions bounce endlessly around your mind, “Will this work? Was this really necessary? Will she ever forgive me? Can we handle him at home when the time comes?”
Dr. Tim Thayne delivers the answers in his groundbreaking book Not by Chance. As an owner/therapist of wilderness and residential programs, Thayne was frustrated when young people made monumental progress, only to return home where things quickly unraveled. His mission became to vastly improve long-term success by crafting and proving a model to coach parents on their power to lead out through full engagement during treatment and management of the transition home.
Not by Chance engages readers through solid research, simple exercises, and captivating stories taken from Thayne’s own life and the living rooms of hundreds of American homes. This book serves up concrete tools, hope, confidence, and stamina for families, professionals and mentors.
Topics include:
- Why good programs work
- How to boost—not undermine—treatment
- Nine dangers waiting after discharge
- How to identify natural mentors for your teen
- What to do when the testing begins
- When and how to grant back privileges and freedoms
- How to ease your young adult’s transition from treatment to independent living
- When you know you’ve succeeded
If you are even considering out-of-home treatment for your teen, do not gamble with the outcomes. Not by Chance should claim its rightful place on your nightstand.
Praise for Not By Chance
Intriguing, pragmatic and honest…a refreshingly practical focus. This should be required reading for every family who places their adolescent in a residential treatment program.
Nicolas Taylor, Ph.D., author of Helping People Addicted to Methamphetamine: A Creative New Approach for Families and Communities
I am more convinced than ever that the extended and integrative transitional support Thayne offers is a critical component for lasting change.
Sarah Finney, MS, LMFT, Therapeutic and Educational Placement Consultant
Excellent book…wonderful resource for families and professionals alike who are serious about retaining positive treatment gains… I highly recommend Not By Chance.
Kimball DeLaMare, LCSW, founding president National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs
Taking The Reins
For anyone who wants better relationships and success at the office and at home.
In solution-focused leadership, a leader recognizes, affirms, harnesses, and encourages further development of the strengths of those around him or her, while guiding the team toward a mutually-agreed-upon vision.
Like horses, people in the workplace want to be treated fairly and with respect, are willing to take responsibility, and want to productively contribute. They want to participate, be heard, trust and be trusted, and make a difference. Neither horses nor people are motivated by rules and organizational bureaucracies. Instead, getting through the day in peace, doing a good job, building enduring relationships with others, and finding joy in what they do helps them discover meaning and purpose in their lives.
Many of our top industry producers fail to become superior contributors until they learn to be other-focused. Through conscious and consistent effort, a producer’s relationship competence can be raised to the level of his or her technical competence, resulting in a highly-valued leader, supervisor, and manager. Taking the Reins encourages management techniques focused on relationships, supervision based on realistic expectations, and leadership through recognition of the strengths of others.
Praise for Taking the Reins
Taking the Reins is a unique approach to illustrate the powerful concept of becoming a solution focused leader. The insights on ‘lessons from a horse story’ are not easily forgotten.”
Jim Heinz, Senior Manager, Leadership and Organizational Development. Lockheed Martin
Kurstedt and Thayne draw beautifully on the relationship between horses and cowboys to illustrate the relationships that are possible between leaders and their staff. Suggested leadership attitudes and behaviors will unveil opportunities for growth you didn’t know you had.
Marta Wilson, Ph.D., author of “Leaders in Motion” and CEO of Transformations, Inc.
I have never been a fan or leadership books until reading Taking the Reins by Harold Kurstedt and Tim Thayne. The plain speaking principles and stories resonate with the reader allowing retention of the key lessons. A must read for leaders that want to create followership.
Donald E. Stone, Jr., PE, Chief Executive Officer, Dewberry
