Warm Hugs, Hot Tea and the Subtle Art of Helping: A Free Book for Natural Supports

Client success story for the Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society (ADVAS). Project completed 2022.

View the booklet on Canva

The challenge

When someone goes through crime, loss, tragedy or trauma, professional support is there for a while. Then it tapers off.

What remains are the people around them – family, friends, neighbours, co-workers. These natural supports matter enormously, and they vary widely. Some know just what to say. Many want to help and have no idea where to start.

I saw an opportunity to help those people help. I pitched the executive director and team at ADVAS on a free book for the community, and they said yes.

Building the book

I led the whole project:

1. Research. I met with clinical experts and surveyed victim advocates, people affected by crime and trauma, and their natural supports.
2. Verification. I checked the data and the guidance against what the experts and survey respondents told us.
3. Writing and design. I wrote the text and the recipes, and did the layout.
4. Funding and print. I secured the funding and sent it to print: 10,000 copies.
5. Distribution. I worked with the ADVAS team to get the book into high schools, churches, employers and more across the catchment area.

The outcome

Thousands of copies reached the community, and thousands of people became better natural supports for someone they care about.

Feedback from people affected by crime and trauma, educators and employers was very positive. Readers told us the book felt safe to read – an important measure for anything written for people in pain.

Alberta has since closed ADVAS and other local victim services units. People still reach out to me by email, social media and text to say they use the book.

Try this

Think about the people who stand next to the people you serve – the family, friends and co-workers. What is one thing you know that would help them help? Write it down, and find a way to put it in their hands.

Be well.