Synchronicity and Spirituality

Dr. Gary Blank is a clinical psychologist with 55 years of experience in the San Francisco Bay Area, specializing in treating cancer patients, individuals with intellectual disabilities, and chronic schizophrenia. He has taught seminars, presented at psychological conferences, and authored articles on the emotional aspects of cancer treatment. His clinical journey began with volunteer work at Northampton State Hospital, followed by a PhD at the University of Houston and clinical training at the Texas Medical Center/V.A. Hospital and post-doctoral training at the Children's Health Council at Stanford. His practice incorporates spirituality, influenced by his experiences with figures like Dr. Carl Jung and Dr. Elie Wiesel, leading to his baptism as a Jewish member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1992.

"Celebrating the role of synchronicity in faith, especially in the lives 'of all who seek to better know a loving God, regardless of how, where, or to whom they pray,' Blank digs into his experience and family legacy to illustrate his discovery of freedom and peace in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Blank writes touchingly of his Jewish heritage and shares his family's experience in the Holocaust and his parents' journey to the United States; he links that background to his career caring for people dying of cancer and helping them face death. His early Jewish education, he writes, was valuable, though its impact was not spiritual. His awakening, instead, came from moments of synchronicity, a concept rooted in the work of psychologist Carl Jung. While telling his own story of unexpected connection and transcendence, Blank likewise invites the reader on a spiritual journey: 'to initiate or continue your spiritual workout.' A conversation with Elie Wiesel, author and Holocaust survivor, proved pivotal for Blank's career and spiritual quest, inspiring him to lift up both Jews and others. Blank's faith provides him comfort in the face of death, as well as a way of dealing with guilt and shame. Blank includes extensive appendices of Mormon texts, which may prove helpful for readers seeking more context. Blank clearly is trying to appeal to Jewish readers, yet some of his direct language (such as talking about the Jewish people having "naively disconnected from God's true power") may make it difficult for them to engage with his ideas. Much of his testimony of the truth of Mormonism relies on his personal experience, so readers may take his advice of a 'Spiritual Workout' to discover their own paths. Blank's story of his spiritual quest and explanation of how to search for the Spirit will appeal to seekers curious about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the answers it offers. Takeaway: Jewish-born seeker's journey to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Great for fans of: Terryl Givens and Fiona Givens's The God Who Weeps, Jason Olson and James Goldberg's The Burning Book. Production grades: Cover: B+ Design and typography: A Editing: A- Marketing copy: A-" —Publishers Weekly/Booklife