This is a self-help or wellness guide that “moves you through life’s holes without getting stuck in them”.  Containing analogies to Swiss cheese, the guide explains the Swiss Cheese Metaphorical Tool Kit which includes 10 symbolic items to use as tools to help you with certain “holes” in your life.  There is advice from the Swiss Wiz (the wise one) and the Swiss Cheese Fairy (“she is the beauty inside of you”) and there are examples of what not to do by the infamous Stinky Cheese which resembles a person who is pessimistic about life (“a loser, a cracked egg”).  The client examples and the “Ask the Therapist” sections are informative and cartoons, quotes from famous people, and images abound in this book to keep the guide fun, but by no means, unimportant. It focuses on your wellness and how you interpret things in life and how to become more positive about challenging situations such as overeating, bad decisions, and relationships.

I have read similar self-help guides, but I like that this one focuses on one’s wellness in body and mind and I like the twist on Swiss to keep it more interesting.  I particularly like their extra slice advice of “each day is a chance to start anew”.

Thank you to Judith Belmont and Lora Shor for giving me the opportunity to review this book.