A Review of Choosing to See Beauty by Maura Preszler
Maria Bonvissuto,
My early twenties were a dark time in my life. Plagued by anxiety, self-hatred, and even despair, I felt lost and worthless. It took years, the love of others, and God’s patient, healing touch to bring me out of the darkness.
While I am so grateful for this transformation in my life, I wish that back when I was struggling I’d had Maura Preszler’s new book, Choosing to See Beauty (CatholicPsych Press). In her new memoir, Maura—the founder of Made in His Image ministry—tells her personal story of abuse, trauma, and healing. Maura sounds a clarion call to all women who struggle to believe in their worth.
Her message is simple: You are the daughter of a gentle, loving, compassionate Heavenly Father. He sees you and delights in you. No matter what you have gone through or are going through, you are valuable. You are beautiful. You are enough.
Maura started Made in His Image to minister to women of all ages who are suffering from abuse, trauma, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental illnesses. After facing her own pain and doing the hard work to heal, Maura found such peace, freedom, and joy that she desired to share the fruits of her own healing process with others. Made in His Image provides a faith-based platform to discuss issues surrounding mental health and to offer women the resources and hope they need to recover. Through social media, the Made in His Image blog, and the many talks that she gives around the country and internationally, Maura works to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues and bring hope to those struggling with their mental health. Her story has inspired countless women to seek therapy, medication, and whatever else they need to become healed and whole.
Choosing to See Beauty is not a long book. At 144 pages, it could be read in a night or two. But it packs such a strong emotional and spiritual punch, with so many nuggets of wisdom, that it’s best read slowly and meditatively. Maura writes with a raw, honest vulnerability that the reader can’t help but be drawn into. Her story is one of suffering and resilience, forgiveness, and perseverance. Maura recounts her difficult childhood, her battles with depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, and her road to recovery. It is truly a testament to hope.
Even those who have not experienced the extreme trauma that Maura did will find something in this book to relate to and ponder on. Maura acknowledges the pain of many different types of crosses. Whether it’s desiring to get married and not having found the right person yet, or simply not feeling like you’re enough, she speaks to many areas of woundedness that plague the women of our day. She gives the reader permission to feel pain and speaks of the importance of acknowledging our suffering instead of simply trying to stuff it away and soldier on. And she discusses it all with an honest approach, rooted in truth and yet suffused with compassion and charity.
Perhaps the most striking element in Choosing to See Beauty is the way Maura writes about her relationship with God the Father. During college, she traveled to India with FOCUS to serve with the Missionaries of Charity. During the trip, one of Maura’s teammates gave a talk on God the Father that changed Maura’s life. Although Maura had been Catholic her whole life, it was the first time she discovered God as a loving Father Who can be unconditionally trusted. She had never heard Him described as an understanding, compassionate Father Who is crazy about each and every one of us. “As Eric spoke about God,” she writes, “my heart screamed silently, This is it! This is what I have been searching for; this is the answer. This is the Truth.”
Maura was plunged into the depths of the Father’s heart and found her worth in His loving gaze. She learned that she could tell Him everything and give Him everything. Every chapter of the book is suffused with this attitude of surrender, this loving reliance on the Creator, our Father.. Maura’s book is not only a testament to the Father’s goodness, but also an invitation to experience it for ourselves in the concrete details of our lives.
Another central idea in the book is the notion that seeking help in our struggles is good. We were not meant to fight our battles or walk our road of healing alone. Maura pushes back on the belief that anxiety—or any other form of mental illness—can always be “fixed” by praying more. While she invites readers into a deeper relationship with God and encourages them to take advantage of all the spiritual resources at their disposal, she also advocates for seeking out appropriate medical and psychological help. Whether it’s therapy or medication, Maura wants everyone to know that there is no shame in going to professionals. Turning to these resources does not make one a bad Catholic. They are often, as she points out, a part of God’s plan for healing us.
Choosing to See Beauty offers plenty of practical advice. At the end of the book in particular, readers will find short chapters with guidance on topics such as recovering from abuse, how to deal with a partner’s sexual addiction, addressing difficulties with body image, dealing with the lack of a good father figure, and navigating relationships and dating in general.
“There was something about God the Father that captivated me,” Maura writes. And by the end of the book, it’s impossible not to be captivated by Him yourself.
