Book Review: Pig Wrestling

by Pete Lindsay and Mark Bawden,

Published 2017.

Mnemonics imbed pig wrestling throughout - like in the oddity of the title - creating unfettered memories. Once settled into the metaphor of the main character learning how to wrestle a pig, (as in, wrestle life problems) it is an engaging, pragmatic, positive, and helpful book.

Pete Lindsay and Mark Bawden use the mnemonics and narrative to teach my favourite therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, which refers to one’s life problems only in order to solve them. In this therapy, the origin of the problem does not need to be discovered in order to fix it, and wherever possible uses our personal strengths to solve them.

Once upon a time, when I studied psychology, my lecturer explained that the nature of our lives when seeking counselling can be helped by any single structured therapy. No matter which one is implemented, benefits can be found as therapies in general give a framework that untangles our disorganised minds.

Having jumped between self-help books of different therapies, I’ve now committed to strength-based therapy kudos to Pig Wrestling.

It has given me a steel framework for solving problems. I wouldn’t say infallibly so, but it withstands most sticky situations. The narrative follows Young Manager who is struggling to oversee his team at work. After a few rejections, he begrudgingly allows a large, groovy-sounding barrister in the workplace lobby cafe to tell him his method for success. This begins the pig metaphor explanation and all its elements from the crystal ball, to the bungee cords, to the recycling bin, of which each element comprises strategies for better managing life’s problems. All of these metaphors will make sense if you read the book! (Imaginations going wild.)

The predictable plot twist of the finale doesn’t take away from this book and perhaps that is just me. From flashing my peepers on the synopsis, my eagerness to relearn Strength-Based Therapy dripped from every fibre of me. I devoured the book within days, despite being busy.

If you’re stuck in the mud with a pig of a problem, remember what Lindsay and Borden advise:

I learned long ago to never to wrestle a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.