Cynaumon Books: Most of our readers know your history as a former family therapist, but how did that lead to your desire to write?

Dr. Greg Cynaumon: I think many therapists feel as though they spend their entire professional lives restricted to the confines of their office. While we love helping our patients I always felt as though I needed to communicate with more people than I could see in any given week. I think it's also a bit of a test in that getting outside of your "safe zone" is about the only way I know of truly evaluating your skills and ability to help others whom you will never see in a therapy session. There are many ways to touch, encourage and help people and only one of them involves seeing someone in a therapy session. That is why I was drawn to Christian radio spending time as a talk show host as well as writing books. They are all ways we can touch and impact others without ever meeting them face-to-face.

 

Cynaumon Books: How did you decide what to write your first book about?

Dr. Greg Cynaumon: First and foremost, you have to write about what you know and who you are. I know that it isn't politically correct to openly profess one's faith and to state publicly that I am a committed Christian. Take me or leave me, that's who I am. Therefore, I knew that if I had anything of any value to communicate in my books, it would have to pass through the prism of Christianity. Secondly I am a devoted husband and father of two. And lastly, I am a therapist with (hopefully) something to contribute. Therefore, the logical writing path was to write parenting and relationship books, from the perspective of a Christian husband and father. In many ways that's very risky because should the buying public find my books devoid of fresh, edifying and appealing content -- then not only am I a marginal writer... perhaps I was also a marginal Christian, husband, father and therapist.

 

Cynaumon Books: Do you have a favorite book?

Dr. Greg Cynaumon: Yes, the bible. Come on, you would have been disappointed in me had I answered differently, right? But if you're asking me if I have a favorite book among the 10 or so I've written, then yes and the answer may fool you.

 

Cynaumon Books: Right, I guess I should have specified. Do you have a favorite Cynaumon Book?

Dr. Greg Cynaumon: I suppose there are two answers here. I had absolutely the most fun writing the Bible Trivia Quiz Book for Barnes and Nobel. It was so much fun because it took absolutely no psychological skill whatsoever to write. Being a huge fan of trivia -- and the Bible, it was just a blast to come up with fun and different trivia questions. If you were to ask about my favorite therapy or self-help book, I'd say it is DQ Factor. It was fun to write because it broke the mold in traditional parenting books when it comes to disciplining kids. It was also fun getting Dr. Laura Schlessinger to read and endorse the book. I admire her a lot.

 

Cynaumon Books: Is there a central location where most of your books are available?