Dr. Michael Beechem, PhD, has a few more words to his name than most, but when he started life, he didn't even have a first name. His parents forgot to officially name him on his birth certificate, so the hospital wrote "Baby Boy" as his name.
But Beechem didn't discover this until quite a bit later-after he joined the US Army. The sergeant major broke the news by addressing the new recruit as "Baby Boy Beechem." Needless to say, at the first opportunity, Baby Boy legally changed his name. He regrets only that he did not change his name to "General" and make the sergeant major address him as such.
Beechem has experienced many such humorous incidents-and has brought his sense of humor to other awkward and vexing encounters. Stuff You Can't Make Up highlights Beechem's practice of cultivating humor in the midst of life's difficulties. He has shared this skill with his patients, many of whom struggle with alcoholism and depression.
Laugh along with Beechem as you peruse this book, and don't be afraid to put the old maxim "laughter is the best medicine" to the test.
About the Author: Dr. Michael Beechem, PhD, earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work at Michigan State University. After serving chronically ill patients through grief counseling sessions, he became the director of mental health services in a five-county region. He then earned his doctoral degree, in which he specialized in social work, psychology, and administration.
Beechem has spent twenty-five years teaching at Oklahoma's Northeastern State University and the University of West Florida. His career has given him the opportunity to conduct workshops, give public speeches, interview community leaders, and promote his studies of substance abuse.
Beechem has also written Elderly Alcoholism Intervention Strategies, Chained Open: A Journey of Discovery and Alcoholism Recovery, and several articles published in professional journals.
