DownloadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2024

The Three Companions

Compassion, Courage and Wisdom: The powerful keys to happier work and a fulfilled life

Dr Joan van den Brink author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Right Book Press

Published:16th Dec '21

Should be back in stock very soon

The Three Companions cover

Is there someone in your life who always seems to know the right thing to say, do and feel?

Do you wish you could be more like that too? 

The truth is that you can, and this motivating and inspiring guide will show you how.

Courage, compassion and wisdom are three companions that accompany us through our entire lives. Learning to unlock and harness their power, uniting them to act together in synergy, is the key to a happier life – not just for you, but for those around you too. 

Combining illuminating real-life stories from real-world people with expert, practical guidance consultant and executive coach, Dr Joan van den Brink takes you on a fascinating journey of reflection and realisation. Discover how courage, compassion and wisdom has a profound impact on everyday situations and recognise how your own three companions can help you:

  • Behave in line with your ideals as you increase your self-insight
  • Feel resilient and robust in difficult and challenging times
  • Be more tolerant, patient and understanding of others’ needs and behaviours
  • Build your self-esteem, confidence and feelings of positivity
  • Grow in humility and generosity towards others
  • Develop stronger, more rewarding relationships at home and at work.

As you learn to define, develop and display the virtues of the three companions, you’ll feel empowered to live your whole life, and enable others to live theirs, with courage, compassion and wisdom.

Courage, Compassion and Wisdom exist in all of us, Joan has a wonderful way of helping the reader see and value the strength and interconnection of each of them. These are beautiful stories told by everyday people sharing Courage, Compassion and Wisdom with others – for the benefit of others, it takes a writer like Joan to help remind us all of the value of each of them. - Juliette White CBE, Senior Executive


The Three Companions offers a perspective of ourselves and how Courage, Compassion and Wisdom can imbue our lives to allow us to thrive and be our best selves. The key here is to realise that each is already within us; recognising this reality changes everything. Powerful and profound. – James R. Doty, M.D., Founder and Director of the CCARE at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Senior Editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science


I enjoyed exploring the hypothesis that the three qualities of Courage, Compassion and Wisdom work hand in hand and that they are essential to make the world a better place. I valued gaining a deeper insight into the definitions and found the section exploring scenarios based on individual experiences really informative; a number of the examples were really inspirational and helped me reflect on my own personal journey. I found the last section helpful in analysis of the characteristics impacting the Three Companions and the practical guidance in the last section helpful in supporting one’s personal journey of exploration. – Dapo Ajay, Senior Executive


I’m delighted by the way Joan has crafted an enlightening and practical guide that demystifies Courage, Compassion, and Wisdom. The engaging stories she has collected highlight the many facets of three human characteristics we all possess. I found her book to be both profound and enjoyable reading. I highly recommend The Three Companions for anyone looking to clarify their self-understanding and relationships with others. – Dan Newby, Founder of the School of Emotions and author of The Unopened Gift: A Primer in Emotional Literacy and The Field Guide to Emotions

ISBN: 9781912300600

Dimensions: 234mm x 156mm x 15mm

Weight: 446g

240 pages