Best Mental Health
At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. The book begins with a lengthy, austere, and deeply moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book, called "Logotherapy in a Nutshell," describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read this book, read this book."
"Those that had developed purpose and meaning to the harsh conditions got out of bed every morning to face another unbearable day."
"Profound insight."
"A little twist of ideas as to why some people survive the worst and why others don't survive medium bad."
"A nice read about the importance of finding meaning in your life."
"This is a great book from both the personal story aspect as well as for its philosophical aspects."
"A powerful book."
"This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in logotherapy, Positive thinking, or Holocaust survival stories."
2 Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life
To regain control of your life, you’ve never needed Boundaries more than you do today in today’s always-on, always-connected digital world. Henry Cloud and John Townsend give you biblically based answers to these and other tough questions, and show you how to set healthy boundaries with your spouse, children, friends, coworkers, and even with yourself. In order to call themselves good Christians, many people have drawn overly flexible boundaries (unwilling to say no, always accommodating others' needs) or overly rigid boundaries (to the point of being righteous and judgmental).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Near the end of the book he gives an example where a child refuses to go to school and the mother realizes she "can't make the child go to school" but sets the boundary that the child will have to stay in his room if he doesn't go to school. The problem with that logic is, if you can't "make a child go to school" how can you "make a child stay in his room"? We can't make a child enjoy school or even pay attention to the teachers, these things take incentives and consequences, but parents do still need to hold onto the reigns on certain issues."
"I have found this CD very helpful."
"a lot of repetitive information better for a younger person."
"I love this book!"
"It's so easy to get off track, even when we have the best intentions, and so many self-help books not only contradict one another, but offer advice without any regard for Biblical guidance."
"Loved this read."
"Must read for all married folks."
"I purchased both the Boundaries book and the Boundaries workbook."
“Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times Science bestseller Trauma is a fact of life. Praise for The Body Keeps the Score “In this inspirational work which seamlessly weaves keen clinical observation, neuroscience, historical analysis, the arts, and personal narrative, Dr. van der Kolk has created an authoritative guide to the effects of trauma, and pathways to recovery. A must read for mental health and other health care professionals, trauma survivors, their loved ones, and those who seek clinical, social, or political solutions to the cycle of trauma and violence in our society.” —Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY “This is an absolutely fascinating and clearly written book by one of the nation’s most experienced physicians in the field of emotional trauma. “Breathtaking in its scope and breadth, The Body Keeps the Score is a seminal work by one of the preeminent pioneers in trauma research and treatment. Van der Kolk, the eminent impresario of trauma treatment, who has spent a career bringing together diverse trauma scientists and clinicians and their ideas, while making his own pivotal contributions, describes what is arguably the most important series of breakthroughs in mental health in the last thirty years. Here we see not only how psychological trauma also breaks connections within the brain, but also between mind and body, and learn about the exciting new approaches that allow people with the severest forms of trauma to put all the parts back together again.” —Norman Doidge, author of The Brain That Changes Itself. “ The Body Keeps the Score articulates new and better therapies for toxic stress based on a deep understanding of the effects of trauma on brain development and attachment systems. Bessel van der Kolk may focus on the body and trauma, but what a mind he must have to have written this book.”. Its deeply empathic, insightful, and compassionate perspective promises to further humanize the treatment of trauma victims, dramatically expand their repertoire of self-regulatory healing practices and therapeutic options, and also stimulate greater creative thinking and research on trauma and its effective treatment. The body does keep the score, and Van der Kolk’s ability to demonstrate this through compelling descriptions of the work of others, his own pioneering trajectory and experience as the field evolved and him along with it, and above all, his discovery of ways to work skillfully with people by bringing mindfulness to the body (as well as to their thoughts and emotions) through yoga, movement, and theater are a wonderful and welcome breath of fresh air and possibility in the therapy world.”. “In The Body Keeps the Score we share the author’s courageous journey into the parallel dissociative worlds of trauma victims and the medical and psychological disciplines that are meant to provide relief. “Bessel van der Kolk is unequaled in his ability to synthesize the stunning developments in the field of psychological trauma over the past few decades. —Ruth A. Lanius, MD, PhD, Harris-Woodman chair in Psyche and Soma, professor of psychiatry, and director PTSD research at the University of Western Ontario; author of The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease. Interspersed with that narrative are clear and understandable descriptions of the neurobiology of trauma; explanations of the ineffectiveness of traditional approaches to treating trauma; and introductions to the approaches that take patients beneath their cognitive minds to heal the parts of them that remained frozen in the past. “When it comes to understanding the impact of trauma and being able to continue to grow despite overwhelming life experiences, Bessel van der Kolk leads the way in his comprehensive knowledge, clinical courage, and creative strategies to help us heal. Dr. Van der Kolk offer a brilliant synthesis of clinical cases, neuroscience, powerful tools and caring humanity, offering a whole new level of healing for the traumas carried by so many.”. Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., is the founder and medical director of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Frankly, nothing really worked until I discovered - and applied - the somatic (body) techniques espoused by van der Kolk, and other luminaries such as Peter Levine, Pat Ogden, and Eugene Gendlin. The only way to ‘communicate’ with this pre-verbal system is through the body, which can signal to the brain stem that it is OK to begin the process of unfreezing the emotional paralysis that has plagued us for decades. UPDATE 2018: One of the treatments that Bessel van der Kolk mentions in his book - MDMA (Ecstasy) - was recently granted ‘Breakthrough Therapy’ status by the FDA for phase 3 trials. This is because the phase 1 and 2 trials were so successful, that nearly 70% of participants no longer had PTSD after just 3 MDMA sessions (most of these participants had suffered PTSD for decades)."
"I believed I could gut it out, that the past was the past and that only weak people needed to talk through their problems. I believed only losers behaved badly as adults due to anything in their childhood or past and that claiming you were affected by any past problem was a crutch to allow you to embrace failure. It's very hard to be kind to people, to focus on your work, to love others when all your power is spent trying to pretend you don't feel like s***. When you see everything you have go away and can only occasionally find the strength to take care of yourself and your business and need others in your life to carry you from time to time (much to your embarrassment) and yet you think you're smart and capable and have no understanding of why you are where you are, life becomes a slog. While I can't attribute every part of my success to this book alone as it takes many things to get where you want to go (mostly you), I can absolutely attest to the power of this book. If you've suffered any sort of major and/or persistent trauma in your life, please buy (and read) this book."
Best Behaviour
At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. The book begins with a lengthy, austere, and deeply moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book, called "Logotherapy in a Nutshell," describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read this book, read this book."
"Those that had developed purpose and meaning to the harsh conditions got out of bed every morning to face another unbearable day."
"A prominent psychiatrist in pre-World War II Vienna, Doctor Frankl found himself suddenly stripped of all money, possessions, position, respect, and ultimately, his family--including his pregnant and beloved wife."
"He also presents practical examples of the ways to find meaning in our life."
"I buy extra copies to give away to certain people who would seem to benefit from its message."
"Profound insight."
"The book comes in two parts; first(originally published separately as "From Death-Camp to Existentialism") a deeply personal, experiential account of life in a concentration camp; beginning thus: "This book does not claim to be an account of facts and events, but of personal experiences, experiences prisoners have suffered time and time again....... it will try to answer this question: How was everyday life in a concentration camp reflected in the mind of the average prisoner" (3). Therefore the account is often first person, footnotes are few and far between, and the prisoners presented as they feel, not as some impersonal scientific descriptions out there, and not as the alien figures portrayed in film. The book is amazing, it's view of the meaning of life both profoundly post-modern and and universally applicable, no matter what ones religion, and its account of experiences in the death camp deeply moving."
"About suffering and learning to go on and live a happy, productive life after devastating losses, situations, and personal catastrophes."
Best Bipolar Disorder
The Princess Diarist is Carrie Fisher’s New York Times bestselling intimate, hilarious and revealing recollection of what happened behind the scenes on one of the most famous film sets of all time, the first Star. Wars movie. “In her funny and frequently touching new memoir The Princess Diarist , the iconic Star Wars actress and author reveals the diaries she kept as a 19-year-old starring in the blockbuster sci-fi film.... It’s an eye-opener for fans, but it also shows a gifted writer even at a young age. “There’s tremendous insight into the volatile heart of a young woman, seen through the eyes of her wiser, older self still seeking her place in the universe.”—Anthony Breznican, Entertainment Weekly “Are you a woman who’s ever fallen for a man who might fit this description? She appeared in countless other films, including Shampoo and When Harry Met Sally and wrote four bestselling novels: Surrender the Pink , Delusions of Grandma , The Best Awful, and Postcards from the Edge , as well as the memoirs Shockaholic and Wishful Drinking.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The first thing you should know, if you happen to be a Star Wars fan and are expecting a tale of romance between Han Solo and Princess Leia, you will be disappointed. This is a rather unromantic account of a 3 month affair between two co-stars who were attracted to each other: one a stoic, complicated, reserved married father of 2 just starting to realize his dreams of making it big, and the other, a vivacious, emotionally inexperienced 19 year old woman with a big personality wanting to start her life as an adult. ************The Following May Contain Details***************************************************. The first part of the book is written in Carrie's chatty, charming, self-depreciating style as she tells of her early life working as a backup singer in her mother's variety show. She takes us through the auditions for both Star Wars and the movie Carrie right up through how she chose that cinnamon bun hairstyle. The rest is her account as that vulnerable 19 year old with the witty mouth who exudes faked confidence, who decided that she was going to have an affair on the movie set. There are no explicit details, just a couple of conversations.. (No, she never critiques his technique as a lover..) And you don't get his side of the story, of course, because this is based on her own recollections and some diaries she found when renovating her bedroom. The diary section is raw and painful and messy and sad and wounded as one might expect a young woman's recollections to be over a doomed affair. Hard to say because neither of them were talking about their feelings with each other, but if he did I would imagine he did not want to encourage her, as he was married and had a family, and knew where this would lead. I'm sure most of you know that this is how women are - if you pass us in the hall at school and say 'hi', we're already wondering if this is the story we'll tell at our engagement party, of how we first met. As we get older, remembering a time in our lives when everything was in front of us, when we were young and relevent and everything is new, becomes important (she writes this in different words.)."
"One of those rare times where the audiobook is best, simply because Carrie's narration is so superb."
"I read "The Princess Diarist" today, after hearing that she had died this morning."
"Unfortunately I din't read prior to her death, but it was on my to read list. As she explains, this is a book composite of diary notes she made just prior to working on the first Star Wars set and during the making of the films."
"This brave woman shares her relationship. with the leading man in the "Star Wars" movie."
"I had no idea she was such an great writer."
"Always a fan first because Princess Leia and the Star Wars movies."
Best Codependency
Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life
To regain control of your life, you’ve never needed Boundaries more than you do today in today’s always-on, always-connected digital world. Henry Cloud and John Townsend give you biblically based answers to these and other tough questions, and show you how to set healthy boundaries with your spouse, children, friends, coworkers, and even with yourself. In order to call themselves good Christians, many people have drawn overly flexible boundaries (unwilling to say no, always accommodating others' needs) or overly rigid boundaries (to the point of being righteous and judgmental).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Near the end of the book he gives an example where a child refuses to go to school and the mother realizes she "can't make the child go to school" but sets the boundary that the child will have to stay in his room if he doesn't go to school. The problem with that logic is, if you can't "make a child go to school" how can you "make a child stay in his room"? We can't make a child enjoy school or even pay attention to the teachers, these things take incentives and consequences, but parents do still need to hold onto the reigns on certain issues."
"I have found this CD very helpful."
"a lot of repetitive information better for a younger person."
"I love this book!"
"It's so easy to get off track, even when we have the best intentions, and so many self-help books not only contradict one another, but offer advice without any regard for Biblical guidance."
"Loved this read."
"Must read for all married folks."
"I purchased both the Boundaries book and the Boundaries workbook."
Best Compulsive Behavior
At the time of Frankl's death in 1997, Man's Search for Meaning had sold more than 10 million copies in twenty-four languages. The book begins with a lengthy, austere, and deeply moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book, called "Logotherapy in a Nutshell," describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read this book, read this book."
"Those that had developed purpose and meaning to the harsh conditions got out of bed every morning to face another unbearable day."
"I cried and became distressed as I listened to Viktor Frankl's personal journey."
"Profound insight."
"A little twist of ideas as to why some people survive the worst and why others don't survive medium bad."
"I am just now to the place he talks about how thinking of his wife and having mental conversations with her gave him strength to stay alive!"
"A nice read about the importance of finding meaning in your life."
"This is a great book from both the personal story aspect as well as for its philosophical aspects."
Best Depression
outlines the remarkable, scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your spirits and help you develop a positive outlook on life. Now, in this updated edition, Dr Burns adds an all-new Consumer's Guide To Antidepressant Drugs, as well as a new introduction to help answer your questions about the many options available for treating depression. --Henny Westra, PhD, York University Anxiety Research Clinic, praise for the author FEELING GOOD FEELS WONDERFUL. The good news is that anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self-esteem, and other "black holes" of depression can be cured without drugs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Don't know why some reviewers are saying it is not helpful for people with severe depression - maybe some people with severe depression need a different approach, but let me speak for the rest of us. I tried two different therapists, both of whom wanted to talk about other people in my life - my parents, my husband, etc. It's also true that there is the usual filler crap that you get in self-help books "Janet is a 40-year old dental assistant who came to me in 2005 suffering from..." blah, blah, blah. My depression is so much better that I am shocked. I can't express what that means to me, but if you have depression, I don't have to."
"Once you start reading this book, you will start to feel better."
"Working my ay through it."
"Recommended to me by a therapist...the book has good material, but is a bit difficult to get into."
"I first read this book probably 20 years ago, and it's just as timely now as it was then."
Best Dreams
The Divinity Code to Understanding your Dreams and Visions is a Bible-based guide to dream interpretation that reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Divinity Code to Understanding your Dreams and Visions contains: The most extensive Christian dream dictionary on the market (with Scripture support). “If you desire to dream or increase in your ability to interpret and apply them, I highly recommend The Divinity Code to Understanding Your Dreams and Visions . Adrian Beale is an admired prophetic teacher with a consistent ability to open God’s Word and bring supernatural revelation with impartation.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love the dictionary in the back that helps me discern the meaning of my dreams."
"This is a very good Bible based way to understand the meaning of some of those dreams you KNOW are not just dreams but that have deeper meaning."
"It is very thorough and I enjoy the sample dreams and index."
"My go to book when I need assistance with prophetic dream interpretation."
"If you had a dream about a book."
"With the leading of The Sweet Holy Spirit I will be able to have a better understanding of my dreams."
Best Eating Disorders
A vivid, honest, and emotionally wrenching memoir, Wasted is the story of one woman's travels to reality's darker side -- and her decision to find her way back on her own terms. "I, as many young women do, honest-to-God believed that once I Just Lost a Few Pounds, suddenly I would be a New You, I would have Ken-doll men chasing my thin legs down with bouquets of flowers on the street, I would become rich and famous and glamorous and lose my freckles and become blond and five foot ten." Her bizarre tale includes not only the usual puking and starving, but also being confined to mental hospitals and growing fur (a phenomenon called lanugo, which nature imposes to keep a body from freezing to death during periods of famine). This, combined with her talent for writing, gives readers a real sense of the horror of anorexia and bulimia and their power to dominate an individual's life.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you currently watching a loved one go through an eating disorder, this is a great book to get a brutal understanding of what they're going through."
"Having said that, I am sure I am not alone in the reality that we who have had this disorder read many accounts of others with the disorder. Anyone who seeks to see inside the mind of the disorder -or who has been through it and wants to know they weren't the only ones who did some crazy stuff, should read."
"An amazing, well-written book about Marya Hornbacher's life with eating disorders."
"As someone suffering from an eating disorder, and an avid bookworm, I enjoyed this book's unromantic view of eating disorders."
"Good reading but watch out if you're in recovery, quite triggering."
"great book."
"This was not a typical novel about anorexia and bulimia, although I can imagine that this was a very hard book to write in the first person."
"It is a very telling and real account of one woman's struggle with this disease and I would recommend it to those who are struggling now and the friends and family of those who struggle with this disease we call bulimia/anorexia."
Best Emotions & Mental Health
Her pioneering work uncovered a profound truth: Vulnerability—the willingness to show up and be seen with no guarantee of outcome—is the only path to more love, belonging, creativity, and joy. As a grounded theory researcher, Brown has listened as a range of people—from leaders in Fortune 500 companies and the military to artists, couples in long-term relationships, teachers, and parents—shared their stories of being brave, falling, and getting back up. Our stories of struggle can be big ones, like the loss of a job or the end of a relationship, or smaller ones, like a conflict with a friend or colleague. “[Brené Brown’s] research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other about the ideas and feelings and fears we’ve all had but haven’t quite known how to articulate. “With a fresh perspective that marries research and humor, Brown offers compassion while delivering thought-provoking ideas about relationships—with others and with oneself.” — Publishers Weekly “It is inevitable—we will fall. And Rising Strong isn’t some feel-good-get-over-it regimen; it’s more investigative reporting on the common denominators of people who whole-heartedly get back up and go another round after getting their asses handed to them in big and small ways. I don’t know about you, but I’m not trying to be famous or come up with a cure that will change the world, I just want to live happily and keep getting back in the arena whether I’ve been rocked on my heels, knocked to my knees, or gone face down in the dirt. Brené empowers us each to be a little more courageous.” —The Huffington Post “With a fresh perspective that marries research and humor, Brown offers compassion while delivering thought-provoking ideas about relationships—with others and with oneself.” — Publishers Weekly “It is inevitable—we will fall.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In this book, she uses stories and research, but unlike previous books, many of the stories in this one are her own personal ones. Chapter 2: Civilization Stops at the Waterline. The title of this chapter comes from a Hunter S. Thompson quotes. But the waterline is also a call to a powerful story Brené uses to open this chapters, about her husband and a morning swim and a vulnerable conversation for both of them. The rising strong process is (1) the reckoning, as we walk into our story, (2) the rumble, as we own our story, and (3) the revolution as we transform how we live as a result of our story. The next several chapters build on that process... Chapter 3: Owning Our Stories. This is where Brene challenges us as readers to accept or turn down the invitation to own our stories, rather than minimizing, compartmentalizing, hiding, or editing them. Then to do so, the three steps begin... Chapter 4: The Reckoning. As we reckon our stories, Brené pushes readers to feel and recognize our emotions and then get curious enough about them to dig a little deeper. Chapter 5: The Rumble. In this chapter, we reexamine our stories, diving deeper to mine for truths, including errors in our own first retelling of the failure tale. Chapter 6: Sewer Rats and Scofflaws. This chapter takes the rumble a bit further with discussions of boundaries, integrity, and generosity. Chapter 7: The Brave and the Brokenhearted. This chapter as a whole is too meaty to succinctly summarize in this review beyond the subtitle: "rumbling with expectations, disappointment, resentment, heartbreak, connection, grief, forgiveness, compassion, and empathy." Chapter 8: Easy Mark. This chapter continues to expand on the concept of the rumble - which makes sense, because Brené states in chapter 2 that the second day/stage/point is the most important in the process. Chapter 9: Composting Failure. In this chapter, Brené dives deeper once more into the rumble, this time with the subtitle: "rumbling with fear, shame, perfectionism, accountability, trust, failure, and regret." Chapter 10: You Got To Dance With Them That Brung You. Yep, another dive deep chapter on rumbling, this time "rumbling with shame, identity, and nostalgia.""
"I got tired of her "cussing" and while I appreciate that she's proud of being from Texas, a list of why she's a Texan didn't apply to this book. Brown's other personal examples of people around her "making up" things, her hatred of some poor woman she had to room with at a conference, and her drawn out story about a vulnerable moment with her husband seemed like a stretch she used to try and illustrate a point."
"Every time I read a book from Brené Brown my mind shouts "Yes!"
"This book has both deep insights and incredibly practical modes of implementation."
"Instead of using sentences that are difficult to depict or relate to she uses personal stories and plain language that everyone can understand."
"I loved her other books."
"If you have or have ever known anyone who has fallen down in their life and are struggling to get back on their feet this is a great book/audio book to read/listen to."
"This work is so incredible, it helps me so much to have words and references for emotions."
Best Mental Illness
“Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times Science bestseller Trauma is a fact of life. Praise for The Body Keeps the Score “In this inspirational work which seamlessly weaves keen clinical observation, neuroscience, historical analysis, the arts, and personal narrative, Dr. van der Kolk has created an authoritative guide to the effects of trauma, and pathways to recovery. A must read for mental health and other health care professionals, trauma survivors, their loved ones, and those who seek clinical, social, or political solutions to the cycle of trauma and violence in our society.” —Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neuroscience, director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY “This is an absolutely fascinating and clearly written book by one of the nation’s most experienced physicians in the field of emotional trauma. “Breathtaking in its scope and breadth, The Body Keeps the Score is a seminal work by one of the preeminent pioneers in trauma research and treatment. Van der Kolk, the eminent impresario of trauma treatment, who has spent a career bringing together diverse trauma scientists and clinicians and their ideas, while making his own pivotal contributions, describes what is arguably the most important series of breakthroughs in mental health in the last thirty years. Here we see not only how psychological trauma also breaks connections within the brain, but also between mind and body, and learn about the exciting new approaches that allow people with the severest forms of trauma to put all the parts back together again.” —Norman Doidge, author of The Brain That Changes Itself. “ The Body Keeps the Score articulates new and better therapies for toxic stress based on a deep understanding of the effects of trauma on brain development and attachment systems. Bessel van der Kolk may focus on the body and trauma, but what a mind he must have to have written this book.”. Its deeply empathic, insightful, and compassionate perspective promises to further humanize the treatment of trauma victims, dramatically expand their repertoire of self-regulatory healing practices and therapeutic options, and also stimulate greater creative thinking and research on trauma and its effective treatment. The body does keep the score, and Van der Kolk’s ability to demonstrate this through compelling descriptions of the work of others, his own pioneering trajectory and experience as the field evolved and him along with it, and above all, his discovery of ways to work skillfully with people by bringing mindfulness to the body (as well as to their thoughts and emotions) through yoga, movement, and theater are a wonderful and welcome breath of fresh air and possibility in the therapy world.”. “In The Body Keeps the Score we share the author’s courageous journey into the parallel dissociative worlds of trauma victims and the medical and psychological disciplines that are meant to provide relief. “Bessel van der Kolk is unequaled in his ability to synthesize the stunning developments in the field of psychological trauma over the past few decades. —Ruth A. Lanius, MD, PhD, Harris-Woodman chair in Psyche and Soma, professor of psychiatry, and director PTSD research at the University of Western Ontario; author of The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease. Interspersed with that narrative are clear and understandable descriptions of the neurobiology of trauma; explanations of the ineffectiveness of traditional approaches to treating trauma; and introductions to the approaches that take patients beneath their cognitive minds to heal the parts of them that remained frozen in the past. “When it comes to understanding the impact of trauma and being able to continue to grow despite overwhelming life experiences, Bessel van der Kolk leads the way in his comprehensive knowledge, clinical courage, and creative strategies to help us heal. Dr. Van der Kolk offer a brilliant synthesis of clinical cases, neuroscience, powerful tools and caring humanity, offering a whole new level of healing for the traumas carried by so many.”. Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., is the founder and medical director of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Frankly, nothing really worked until I discovered - and applied - the somatic (body) techniques espoused by van der Kolk, and other luminaries such as Peter Levine, Pat Ogden, and Eugene Gendlin. The only way to ‘communicate’ with this pre-verbal system is through the body, which can signal to the brain stem that it is OK to begin the process of unfreezing the emotional paralysis that has plagued us for decades. UPDATE 2018: One of the treatments that Bessel van der Kolk mentions in his book - MDMA - was recently granted ‘Breakthrough Therapy’ status by the FDA for phase 3 trials. This is because the phase 1 and 2 trials were so successful, that nearly 70% of participants no longer had PTSD after just 3 MDMA sessions (most of these participants had suffered PTSD for decades)."
"Psychiatrist, professor, world-class researcher, and traumatologist Bessel van der Kolk MD requires no introduction to trauma psychotherapists. Familiar with major reviews of PTSD psychotherapy outcomes research, I know that research support for body-oriented approaches to treating psychological trauma psychopathology is thin at best, and such treatment models simply do not have the research validation of either EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and PE (Prolonged Exposure), neither of which are especially body-focused. J. Interlandi's excellent article anticipating publication of this book - "A Revolutionary Approach to Treating PTSD" (New York Times Magazine, 2014.05.22 - available online) - initially supported my fears that for some inexplicable reason van der Kolk was now promoting some treatment model for which we have little confirming research. Yet the account of van der Kolk's therapy work in Interlandi's article is gripping. (I've been here before, reading van der Kolk's own accounts of his work.). Van der Kolk's critique of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy - a general class of therapies) and PE (E. Foa's exposure therapy model) is withering and correct: neither really work. Because as a trauma treatment professional I'm well aware of what the trauma treatment outcomes research actually says. Van der Kolk's new book has many virtues. Parts One and Two (102 pp) provide a substantial review of the neuropsychology of trauma's impact on a person. I've long thought that much writing on treating psychological trauma seems to miss the point: trauma memory is what causes the problem. As he does throughout the book, van der Kolk offers fine stories about clients who have experienced exactly what I've seen happen in my clients, making excellent use of what cognitive research tells us: people understand things best through narratives. Psychological trauma therapy is complex, but we are now well prepared to launch into the book's core content - Part Five (154 pp), "Paths to Recovery". Van der Kolk tells an amusing and self-deprecating story about his advanced training experience, in which Puk was able to provide a strong corrective to his approach to clients. Van der Kolk's thoughts on self-empowerment for those in recovery from psychological trauma will be invaluable to any trauma psychotherapy client. Van der Kolk shows us how. Organization -. * 6 pp: prefatory praise by peers and related luminaries (interesting comments from some important people in the field); * 2 pp: Table of Contents; * 356 pp: actual text; * 4 pp: Appendix: Consensus proposed criteria for developmental trauma disorder. * 3 pp: Resources. * 4 pp: Further reading. * 51 pp: Notes. * 21 pp: Index."
Best Mood Disorders
outlines the remarkable, scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your spirits and help you develop a positive outlook on life. Now, in this updated edition, Dr Burns adds an all-new Consumer's Guide To Antidepressant Drugs, as well as a new introduction to help answer your questions about the many options available for treating depression. --Henny Westra, PhD, York University Anxiety Research Clinic, praise for the author FEELING GOOD FEELS WONDERFUL. The good news is that anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self-esteem, and other "black holes" of depression can be cured without drugs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Don't know why some reviewers are saying it is not helpful for people with severe depression - maybe some people with severe depression need a different approach, but let me speak for the rest of us. I tried two different therapists, both of whom wanted to talk about other people in my life - my parents, my husband, etc. It's also true that there is the usual filler crap that you get in self-help books "Janet is a 40-year old dental assistant who came to me in 2005 suffering from..." blah, blah, blah. My depression is so much better that I am shocked. I can't express what that means to me, but if you have depression, I don't have to."
"Once you start reading this book, you will start to feel better."
"In knowing that our thoughts create how we feel, we can drastically improve the quality of our lives. By thinking more realistically and talking back to our negative thoughts, we can live much happier lives."
"In addition, i recommend getting a genetic test done which costs about $300 to find out which antidepressants will work best for you personally."
"I would recommend this book to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed, stressed out or finding that they have a general unhappiness in life."
"The absolute best book for people suffering from depression -- this book is a way out of the torment, despair, emotional pain, and years of illness that negative thoughts have been used to control your life and your self image.."
Best Sexual Abuse
But now, in this extraordinary groundbreaking book, the nation's leading expert on predicting violent behavior unlocks the puzzle of human violence and shows that, like every creature on earth, we have within us the ability to predict the harm others might do us and get out of its way. The Gift of Fear is a remarkable, unique combination of practical guidance on leading a safer life and profound insight into human behavior. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. People don't just "snap" and become violent, says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies, celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women. Gavin de Becker : Your question contains much of the answer: today’s world, "where terror and tragedy seem omnipresent..." The key word is "seem." When TV news coverage presents so much on these topics, it elevates the perception of terrorism and tragedy way beyond the reality. In every major city, TV news creates forty hours of original production every day, most of it composed and presented to get our attention with fear. It is not; however, the reality is more disturbing than an increase: Spousal homicide has remained a constant in our lives, such that every four hours at least one woman is killed in America by a husband or boyfriend. That uninterrupted and sad statistic can be interrupted and changed--because as explored in The Gift of Fear , spousal homicide is the single most preventable serious crime in America--largely owing to that fact that it always occurs after many warning signs, and after several people are aware of the risk. Question: Your bestselling book The Gift of Fear gives many examples to help readers recognize what you call pre-incident indicators (PINS) of violence. We much prefer logic, the grounded, explainable, unemotional thought process that ends in a supportable conclusion. De Becker, the CEO of a firm that attempts to predict and prevent violence against individuals, shares his informed insights on enhancing personal safety. Having suffered an abusive childhood himself, de Becker has a special empathy for victims and an acute awareness of the signs of criminal intent.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As research has shown, what we call women's intuition is in reality the fact that women, on average, are far better at picking up nonverbal cues than men. fMRI scans reveal women use 14-16 regions of their brains during communication, while men only 4-6 areas (most women probably would dispute giving us that much credit-:). In modern society, in the interest of being "polite", we often suppress our natural intuition, our gut feelings. One of my great fears has to do with my beautiful wife's suppression of her natural intuition around strangers, in the interest of being polite and non-judgemental. Gavin de Becker's loud message to women, Trust your gut, Don't suppress your intuition, Don't worry about hurting some stranger's feelings is a powerful one."
"Titled "Survival Signals" this chapter will teach you the sophisticated manipulations that criminal predators use to try and gain control over you. There is much more detail in this chapter, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to recognize these "interviewing techniques" that criminal predators use."
"The author's security firm has extensive experience protecting clients, and many interesting observations based on tens of thousands of cases his firm has managed."
"De Becker was a profiler who has vast experience and the gift of writing it clearly and concisely for the average reader."
"The author is no stranger to violence as he grew up in a dysfunctional home were violence was the norm."
"I consider this a must read for everyone, but especially for females."
"This is a well-written account filled with insights that could keep you or a loved one alive or out of harm's way,"
"Very good book."