Koncocoo

Best Sexual Abuse

The Gift of Fear
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
"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."
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A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive
It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. This book is a brief, horrifying account of the bizarre tortures she inflicted on him, told from the point of view of the author as a young boy being starved, stabbed, smashed face-first into mirrors, forced to eat the contents of his sibling's diapers and a spoonful of ammonia, and burned over a gas stove by a maniacal, alcoholic mom. Though it's a grim story, A Child Called "It" is very much in the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul and the many books in that upbeat series, whose author Pelzer thanks for helping get his book going. Grade 9 Up?This autobiographical account charts the abuse of a young boy as his alcoholic mother first isolates him from the rest of the family; then torments him; and finally nearly kills him through starvation, poisoning, and one dramatic stabbing.
Reviews
"This book has started an inner healing process.As I started reading, I started crying, crying so loudly that I started wailing."
"What makes child abuse different is how deeply it’s impact goes and how many people it impacts."
"What a book."
"It was rough reading of all the unwarranted and unpredictable torture this child suffered at the hands of his despicable mother and the coward of a father she had this child with."
"She said I would read it cover to cover in one sitting."
"The author (Dave Pelzer) gives just enough detail of his nightmarish childhood for the reader to feel his pain but without being "grossly graphic"."
"A girl I worked with told me about this book one day, and I decided I wanted to check it out."
"This book is a healing power to me, since I never have the mind to open up to Any body what i suffered during my stay with My aunty."
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Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
In this groundbreaking bestseller, Lundy Bancroft—a counselor who specializes in working with abusive men—uses his knowledge about how abusers think to help women recognize when they are being controlled or devalued in a relationship, and to find ways to get free of abuse. you will learn about: • The early warning signs of abuse. • The nature of abusive thinking. • Myths about abusers. • Ten abusive personality types. • The role of drugs and alcohol. • What you can fix, and what you can’t. • And how to get out of an abusive relationship safely. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. Bancroft, a former codirector of Emerge, the first U.S. program for abusive men, and a 15-year veteran of work with abusive men, reminds readers that each year in this country, two to four million women are assaulted by their partners and that at least one out of three American women will be a victim of violence by a husband or boyfriend at some point in her life. After dispelling 17 myths about abusive personalities, he sheds light on the origin of the abuser's values and beliefs, which he finds to be a better explanation of abusive behavior than reference to psychological problems.
Reviews
"In short, I wasted 35 years of my life with this man, who distorted reality and everything I knew to be true and tried his best to make me feel small and unworthy. He moved out of the house last week (I bought him out) and I have to say ... it is sad, but I've never felt more at peace with the decision and I am ALREADY much, much happier. NO ONE should have to live with someone who treats you like a child, or curses you out "just because that's the way he's feeling," or will not respect you or your career, or refuses to stop drinking or drugging, or who physically harms or threatens you."
"So, with a title like "angry and controlling men," they are more likely to pick up the book, thinking, "Hey, this might apply to the confusing situation I am facing." He can routinely blame her for everything that goes wrong in his life, or he can constantly critique her and tear her down, or he can call her names that when I tried to put them in this review, got it banned from Amazon. Abuse is not a binary kind of behavior that is only invoked when the fists fly, but a deeply ingrained, unrepentant attitude of ownership, entitlement, contempt and resentment that a man displays, not toward most people in his life, but toward "his" woman (including past women). This confusion is created by the abuser himself, in his highly successful attempts to justify himself to himself, to his victim, and to the people around him. Bancroft did not did start out with this assumption, by the way, but came to it after years of working with abusers in mandatory counseling groups. When he started out, he believed what the abusers told him about how their behavior was caused by their wives' failings, their traumatic childhoods, their unemployment, or the hurts done them by past girlfriends; that they didn't know what they were doing; that they "lost control." The abuser, meanwhile, is functional in his life at large (except when it comes to treating his wife well), and appears to be a sane, trustworthy person. Small wonder, then, that the abused woman, her friends, and society at large cannot figure out what her problem is. If they start from the assumption that the abuser is a decent guy who means well, they will never figure out the situation. For example, in one chapter Bancroft examines in some detail a frustrating conversation between a whiny, controlling man and his wife, which ends with him insisting on walking home in the cold, even though she would be willing to drive him. Of course, his main motive is to maintain the role of victim, to keep himself in the right and his wife in the wrong, so that he can tell himself (and tell everyone else later) how she "left him" to walk home in the cold. There is a fascinating, counterintuitive warning (late in the book), that women in abusive situations should not seek couples' counseling. The reassuring presence of the counselor might get the wife to open up and say things to, or about, her husband that she would never otherwise dream of uttering."
"This book will stop making you feel sorry for your abuser."
"Anger management will not help these people; they need to be in an abuse program. Because most abusers never change, the abuse program needs to consider the victims as their real clients, because they are the ones who will benefit most by feeling supported and validated, and they are a necessary component of the program to keep the abuser accountable. Interesting that the day after I read this in the book, I saw it on Facebook as a meme."
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Best School Safety

Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men
you will learn about: • The early warning signs of abuse. • The nature of abusive thinking. • Myths about abusers. • Ten abusive personality types. • The role of drugs and alcohol. • What you can fix, and what you can’t. • And how to get out of an abusive relationship safely. Bancroft, a former codirector of Emerge, the first U.S. program for abusive men, and a 15-year veteran of work with abusive men, reminds readers that each year in this country, two to four million women are assaulted by their partners and that at least one out of three American women will be a victim of violence by a husband or boyfriend at some point in her life.
Reviews
"In short, I wasted 35 years of my life with this man, who distorted reality and everything I knew to be true and tried his best to make me feel small and unworthy. He moved out of the house last week (I bought him out) and I have to say ... it is sad, but I've never felt more at peace with the decision and I am ALREADY much, much happier. NO ONE should have to live with someone who treats you like a child, or curses you out "just because that's the way he's feeling," or will not respect you or your career, or refuses to stop drinking or drugging, or who physically harms or threatens you."
"This book will stop making you feel sorry for your abuser."
"So, with a title like "angry and controlling men," they are more likely to pick up the book, thinking, "Hey, this might apply to the confusing situation I am facing." He can routinely blame her for everything that goes wrong in his life, or he can constantly critique her and tear her down, or he can call her names that when I tried to put them in this review, got it banned from Amazon. Abuse is not a binary kind of behavior that is only invoked when the fists fly, but a deeply ingrained, unrepentant attitude of ownership, entitlement, contempt and resentment that a man displays, not toward most people in his life, but toward "his" woman (including past women). This confusion is created by the abuser himself, in his highly successful attempts to justify himself to himself, to his victim, and to the people around him. Bancroft did not did start out with this assumption, by the way, but came to it after years of working with abusers in mandatory counseling groups. When he started out, he believed what the abusers told him about how their behavior was caused by their wives' failings, their traumatic childhoods, their unemployment, or the hurts done them by past girlfriends; that they didn't know what they were doing; that they "lost control." The abuser, meanwhile, is functional in his life at large (except when it comes to treating his wife well), and appears to be a sane, trustworthy person. Small wonder, then, that the abused woman, her friends, and society at large cannot figure out what her problem is. If they start from the assumption that the abuser is a decent guy who means well, they will never figure out the situation. For example, in one chapter Bancroft examines in some detail a frustrating conversation between a whiny, controlling man and his wife, which ends with him insisting on walking home in the cold, even though she would be willing to drive him. Of course, his main motive is to maintain the role of victim, to keep himself in the right and his wife in the wrong, so that he can tell himself (and tell everyone else later) how she "left him" to walk home in the cold. There is a fascinating, counterintuitive warning (late in the book), that women in abusive situations should not seek couples' counseling. The reassuring presence of the counselor might get the wife to open up and say things to, or about, her husband that she would never otherwise dream of uttering."
"Anger management will not help these people; they need to be in an abuse program. Because most abusers never change, the abuse program needs to consider the victims as their real clients, because they are the ones who will benefit most by feeling supported and validated, and they are a necessary component of the program to keep the abuser accountable. Interesting that the day after I read this in the book, I saw it on Facebook as a meme."
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Best Motherhood

On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep
For over 20 years, On Becoming Babywise has been the de facto newborn parenting manual for naturally synchronizing your baby’s feeding time, waketime and nighttime sleep cycles, so the whole family can sleep through the night. Practical discussions then focus on broad and niche topics including feeding philosophies, baby sleep problems, baby scheduling challenges, nap routines, sleep training multiples, baby sleeping props, Colic and Reflux and many other dimensions which impact breast feeding schedules, bottle feeding tips and baby sleep training. 1) Taking care of baby and mom. 2) A timeline of what to expect and when. 3) Baby Sleep Training Problems and Solutions. 4) Monitoring Your Baby’s Growth. 5) Healthy Baby Growth Charts. My residents report a positive difference in the confidence of new mothers who work with this plan compared to those who do not. They consistently produce babies who are healthy, content, and who sleep through the night at an early age. "Since being introduced to the principles of Babywise, I have been convinced of its effectiveness in establishing sleep patterns and in decreasing the frequency of problems associated with infant feeding." This is the current and completely revised & updated version of On Becoming Babywise (the 5th edition, February 2012). It has a new chapter, several important revisions, the latest in medical updates, and is 19% longer than the former version. In becoming one of America's leading infant management guides, On Becoming Babywise has continued to improve its methods and practices throughout its 30 years and this latest version is the result of all the best over the last three decades. The Babywise method continues to gain global recognition for its common-sense approach to parenting a newborn. and co-author Gary Ezzo which helps parents successfully and naturally synchronize their baby's feeding time, waketime and nighttime cycles. Rather, our larger objective is to help prepare minds for the incredible task of raising a child. Your baby will not care if his head rests on designer sheets or beside Disney characters, nor is your success tied to his wardrobe or bedroom accessories, but rather to the beliefs and convictions that will eventually shape your parenting experience. It is our opinion that the achievements of healthy growth, contented babies, good naps, and playful wake times, as well as the gift of nighttime sleep, are too valuable to be left to chance. We realize there are a number of parenting theories being marketed today, most of which come gift-wrapped with unrealistic promises and unnecessary burdens. Spend time with relatives and friends who follow the Attachment Parenting style of infant care. The Appendices section in On Becoming Babywise contains charts, worksheets, and additional information relating to infant care. And while 70% of our mothers are still breast-feeding after six months, the national average encourage to follow demand feeding without any guidelines is only 20%. The authors demonstrate how order and stability are mutual allies of every newborn's metabolism and how parents can take advantage of these biological propensities. In particular, we note how an infant's body responds to the influences of parental routine or the lack thereof. Examine carefully the alternative theories and approaches, and specifically observe the end results. The best evaluation of any parenting philosophy, including Babywise, is not found in the reasoning or the logic of the hypothesis. " As family physicians and a husband-wife team, we are often asked questions related to parenting and the general care of children.
Reviews
"On Becoming Babywise taught me to tap into my God-given parental instincts while providing me medically-sound advice to equip me in teaching my infant to sleep through the night."
"Good book and easy read."
"Some of the information is good, but there are better sleep books out there."
"I didn't get it until my daughter was six months old, and you are supposed to start it when your baby is a newborn, but I was still able to implement the recommendations."
"We really like the advice and it's very sound advice, but it's particularly preachy."
"Very helpful in helping daughter get my granddaughter on a sleeping and eating schedule as a newborn."
"I read through this book and there are a lot of things I don't like about it...however...I followed it somewhat loosely and our baby slept through the night the second day of following the feed, wake, sleep schedule...I do believe there is some truth to this book."
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Best Mental Illness

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
“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
"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."
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Best Dreams

The Divinity Code to Understanding Your Dreams and Visions
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
"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."
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Best Behaviour

Man's Search for Meaning
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
"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."
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Best Depression

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
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
"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."
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Best Bipolar Disorder

The Princess Diarist
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
"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."
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Best Eating Disorders

Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia
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
"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."
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Best Mood Disorders

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
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
"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.."
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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
"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."
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Best Emotions & Mental Health

Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
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
"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."
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Best Compulsive Behavior

Man's Search for Meaning
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
"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."
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