Books: Healing Emotions Lesson 3

Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation

Dan Siegal, M.D., 2010

This groundbreaking book, from one of the global innovators in the integration of brain science with psychotherapy, offers an extraordinary guide to the practice of “mindsight,” the potent skill that is the basis for both emotional and social intelligence. From anxiety to depression and feelings of shame and inadequacy, from mood swings to addictions, OCD, and traumatic memories, most of us have a mental “trap” that causes recurring conflict in our lives and relationships. Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, shows us how to use mindsight to escape these traps. Through his synthesis of a broad range of scientific research with applications to everyday life, Dr. Siegel has developed novel approaches that have helped hundreds of patients free themselves from obstacles blocking their happiness. By cultivating mindsight, all of us can effect positive, lasting changes in our brains—and our lives. A book as inspiring as it is profound, Mindsight can help us master our emotions, heal our relationships, and reach our fullest potential.

The Archaeology of Mind: Neuro-evolutionary Origins of Human Emotions

―Jaak Panksepp, Ph.D, 2012

A look at the seven emotional systems of the brain by the researcher who discovered them.

What makes us happy? What makes us sad? How do we come to feel a sense of enthusiasm? What fills us with lust, anger, fear, or tenderness? Traditional behavioral and cognitive neuroscience have yet to provide satisfactory answers. The Archaeology of Mind presents an affective neuroscience approach―which takes into consideration basic mental processes, brain functions, and emotional behaviors that all mammals share―to locate the neural mechanisms of emotional expression. It reveals―for the first time―the deep neural sources of our values and basic emotional feelings.

This book elaborates on the seven emotional systems that explain how we live and behave. These systems originate in deep areas of the brain that are remarkably similar across all mammalian species. When they are disrupted, we find the origins of emotional disorders:

– SEEKING: how the brain generates a euphoric and expectant response

– FEAR: how the brain responds to the threat of physical danger and death

– RAGE: sources of irritation and fury in the brain

– LUST: how sexual desire and attachments are elaborated in the brain

– CARE: sources of maternal nurturance

– GRIEF: sources of non-sexual attachments

– PLAY: how the brain generates joyous, rough-and-tumble interactions

– SELF: a hypothesis explaining how affects might be elaborated in the brain

The book offers an evidence-based evolutionary taxonomy of emotions and affects and, as such, a brand-new clinical paradigm for treating psychiatric disorders in clinical practice.

In This Moment: Five Steps to Transcending Stress Using Mindfulness and Neuroscience

–Kirk D. Strosahl PhD , Patricia J. Robinson PhD, 2015

Little daily hassles can add up to big, big stress.

Whether you’re stuck in traffic, hauling your kids out the front door in the morning, dealing with a demanding boss, or worrying about money, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Stress is a normal part of daily life; but over time, chronic stress can take its toll on both your mental and physical health, leading to everything from anxiety and depression to weight gain and disease. So how can you move past the little hassles that get in the way of fully enjoying life?

In This Moment will show you how to find a sense of calm and serenity using a breakthrough, evidence-based program grounded in mindfulness and neuroscience. Imagine feeling stressed, and being able to work through it by paying attention to your thoughts and feelings, moment by moment, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. It’s not as difficult as it sounds!

Written by cofounder of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) Kirk Strosahl and pioneering behavioral health researcher Patricia Robinson, the mindfulness exercises in this book will help you strengthen the parts of your brain that support vitality and a sense of being fully present in the here and now. And with a little practice, you will learn to combat stress in healthy ways, stay balanced, and live a happier life, no matter what challenges arise.

The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety: A Guide to Breaking Free from Anxiety, Phobias, and Worry Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

–  John P. Forsyth, Georg H. Eifert, 2008

Stop avoiding anxiety and start showing up to your life! Now in its second edition, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety—which has sold more than 125,000 copies worldwide—offers new, step-by-step skills based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you get started today. This edition features new chapters on trauma, self-as-context, and painful pasts.

Do you try to control your worry, fear, and panic, only to fail and end up feeling frustrated and powerless? Unfortunately, you cannot simply “turn off” anxious thoughts and feelings like a light switch. But there are ways you can take back your life and stop avoiding the things that cause you anxiety. This book has one purpose: to help you live better, more fully, and more richly. Your life is calling on you to make that choice, and the skills in this workbook can help you make it happen.

This fully revised and updated second edition offers compelling new ACT exercises to help you finally conquer your anxiety. You’ll learn how your mind can trap you, keeping you stuck and struggling in anxiety and fear. You’ll also discover ways to nurture your capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion, and use these qualities to shift your focus away from anxiety and onto what you really want your life to be about. Finally, you’ll learn how to let go of the trauma and painful past experiences that can fuel your anxiety.

No matter what kind of anxiety problem you’re struggling with, this workbook can guide you toward a more vibrant and purposeful life.

This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.