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Self Help Resources

About the Selected Titles

The following books may be considered classics.  If you have a title in mind that we don't own, we can either borrow it using Interlibrary Loan or purchase it; recommendations can be made by using this form.

To browse current self help titles in the library's collection, try this search.

Selection of Popular Self-help Titles

How to Control Your Anger Before It Controls You

In their new approach to coping with anger, world famous psychologist Dr. Albert Ellis and Dr. Raymond Chip Tafrate present their thoroughly researched and proven technique designed to help understand the roots and nature of anger. Using simple instructions and exercises, readers can learn to reduce angry reactions to an often difficult and unfair world.

Eight Weeks to Optimum Health

Dr. Weil explains how the mechanisms and processes of the body's healing system work.  He delineates the ways in which an individual can optimize the functioning of his or her own system, and he explains the effects of the eight-week program, conceived to harness and support the internal healing system of our bodies. Incorporating alternative medicines and treatments, he gives specific and detailed information on diet, exercise, stress reduction, breathing techniques, vitamins, supplements, herbs, and all the other components in the eight-week program. He customizes programs for special groups of people: pregnant women, overweight people, recovering alcoholics and drug abusers, those dealing with or overcoming heart problems, former cancer sufferers, people over 65, and a dozen other categories. Building on the breakthrough thinking of Spontaneous Healing and drawing on the experiences of patients who have adopted his program, Dr. Weil's Eight Weeks to Optimum Health provides an invaluable means to maintain health and lessen the need for medical intervention.

Next to Nothing

More than simple cases of dieting gone awry, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are among the most fatal of mental illnesses, responsible for more deaths each year than any other psychiatric disorder. These illnesses afflict millions of young people, especially women, all over theworld.Carrie Arnold developed anorexia as an adolescent and nearly lost her life to the disease. In Next to Nothing, she tells the story of her descent into anorexia, how and why she fell victim to this mysterious illness, and how she was able to seek help and recover after years of therapy and hardwork. Now an adult, Arnold uses her own experiences to offer practical advice and guidance to young adults who have recently been diagnosed with an eating disorder, or who are at risk for developing one. Drawing on the expertise of B. Timothy Walsh, M.D., one of America's leading authorities oneating disorders, she reveals in easy-to-understand terms what is known and not known medically about anorexia and bulimia. The book covers such difficult topics as how to make sense of a diagnosis, the various psychotherapies available to those struggling with an eating disorder, psychiatric hospitalization, and how to talk about these illnesses to family and friends. The result is both a compelling memoir and a practical guide that will help to ease the isolation that an eating disorder can impose, showing young people how to manage and maintain their recovery on a daily basis.Part of the Adolescent Mental Health Initiative series of books written specifically for teens and young adults, 

The Relaxation Response

An updated health handbook outlines techniques of concentration designed to reduce physiological stress and presents scientific data indicating the effectiveness of similar systems of relaxation. Reprint.

You're Addicted to You - Why It's So Hard to Change - And What You Can Do about It

All of us have things about ourselves we'd like to change. Maybe you want to be more organized or more outspoken, healthier or thinner. Or perhaps you want to quit smoking, work more efficiently, be a better listener, or a better leader. Whatever you want to change, you probably believe that your success depends on your conviction. The fact of the matter is, willpower alone won't get you to change. Noah Blumenthal illustrates how each of us becomes so thoroughly conditioned to act in old, counterproductive ways that negative behaviors become part of our very being. In a very real sense we become addicted to ourselves. The problem, he explains, isn't that you aren't trying hard enough, but that you've never learned the right way to make difficult changes. Here, he details a proven three-stage strategy--illuminated with practical tools, techniques, and exercises--for breaking self-addictions and conquering damaging behaviors like anger, workaholism, risk aversion, procrastination, overeating, under-exercising--just about anything. We all want to change our counterproductive behaviors. Here, Blumenthal offers a step-by-step guide for how to do it successfully.

The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition

A beloved classic--the original book on happiness, with new material from His Holiness the Dalai Lama Nearly every time you see him, he's laughing, or at least smiling. And he makes everyone else around him feel like smiling. He's the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, a Nobel Prize winner, and a hugely sought-after speaker and statesman. Why is he so popular? Even after spending only a few minutes in his presence you can't help feeling happier. If you ask him if he's happy, even though he's suffered the loss of his country, the Dalai Lama will give you an unconditional yes. What's more, he'll tell you that happiness is the purpose of life, and that the very motion of our life is toward happiness. How to get there has always been the question. He's tried to answer it before, but he's never had the help of a psychiatrist to get the message across in a context we can easily understand. The Art of Happiness is the book that started the genre of happiness books, and it remains the cornerstone of the field of positive psychology. Through conversations, stories, and meditations, the Dalai Lama shows us how to defeat day-to-day anxiety, insecurity, anger, and discouragement. Considerd by many to the classic book by the Dalai Lama, he explores many facets of everyday life, including relationships, loss, and the pursuit of wealth, to illustrate how to ride through life's obstacles on a deep and abiding source of inner peace. Based on 2,500 years of Buddhist meditations mixed with a healthy dose of common sense, The Art of Happiness is a book that crosses the boundaries of traditions to help readers with difficulties common to all human beings. After being in print for ten years, this book has touched countless lives and uplifted spirits around the world.

Anger

"This landmark book" (San Francisco Chronicle) dispels the common myths about the causes and uses of anger-- for example, that expressing anger is always good for you, that suppressing anger is always unhealthy, or that women have special "anger problems" that men do not. Dr. Carol Tavris expertly examines every facet of that fascinating emotion--from genetics to stress to the rage for justice. Fully revised and updated, Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion now includes: * A new consideration of biological politics: Should testosterone or PMS excuse rotten tempers or aggressive actions? * The five conditions under which anger is likely to be effective--and when it's not. * Strategies for solving specific anger problems--chronic anger, dealing with difficult people, repeated family battles, anger after divorce or victimization, and aggressive children.

The Power of Habit

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * This instant classic explores how we can change our lives by changing our habits. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Wall Street Journal * Financial Times In The Power of Habit, award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to the sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. As Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives. With a new Afterword by the author   "Sharp, provocative, and useful."--Jim Collins   "Few [books] become essential manuals for business and living. The Power of Habit is an exception. Charles Duhigg not only explains how habits are formed but how to kick bad ones and hang on to the good."--Financial Times   "A flat-out great read."--David Allen, bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity "You'll never look at yourself, your organization, or your world quite the same way."--Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind "Entertaining . . . enjoyable . . . fascinating . . . a serious look at the science of habit formation and change."--The New York Times Book Review

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Learn the proven, time-tested principles to breaking your worry habits--now and forever--with Dale Carnegie's expert advice so you can start living your best carefree life today. With Dale Carnegie's timeless advice in hand, more than six million people have learned how to eliminate debilitating fear and worry from their lives and to embrace a worry-free future. In this classic work, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Carnegie offers a set of practical formulas that you can put to work today. It is a book packed with lessons that will last a lifetime and make that lifetime happier! Discover how to: -Eliminate fifty percent of business worries immediately -Reduce financial worries -Avoid fatigue--and keep looking young -Add one hour a day to your waking life -Find yourself and be yourself--remember there is no one else on earth like you! Fascinating to read and easy to apply, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living deals with fundamental emotions and life-changing ideas. There's no need to live with worry and anxiety that keep you from enjoying a full, active life!

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Updated for today's readers, Dale Carnegie's timeless bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People is a classic that has improved and transformed the professional and personal and lives of millions. One of the best-known motivational guides in history, Dale Carnegie's groundbreaking book has sold tens of millions of copies, been translated into almost every known language, and has helped countless people succeed. Originally published during the depths of the Great Depression--and equally valuable during booming economies or hard times--Carnegie's rock-solid, time-tested advice has carried countless people up the ladder of success in their professional and personal lives. How to Win Friends and Influence People teaches you: -How to communicate effectively -How to make people like you -How to increase your ability to get things done -How to get others to see your side -How to become a more effective leader -How to successfully navigate almost any social situation -And so much more! Achieve your maximum potential with this updated version of a classic--a must-read for the 21st century.

Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition

"A marvelous book... thought provoking and highly entertaining." --Jerome Groopman, New York Times bestselling author of How Doctors Think "Ariely not only gives us a great read; he also makes us much wiser." --George Akerlof, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics "Revolutionary." --New York Times Book Review Why do our headaches persist after we take a one-cent aspirin but disappear when we take a fifty-cent aspirin? Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup? When it comes to making decisions in our lives, we think we're making smart, rational choices. But are we? In this newly revised and expanded edition of the groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, we consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable--making us predictably irrational.

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

The creation of wealth has always been regarded as a process that requires hard work and luck--often at the expense of others. In this remarkable book, the author of Quantum Healing and other bestsellers reveals how to align with the subtle yet powerful, unseen forces that affect the flow of money in our lives.

Mindset

The updated edition of the bestselling book that has changed millions of lives with its insights into the growth mindset. After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset--those who believe that abilities are fixed--are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset--those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment. In this edition, Dweck offers new insights into her now famous and broadly embraced concept. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. She also expands the mindset concept beyond the individual, applying it to the cultures of groups and organizations. With the right mindset, you can motivate those you lead, teach, and love--to transform their lives and your own.

Driven to Distraction

Discusses the causes, symptoms, and treatment of attention-deficit Disorder (ADD).

On Death and Dying

One of the most famous psychological studies of the late twentieth century, On Death and Dying grew out of an interdisciplinary seminar on death, originated and conducted by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. In On Death and Dying, Dr. Kübler-Ross first introduced and explored the now-famous idea of the five stages of dealing with death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. With sample interviews and conversations, she gives the reader a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve the patient, and the patient's family, bringing hope, solace, and peace of mind to all involved.

The Art of Loving

"Every line is packed with common sense, compassion, and realism." -- Fortune The renowned psychoanalyst and social philosopher Erich Fromm has helped millions of men and women achieve rich, productive lives by developing their hidden capacities for love. In this frank and candid book, he explores the ways in which this extraordinary emotion can alter the whole course of your life. Most of us are unable to develop our capacities for love on the only level that really counts: a love that is accompanied by maturity, self-knowledge, and courage. Learning to love, like other arts, demands practice and concentration. Even more than any other art it demands genuine insight and understanding. In this classic work, Fromm explores love in all its aspects--not only romantic love, steeped in false conceptions and lofty expectations, but also love of parents, children, brotherly love, erotic love, self-love, and the love of God.

To Have or to Be?

To Have Or to Be? is one of the seminal books of the second half of the 20th century. Nothing less than a manifesto for a new social and psychological revolution to save our threatened planet, this book is a summary of the penetrating thought of Eric Fromm. His thesis is that two modes of existence struggle for the spirit of humankind: the having mode, which concentrates on material possessions, power, and aggression, and is the basis of the universal evils of greed, envy, and violence; and the being mode, which is based on love, the pleasure of sharing, and in productive activity. To Have Or to Be? is a brilliant program for socioeconomic change.

Getting to Yes : negotiating agreement without giving in

Since its original publication in 1981, Getting to Yes has been translated into 18 languages and has sold over 1 million copies in its various editions. This completely revised edition is a universal guide to the art of negotiating personal and professional disputes. It offers a concise strategy for coming to mutually acceptable agreements in every sort of conflict.

The Seat of the Soul

The Seat of the Soul is about the new species that is being born. This new species longs for harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. It uses higher orders for logic and justice - those of the heart. The number of people who are becoming aware of this birth is growing very fast, because the new species is being born inside all of us.

Stick up for Yourself! : every kid's guide to personal power and positive self-esteem

First published in 1990, this perennial best-seller has helped countless children build self-esteem and assertiveness skills. Newly revised and updated, it's the ultimate resource for any kid who's ever been picked on at school, bossed around, blamed for things he or she didn't do, or treated unfairly--and for any kid who sometimes feels frustrated, angry, powerless, or scared. Simple words and real-life examples show how children can stick up for themselves with other kids (including bullies and teasers), big sisters and brothers, even grown-ups. Kids learn how to build relationships, become responsible, manage their anger, grow a "feelings vocabulary," make good choices, solve problems, set goals, and "store" happiness and pride. Questions from real kids are paired with answers about how to handle specific situations calmly, confidently, and effectively. A special note to parents and teachers explores the "self-esteem backlash" and explains what self-esteem really is--and why kids today needit more than ever. A wealth of practical, encouraging, realistic advice, this empowering little book is also recommended for parents, teachers, and counselors. Part of the Bully Free Kids(tm) line

Outliers: the story of success

From the bestselling author of The Bomber Mafia, learn what sets high achievers apart--from Bill Gates to the Beatles--in this seminal work from "a singular talent" (New York Times Book Review). In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band. Brilliant and entertaining, Outliers is a landmark work that will simultaneously delight and illuminate.

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The inspirational classic from a renowned spiritual leader that "offers a moving and humane approach to understanding life's windstorms" (Elisabeth Kübler-Ross). When Harold Kushner's three-year-old son was diagnosed with a degenerative disease that meant the boy would only live until his early teens, he was faced with one of life's most difficult questions: Why, God? Years later, Rabbi Kushner wrote this straightforward, elegant contemplation of the doubts and fears that arise when tragedy strikes. In these pages, Kushner shares his wisdom as a rabbi, a parent, a reader, and a human being. Often imitated but never superseded, When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a classic that offers clear thinking and consolation in times of sorrow.

The Dance of Anger

"Anger is a signal and one worth listening to," writes Dr. Harriet Lerner, in her renowned classic that has transformed the lives of millions of readers. While anger deserves our attention and respect, women still learn to silence our anger, to deny it entirely, or to vent it in a way that leaves us feeling helpless and powerless. In this ngaging and eminently wise book, Dr. Lerner teaches women to identify the true sources of our anger and to use anger as a powerful vehicle for creating lasting change. Book jacket.

I'm OK, you're OK; a practical guide to transactional analysis

The book made the New York Times Best Seller list in 1972 and remained there for almost two years. It is estimated by the publisher to have sold over 15 million copies to date and to have been translated into over a dozen languages.

I Ain't Much, Baby--But I'm All I've Got

"What are some of the discoveries I have made? I found I needed people because I needed the love they could give me. I found that love was something I did. I found that the way I showed people my need and love for them was to tell how it was with me in my deepest heart. I came to feel that was the most loving thing I could do for anyone -- tell them how it was with me and share my imperfections with them. When I did this, most people came back at me with what was deep within them. This was love coming to me. And the more I had coming to me, the more I had to give away. I ain't much, baby -- but I'm all I've got." From his experience comes "I Ain't Much, Baby -- But I'm All I've Got." Lair originally wrote this book for his students, but when it gained widespread popularity he rewrote it for publication. It is a book meant to help people share in the success of finding themselves.

The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD

If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you might have an irrational fear of being contaminated by germs, or obsessively double-check things. You may even feel like a prisoner, trapped with your intrusive thoughts. And while OCD can have a devastating impact on your life, getting real help can be a challenge. Combining mindfulness practices with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD offers practical and accessible tools for managing the unwanted thoughts and compulsive urges that are associated with OCD. With this workbook, you will develop present-moment awareness, learn to challenge your own distorted thinking, and stop treating thoughts as threats and feelings as facts. This fully revised and updated second edition also includes new meditations, information, and chapters on emotional and mental contamination, existential obsessions, false memories, and more. If you're ready to take back your life back from OCD--and start living with more joy in the moment--this workbook has everything you need to get started right away.

Wherever You Go, There You Are

Re-released on its tenth anniversary of publication, this book presents meditation as a natural activity that can be practiced anytime and anywhere, without props or trappings.

Stress Management: a Comprehensive Handbook of Techniques and Strategies

Here is a comprehensive clinical manual focused on stress management and relaxation. It contains detailed descriptions of tactics for training the user in the methods of relaxation, positive thinking, time management, and more. Features validated self-tes

Thinking, fast and slow

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman reveals the truth about our intuitions and rationality to teach us how to better our lives. He explores the fascinating flaws and marvels of human behaviour and reveals to us the common errors in people's beliefs.

An Unquiet Mind

WITH A NEW PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR In her bestselling classic, An Unquiet Mind, Kay Redfield Jamison changed the way we think about moods and madness. Dr. Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive (bipolar) illness;nbsp;she has also experienced it firsthand. For evennbsp;while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, Jamison found herself succumbing to the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients, as her disorder launched her into ruinous spending sprees, episodes of violence, and an attemptednbsp;suicide. Here Jamison examines bipolar illness from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and the cruel allure that at times prompted her to resist taking medication. An Unquiet Mind is a memoir of enormous candor, vividness, and wisdom--a deeply powerful book that has both transformed and saved lives.

The Battered Woman Syndrome

" This is an excellent book, written by the foremost authority in the field. It] is easy to read and does a nice job integrating theory and research. Score: 95, 4 stars --"Doody's" Walker's seminal, groundbreaking book "The Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS)" has forged new directions in the field of domestic violence for over 30 years. Now, the highly anticipated, third edition offers thoroughly updated and revised research on key topics, including posttraumatic stress disorder, learned helplessness or learned optimism, the cycle theory of violence, and much more. This third edition presents updated data generated from the newly modified Battered Woman Syndrome Questionnaire (BWSQ). With a new focus on culture and ethnicity, this data details the experiences of foreign women who either live in their country of origin or the U.S. Like its popular predecessors, this new edition serves as a valuable resource for both professional counselors and students studying domestic violence. Discussions on the revised criteria for the BWS and PTSD: Posttraumatic stress and re-experiencing the trauma High levels of anxiety and arousal Emotional numbing, avoidance behaviors, and depression Disrupted interpersonal relationships Distorted body image and physical illnesses Sexual issues, including feelings of guilt, shame, and jealousy Key topics discussed: Attachment issues for battered women and the men who batter them Substance abuse and addiction Risk factors for further abuse Women in prison and battered women who kill their abusive partners in self-defense The Survivor Therapy Empowerment Program (STEP) which helps women better understand how the violence has impacted their lives "

Learned Optimism

Known as the father of the new science of positive psychology, Martin E.P. Seligman draws on more than twenty years of clinical research to demonstrate how optimism enchances the quality of life, and how anyone can learn to practice it. Offering many simple techniques, Dr. Seligman explains how to break an “I—give-up” habit, develop a more constructive explanatory style for interpreting your behavior, and experience the benefits of a more positive interior dialogue. These skills can help break up depression, boost your immune system, better develop your potential, and make you happier.. With generous additional advice on how to encourage optimistic behavior at school, at work and in children,Learned Optimismis both profound and practical–and valuable for every phase of life. From the Trade Paperback edition.

How to Survive the Loss of a Love

Discusses the variety of reactions that people experience because of the loss of a love and provides numerous recommendations for coping with pain and achieving comfort.

Student Procrastination

Provides research based advice and practical suggestions to help students beat procrastination and perform better at university or college. Written by a recent graduate, the author gives students a chance to explore the root causes of procrastination and some of the best ways of eliminating it. With a combination of theory, practice, and case study stories and tips from other students, this book will help students seize the date and get more work done.

Flow Pb

The bestselling introduction to "flow"--a groundbreaking psychological theory that shows readers how to improve the quality of life. "The way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful change."--New York Times Book Review

Care of the Soul

In this special twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Thomas Moore's bestselling Care of the Soul, which includes a new introduction by the author, readers are presented with a revolutionary approach to thinking about daily life& everyday activities, events, problems, and creative opportunities& and a therapeutic lifestyle is proposed that focuses on looking more deeply into emotional problems and learning how to sense sacredness in ordinary things. Basing his writing on the ancient model of &l care of the soul which provided a religious context for viewing the everyday events of life; Moore brings care of the soul into the twenty-first century. Promising to deepen and broaden the readers; perspectives on their life experiences, Moore draws on his own life as a therapist practicing care of the soul as well as his studies of the world religions and his work in music and art, to create this inspirational guide that examines the connections between spirituality and the problems of individuals and society.

The Brain That Changes Itself

An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country to meet both the brilliant scientists championing neuroplasticity and the people whose lives they've transformed--people whose mental limitations or brain damage were seen as unalterable. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, blind people who learn to see, learning disorders cured, IQs raised, aging brains rejuvenated, stroke patients learning to speak, children with cerebral palsy learning to move with more grace, depression and anxiety disorders successfully treated, and lifelong character traits changed. Using these marvelous stories to probe mysteries of the body, emotion, love, sex, culture, and education, Dr. Doidge has written an immensely moving, inspiring book that will permanently alter the way we look at our brains, human nature, and human potential.

The Power of Positive Thinking

An international bestseller with over five million copies in print, The Power of Positive Thinking has helped men and women around the world to achieve fulfillment in their lives through Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's powerful message of faith and inspiration. In this phenomenal bestseller, "written with the sole objective of helping the reader achieve a happy, satisfying, and worthwhile life," Dr. Peale demonstrates the power of faith in action. With the practical techniques outlined in this book, you can energize your life--and give yourself the initiative needed to carry out your ambitions and hopes. You'll learn how to: · Believe in yourself and in everything you do · Build new power and determination · Develop the power to reach your goals · Break the worry habit and achieve a relaxed life · Improve your personal and professional relationships · Assume control over your circumstances · Be kind to yourself

The Road Less Traveled and Beyond

"The culmination of a lifetime of counseling, lecturing, and writing, M. Scott Peck's major new work leads us to a deeper awareness of how to live rich, fulfilling lives in a world fraught with stress and anxiety. Writing with the depth of understanding that comes with the seasoned perspective of age, Dr. Peck continues the journey of spiritual growth that began with The Road Less Traveled, one of the most influential books of modern times." "The journey to serenity and peace, Dr. Peck writes, can only be made with increasing self-awareness and social awareness. There are no easy answers for complex problems. The work of learning and growth is hard. And yet he shows us that there is a way to think with integrity, to know the difference between good and evil, to overcome narcissism, to love and be loved, to live with paradox, to accept the consequences of our actions all through life, and to come to terms with dying and death." "With a unique blend of profound psychological insight and deep spirituality. Dr. Peck explains the compelling necessity to make the right choices in our lives, be they the personal choices that affect our own mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, the organizational choices that affect the security of our families, businesses, and institutions, or the ethical choices that may affect the very survival of humankind."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The Last Lecture

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, a professor shares the lessons he's learned--about living in the present, building a legacy, and taking full advantage of the time you have--in this life-changing classic. "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." --Randy Pausch A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull over the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy? When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have . . . and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love

North Americas number one stress-reducing guru and New York Times bestselling author of the Dont Sweat the Small Stuff series now offers simple strategies for improving love relationships. Hes helped millions of readers reduce the stress in their everyday lives, with their families, and in their jobs. Now Dr. Richard Carlson shows readers how to apply his immensely popular and helpful philosophy to one of the most difficult aspects of life; the romantic relationship. While depression, heartache, anger, and insecurity are widely associated with romantic love, the concept of stress is rarely identified as a problem. Yet we all have worries about our most important relationships, and this simple and elegant book outlines strategies for overcoming those fears. In one hundred brief, beautifully written essays, Dr. Carlson shows readers how not to overreact to a loved ones criticism, how to appreciate your spouse in new ways, how to get past old angers, and many others ways to improve and increase the joy and pleasure that can and should be a part of any partnership.

First Things First

The authors of this book apply insights from their previous book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, to the daily problems of people who must struggle with the demands of work and home life. Rather than focusing on time and change, the book emphasizes relationships and results.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Millions of copies sold. New York Times Bestseller. Named the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century. "Every so often a book comes along that not only alters the lives of readers but leaves an imprint on the culture itself. The 7 Habits is one of those books." --Daniel Pink, New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has captivated readers for 25 years. It has transformed the lives of presidents and CEOs, educators and parents--in short, millions of people of all ages and occupations across the world. This twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Stephen Covey's cherished classic commemorates his timeless wisdom, and encourages us to live a life of great and enduring purpose.

Get Out of Your Mind and into Your Life

Get ready to take a different perspective on your problems and your life--and the way you live it. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a new, scientifically based psychotherapy that takes a fresh look at why we suffer and even what it means to be mentally healthy. What if pain were a normal, unavoidable part of the human condition, but avoiding or trying to control painful experience were the cause of suffering and long-term problems that can devastate your quality of life? The ACT process hinges on this distinction between pain and suffering. As you work through this book, you'll learn to let go of your struggle against pain, assess your values, and then commit to acting in ways that further those values. ACT is not about fighting your pain; it's about developing a willingness to embrace every experience life has to offer. It's not about resisting your emotions; it's about feeling them completely and yet not turning your choices over to them. ACT offers you a path out of suffering by helping you choose to live your life based on what matters to you most. If you're struggling with anxiety, depression, or problem anger, this book can help--clinical trials suggest that ACT is very effective for a whole range of psychological problems. But this is more than a self-help book for a specific complaint--it is a revolutionary approach to living a richer and more rewarding life. Learn why the very nature of human language can cause suffering Escape the trap of avoidance Foster willingness to accept painful experience Practice mindfulness skills to achieve presence in the moment Discover the things you really value most Commit to living a vital, meaningful 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.

Fooled by Randomness

Fooled by Randomness is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb's landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a world we don't understand. The other books in the series are The Black Swan, Antifragile, Skin in the Game, and The Bed of Procrustes. Fooled by Randomness is the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you think about business and the world. Nassim Nicholas Taleb-veteran trader, renowned risk expert, polymathic scholar, erudite raconteur, and New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan-has written a modern classic that turns on its head what we believe about luck and skill. This book is about luck-or more precisely, about how we perceive and deal with luck in life and business. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill-the world of trading-Fooled by Randomness provides captivating insight into one of the least understood factors in all our lives. Writing in an entertaining narrative style, the author tackles major intellectual issues related to the underestimation of the influence of happenstance on our lives. The book is populated with an array of characters, some of whom have grasped, in their own way, the significance of chance: the baseball legend Yogi Berra; the philosopher of knowledge Karl Popper; the ancient world's wisest man, Solon; the modern financier George Soros; and the Greek voyager Odysseus. We also meet the fictional Nero, who seems to understand the role of randomness in his professional life but falls victim to his own superstitious foolishness. However, the most recognizable character of all remains unnamed-the lucky fool who happens to be in the right place at the right time-he embodies the "survival of the least fit." Such individuals attract devoted followers who believe in their guru's insights and methods. But no one can replicate what is obtained by chance. Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? It may be impossible to guard ourselves against the vagaries of the goddess Fortuna, but after reading Fooled by Randomness we can be a little better prepared. Named by Fortune One of the Smartest Books of All Time A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year

My Stroke of Insight : a brain scientist's personal journey

"Transformative...[Taylor's] experience...will shatter [your] own perception of the world."--ABC News The astonishing New York Times bestseller that chronicles how a brain scientist's own stroke led to enlightenment On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover. For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone.

Embracing Your Potential

The drive to be #1 in a professional field or on a playing field is a powerful source of motivation for many people. Others place a higher priority on becoming a better person. Embracing Your Potential explains how to achieve excellence and balance in both the performance and personal domains of life. Author Terry Orlick labels these two domains as the Gold and Green zones. The Gold Zone includes the visible, tangible achievement markers, such as career advancement, win-loss records, and financial status. The Green Zone involves relationships and intellectual, spiritual, and cultural pursuits. Orlick argues that going for the Gold need not-and should not-require sacrificing the growth and development of the Green, and that the two zones can be nurtured simultaneously. Both inspirational and practical, Embracing Your Potential shares insights and quotes from elite athletes, performers, and people in highly demanding jobs. It also features 30 exercises that can help readers make meaningful, lasting changes to boost their performance and enrich their lives. Embracing Your Potential applies to people from all walks of life that want to excel and yet enjoy every day in the process.

The Power of Now : a guide to spiritual enlightenment

Much more than simple principles and platitudes, The Power of Now takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to find their true and deepest self and reach the ultimate in personal growth and spirituality: the discovery of truth and light. In the first chapter, Tolle introduces readers to enlightenment and its natural enemy, the mind. He awakens readers to their role as a creator of pain and shows them how to have a pain-free identity by living fully in the present. The journey is thrilling, and along the way, the author shows how to connect to the indestructible essence of our Being, "the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death." Only after regaining awareness of Being, liberated from Mind and intensely in the Now, is there Enlightenment.

Man's Search for Meaning

A book for finding purpose and strength in times of great despair, the international best-seller is still just as relevant today as when it was first published. "This is a book I reread a lot . . . it gives me hope . . . it gives me a sense of strength." --Anderson Cooper, Anderson Cooper 360/CNN This seminal book, which has been called "one of the outstanding contributions to psychological thought" by Carl Rogers and "one of the great books of our time" by Harold Kushner, has been translated into more than fifty languages and sold over sixteen million copies. "An enduring work of survival literature," according to the New York Times, Viktor Frankl's riveting account of his time in the Nazi concentration camps, and his insightful exploration of the human will to find meaning in spite of the worst adversity, has offered solace and guidance to generations of readers since it was first published in 1946. At the heart of Frankl's theory of logotherapy (from the Greek word for "meaning") is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but rather the discovery and pursuit of what the individual finds meaningful. Today, as new generations face new challenges and an ever more complex and uncertain world, Frankl's classic work continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living, in spite of all obstacles. A must-read companion to this classic work, a new, never-before-published work by Frankl entitled Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything, is now available in English. This book was published with two different covers. Customers will be shipped the book with one of the available covers.

Darkness Visible

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time A work of great personal courage and a literary tour de force, this bestseller is Styron's true account of his descent into a crippling and almost suicidal depression. Styron is perhaps the first writer to convey the full terror of depression's psychic landscape, as well as the illuminating path to recovery.

Noise

From the Nobel Prize-winning author of; Thinking, Fast and Slow& the coauthor of Nudge, a revolutionary exploration of why people make bad judgments and how to make better ones--"a tour de force" (New York Times).; Imagine that two doctors in the same city give different diagnoses to identical patients--or that two judges in the same courthouse give markedly different sentences to people who have committed the same crime. Suppose that different interviewers at the same firm make different decisions about indistinguishable job applicants--or that when a company is handling customer complaints, the resolution depends on who happens to answer the phone. Now imagine that the same doctor, the same judge, the same interviewer, or the same customer service agent makes different decisions depending on whether it is morning or afternoon, or Monday rather than Wednesday. These are examples of noise: variability in judgments that should be identical. InNoise, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein show ;the detrimental effects of noise ;n many fields, including medicine, law,economic forecasting, forensic science, bail, child protection, strategy, performance reviews, and personnel selection;Wherever there is judgment, there is noise. Yet most of the time, individuals and organizations alike are unaware of it. They neglect noise. With a few simple remedies, people can reduce both noise and bias, and so make far better decisions. Packed with original ideas, and offering the same kinds of research-based insights that made;Thinking, Fast and Slow and Nudge groundbreaking New York Times bestsellers,Noise explains how and why humans are so susceptible to noise in judgment--and what we can do about it.

Social Empathy

Our ability to understand others and help others understand us is essential to our individual and collective well-being. Yet there are many barriers that keep us from walking in the shoes of others: fear, skepticism, and power structures that separate us from those outside our narrow groups. To progress in a multicultural world and ensure our common good, we need to overcome these obstacles. Our best hope can be found in the skill of empathy. In Social Empathy, Elizabeth A. Segal explains how we can develop our ability to understand one another and have compassion toward different social groups. When we are socially empathic, we not only imagine what it is like to be another person, but we consider their social, economic, and political circumstances and what shaped them. Segal explains the evolutionary and learned components of interpersonal and social empathy, including neurobiological factors and the role of social structures. Ultimately, empathy is not only a part of interpersonal relations: it is fundamental to interactions between different social groups and can be a way to bridge diverse people and communities. A clear and useful explanation of an often misunderstood concept, Social Empathy brings together sociology, psychology, social work, and cognitive neuroscience to illustrate how to become better advocates for justice.

The Kindness Cure

It's time for a kindness revolution. In The Kindness Cure, psychologist Tara Cousineau draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to show how simple practices of kindness--for ourselves, for others, and for our world--can dissolve our feelings of fear and indifference, and open us up to a life of profound happiness. Compassion for ourselves and others is our birthright as humans--hardwired into our DNA and essential to our happiness. But in our fast-paced, technical savvy and hyper competitive world, it may come as no surprise that rates of narcissism have risen, while empathy levels have declined. We now find ourselves in a "cool to be cruel" culture where it's easy to feel disillusioned and dejected in our hearts, homes, and communities. So, how can we reverse this malady of meanness and make kindness and compassion an imperative? The Kindness Cure draws on the latest social and scientific research to reveal how the seemingly "soft skills" of kindness, cooperation, and generosity are fundamental to our survival as a species. In fact, it's our prosocial abilities that put us at the head of the line. Blended with moving case studies and clinical anecdotes, Cousineau offers practical ways to rekindle kindness from the inside out. We are wired to care. The very existence of our human species evolved because of an intricate physiology built for empathy, compassion, and cooperation. Yet we have an epidemic of loneliness, indifference, and cruelty, and we see these destructive trends on a daily basis in our families, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces. This important book teaches effective skills in compassion, mindfulness, and social and emotional learning, and reveals successful social policy initiatives in empathy taking place that inform everything from family life to education to the workplace. Kindness has the exponential power to renew relationships and transform how we think, feel, and behave in the world. Will you be a part of the revolution?

The Light We Carry

In an inspiring follow-up to her critically acclaimed, #1 bestselling memoir Becoming, former First Lady Michelle Obama shares practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today's highly uncertain world.   There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life's big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?   Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles--the earned wisdom that helps her continue to "become."

The Good Life

New York Times Bestseller What makes for a happy life, a fulfilling life? A good life? According to the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, the answer to these questions may be closer than you realize. What makes a life fulfilling and meaningful? The simple but surprising answer is: relationships. The stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to live happy, satisfying, and overall healthier lives. In fact, the Harvard Study of Adult Development reveals that the strength of our connections with others can predict the health of both our bodies and our brains as we go through life. The invaluable insights in this book emerge from the revealing personal stories of hundreds of participants in the Harvard Study as they were followed year after year for their entire adult lives, and this wisdom is bolstered by research findings from this and many other studies. Relationships in all their forms--friendships, romantic partnerships, families, coworkers, tennis partners, book club members, Bible study groups--all contribute to a happier, healthier life. And as The Good Life shows us, it's never too late to strengthen the relationships you have, and never too late to build new ones. Dr. Waldinger's TED Talk about the Harvard Study, "What Makes a Good Life," has been viewed more than 42 million times and is one of the ten most-watched TED talks ever. The Good Life has been praised by bestselling authors Jay Shetty ("Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz lead us on an empowering quest towards our greatest need: meaningful human connection"), Angela Duckworth ("In a crowded field of life advice and even life advice based on scientific research, Schulz and Waldinger stand apart"), and happiness expert Laurie Santos ("Waldinger and Schulz are world experts on the counterintuitive things that make life meaningful"). With warmth, wisdom, and compelling life stories, The Good Life shows us how we can make our lives happier and more meaningful through our connections to others.

Black Girls Don't Get Love

As Zoe Franklin navigates the complexities of growing up in a world that praises Eurocentric beauty standards, Black Girls Don't Get Love provides an intimate look at the defining moments that force so many young Black girls to become the "strong Black woman" the world so wrongfully admires. _____________ Black Girls Don't Get Love: Using media to turn silence into language and change the way Black women and girls are perceived in society. To learn more about the work we're doing, visit blackgirlsdontgetlove.com

Build the Life You Want

You can get happier. And getting there will be the adventure of your lifetime. INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In Build the Life You Want, Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey invite you to begin a journey toward greater happiness no matter how challenging your circumstances. Drawing on cutting-edge science and their years of helping people translate ideas into action, they show you how to improve your life right now instead of waiting for the outside world to change. With insight, compassion, and hope, Brooks and Winfrey reveal how the tools of emotional self-management can change your life―immediately. They recommend practical, research-based practices to build the four pillars of happiness: family, friendship, work, and faith. And along the way, they share hard-earned wisdom from their own lives and careers as well as the witness of regular people whose lives are joyful despite setbacks and hardship. Equipped with the tools of emotional self-management and ready to build your four pillars, you can take control of your present and future rather than hoping and waiting for your circumstances to improve. Build the Life You Want is your blueprint for a better life.

Self Help

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Cathy Michael

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Cathy Michael
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