Book Description
Any sensible diet will help you lose weight, but the challenge for 90% of Americans is actually staying on the diet they choose.Enter Dr. Judith Beck and The Beck Diet Solution.Dr. Beck, one of the foremost authorities in the field of Cognitive Therapy, has created a four-week plan that will help people stick with their diet, lose weight with confidence, and keep weight off for a lifetime. This program is not only based on the authors personal success and on her success with her many clients, but also on published research. It all starts with how you think. With other programs, you think about nothing but food: counting, weighing, and worst of all, food you cant have. This way of thinking inevitably contributes to diet failure. The Beck Diet Solution is the only program that helps dieters use Cognitive Therapy methods scientifically proven over 20 yearsto forever change those treacherous thought patterns that lead to overeating, cheating, excuses, and other dieting downfalls.
Customer Reviews:
A simple and easy-to-follow way to retrain the way you think about food.......2007-10-10
Coming from a family of obesity and over-eating, this is the one book that is enabling me to break the cycle and break free from my old ways of doing things (that were not getting me anywhere). It's definitely not another "diet" book but a great way to condition ourselves in order to succeed at any diet we choose to follow. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is tired of failing at dieting and failing themselves and ready to make some real changes that will result in lasting and joyous results.
Applies to more than just diet.......2007-09-27
Judith S. Beck is right, and her approach works not only for diet, but it can be applied to other efforts in life as well where people derail themselves with their own thoughts. This is a tool for success, not a diet.
Beck Diet Solution.......2007-09-21
This book is great for anyone who wants to lose weight and keep it off. Cognitive Behavior Therapy is the same thing I used to quit smoking 20 years ago, and it really works. The book is written in layman's terms so it's easy to understand, yet not condescending. I highly recommend it.
Brain training........2007-09-17
Judith S. Beck, The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person (Oxmoor House, 2007)
The Beck Diet Solution is not a diet book in the strict sense; there are no eating plans to be found here. This is, more accurately, a diet book adjunct; Beck has designed this to be usable with any diet, whatever you work with. Even the grapefruit diet. (If you're crazy enough to try the grapefruit diet, of course.) Beck's goal here is not to change what you eat so much as the way you eat it, the way you think about eating it, and your habits while eating. After all, as millions of us are well aware, just changing what you eat is in no way guaranteed to shed pounds and keep them off. The idea is to read a chapter a day for six weeks, learning Beck's tips and techniques gradually in order to change your mindset towards food. Does it work? I know that since reading it, I've looked at a few things differently; it's certainly worth a try. *** ½
Awesome book!.......2007-09-15
I am always telling people to buy this book. I have made a friend buy it. Now the tricky part is sitting down and doing it daily. It is a process. I can't wait for the workbook to come out in Oct 2007. This book needs the workbook. It should have been thought out before.
Book Description
Widely praised for its student-friendly style and exceptional artwork and pedagogy, Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain is a leading undergraduate textbook on the biology of the brain and the systems that underlie behavior. This edition provides increased coverage of taste and smell, circadian rhythms, brain development, and developmental disorders and includes new information on molecular mechanisms and functional brain imaging. Path of Discovery boxes, written by leading researchers, highlight major current discoveries. In addition, readers will be able to assess their knowledge of neuroanatomy with the Illustrated Guide to Human Neuroanatomy, which includes a perforated self-testing workbook. This edition's robust ancillary package includes a bound-in student CD-ROM, an Instructor's Resource CD-ROM, a Connection Website, and LiveAdvise: Neuroscience online student tutoring.
Customer Reviews:
Basic Overlook of Neuroscience.......2007-02-24
This book is really good for a general understanding of neuroscience and it has good pictures. This is really a beginning undergraduate level book and can be used as supplemental material for basic concepts when a student is starting to become more advanced, but it does not go into much detail. It is well-written and consequently easy to read. If you're looking for an introduction to neuroscience this is a good book. If you're looking for a reference book for higher level neuroscience this book won't meet standards.
Good for undergraduates.......2006-11-30
You're probably purchasing this book because it's required for your survey course in neuroscience, and that's fine. In fact, it's pretty good for that purpose. But if you want a more rigorous treatment of the subject matter, then this book needs one or several serious supplements.
It's certainly the most "lickable" neuroscience textbook out there, due to its candy-coated drawings.
Pros:
-Current information
-Readability
-Clinical focus
-Profiling relevant human diseases (however largely non-rigorous)
-Profiling current scientists
-Presentation of some of the diagrams (colorful, do a fair job at synthesizing information)
It is not so good at:
-Thoroughness
-More realistic images (stained sections, slice preparations, fMRI images)
The two cons are a deal-breaker for me, however. For instructors I would recommend this book highly at the undergraduate level and only with a caveat to the graduate level.
Neuroscience Brain.......2006-11-06
It is a very good neurobiology book. All of the concepts are explained very well and in great detail.
An Excellent Text.......2005-12-14
If you have been dabbling in cognitive psychology and brain science, have found it interesting and are looking for a broad yet in-depth treatment then this book will not dissapoint you. It approaches Neuroscience from every possible angle: you will learn about the anatomy and physiology of the brain and how it produces, controls and mediates the sensory, motor and emotional functions that underlie human experience. The layout of the text is logical, it uses great pedagogical tools, and the writing is concise and informative (if a little dry). Highly recommended as a first textbook for serious study.
A Brief Review of "Neuroscience".......2005-09-05
I just finished using this book for an undergradutate Neurobiology class at Harvard University, and found it to be very informative. It has a number of diagrams and illustrations, and clearly describes various aspects of neuroscience in great detail, but in a comprehensive manor. I recommend it to anyone pursuing a career in neuroscience.
Book Description
Is it really possible to change the structure and function of the brain, and in so doing alter how we think and feel? The answer is a resounding yes. In late 2004, leading Western scientists joined the Dalai Lama at his home in Dharamsala, India, to address this very question–and in the process brought about a revolution in our understanding of the human mind. In this fascinating and far-reaching book, Wall Street Journal science writer Sharon Begley reports on how cutting-edge science and the ancient wisdom of Buddhism have come together to show how we all have the power to literally change our brains by changing our minds. These findings hold exciting implications for personal transformation.
For decades, the conventional wisdom of neuroscience held that the hardware of the brain is fixed and immutable–that we are stuck with what we were born with. As Begley shows, however, recent pioneering experiments in neuroplasticity, a new science that investigates whether and how the brain can undergo wholesale change, reveal that the brain is capable not only of altering its structure but also of generating new neurons, even into old age. The brain can adapt, heal, renew itself after trauma, and compensate for disability.
Begley documents how this fundamental paradigm shift is transforming both our understanding of the human mind and our approach to deep-seated emotional, cognitive, and behavioral problems. These breakthroughs show that it is possible to reset our happiness meter, regain the use of limbs disabled by stroke, train the mind to break cycles of depression and OCD, and reverse age-related changes in the brain. They also suggest that it is possible to teach and learn compassion, a key step in the Dalai Lama’s quest for a more peaceful world. But as we learn from studies performed on Buddhist monks, an important component in changing the brain is to tap the power of mind and, in particular, focused attention. This is the classic Buddhist practice of mindfulness, a technique that has become popular in the West and that is immediately available to everyone.
With her extraordinary gift for making science accessible, meaningful, and compelling, Sharon Begley illuminates a profound shift in our understanding of how the brain and the mind interact. This tremendously hopeful book takes us to the leading edge of a revolution in what it means to be human.
Customer Reviews:
Reference book.......2007-10-14
Read what I was interested in and then passed the book on to a friend. It really was not what I was looking for.
believe you can change.......2007-10-11
I think most of us believe we can acquire new knowledge and skills throughout life. The hard part is believing we can change habits and emotional responses. That the mind can actually cause physical changes in the brain. This book does a good job of showing that the evidence is accumulating that change can and does happen. However, it is not enough to simply have an insight. The book also relates the actual process of change to the meditative (mindfulness) techniques of Buddhism. I use this information and techniques in my work as a school counselor. It really works! It can make changes in your life as well!
'Focus & Attention.".......2007-09-29
This book is based in part on an Oct.2004 meeting bewtween the Dalai Lama & a group of western neurologists & psychologists to discuss the mutability of the human brain. The main positives of this book are that it is meticulously researched, & yet concise. But, despite the title it is not a self-help book. One should not expect any life altering experiences. This is a history of neuro-plasticity, a cerebral trait discovered by neuro-scientific experiments some twenty years ago. The books central message is that the brain/mind can change when we want it to. The techniques of mental discipline can be learned, & our negative traits reduced. Here eastern philosophy & meditation meets western neuro-science. When the reader is interested in the latest developments for treating dysfunction & depression, or in the mental deterioration brought by aging this is a good place to start. Basically, the adult brain retains much of the plasticity of the developing brain, to change the circuitry that weaves neurons into the networks that allow us to think, feel, dream, remember, & suffer. Some findings show that changes can occur by certain mental activities: like learning a language, or playing a musical instrument. To a degree, the neuro-science does blend with the buddhist belief that our reality can be created by our own thoughts & projections. I have learned that meditation can truly help alter ones feelings, especially in dealing with grief & depression. The book explains in detail how various experiments, training methods, & therapies can change the adult brain. It has shown a remarkable ability to cope with unexpected changes, like blindness, recovering from a stroke, etc. The crucial changes in the brain can willfully overcome neural problems like dyslexia, etc by changing its own circuitry. However, the book does not actually answer all of the questions it poses. I was also a bit taken back that the Dalai Lama would condone animal testing? His statment that the larger human community would benefit from the experiments felt expedient to me. Still, this is a four star book for all the data it contains.
Surprising science: new about neuroplasticity. .......2007-09-06
For nearly a century, scientific dogma held that the brain is immutable, fixed by genes and early upbringing. Wall Street Journal science writer Sharon Begley recently visited the frontiers of neuroscience and returned with a news flash: The dogma is wrong. Researchers have discovered that the brain remains plastic, lifelong. This creates new frontiers: Stroke victims can rewire their brains using challenging exercises; deaf people can repurpose dormant auditory cortexes for other tasks; and blind people can begin to "see" patterns of Braille dots using a seemingly dead visual cortex. Suspecting that they were on to a general pattern, researchers soon looked for similar changes in "normal" brains. Working repetitively on your golf swing, playing the piano or learning a language, they found, also change your brain in lasting, important ways, as does practicing compassion toward others. Begley arrives with heavyweight friends: a foreword by the Dalai Lama and a preface by Daniel Goleman of Emotional Intelligence. If you want to understand how the brain keeps working, and how to make yours do more of what you want it to, we think you should start here. Your brain will thank you.
Change your Life.......2007-08-23
Reading this book will change your life by providing scientific proof that humans can change their brains through meditation. The book is readily accessible to the non-scientific/technical reader and the sections involving the Dalai Lama are fascinating. Those interested in neuroscience, meditation, improving one's quality of life, or in the mysteries of the brain will enjoy this book. Educators and parents will also will find this book as inspiration because it suggests a radical new approach to educating and developing young minds.
Book Description
The fifth edition of the book is the most major revision yet. Written in a friendly and engaging manner, Biopsychology clearly presents the fundamentals of the study of the biology of behavior but makes the topics personally and socially relevant to the reader.
Four interwoven themes support the major recent developments in the rapidly changing field of biopsychology. Thousands of new references and dozens of new topics have been added to this edition, making Pinel's discussion of and focus on the human element easy and interesting to read.
For those interested in physiological and biological psychology.
Customer Reviews:
Cerebral topography and much more - this is the best.......2007-04-30
I have just read Pinel's excellent work called BIOPSYCHOLOGY. Illustrated by his partner (sic) Maggie, superbly, and contributing greatly to the success of the book as a great teaching medium in neuropsychology and neurology. It is a textbook for undergraduates in Psychology and assumes little in previous physiology and anatomy, using extensive explanations of vocabulary and concepts. Frankly, you might as well buy this one instead of the Pinel's brain coloring book. It will cost more but you will get a lot more out of it along with the same high quality of illustrations necessary to understand this challenging subject. John Pinel has an engaging writing style, some surprising personal anecdotes, and many case histories. I highly recommend BIOPSYCHOLOGY.
ha, ha!!.......2007-04-03
Ha, ha!! I have to put in my 2 cents after reading the review by Sergiu P Codreanu. The section on sleep was one of the ones that was not assigned in my biopsych class, and for good reason. All the information Pinel uses is from the 1970s, and is not all research. Some of it is just reporting of anecdote. I was so amazed after I read Pinel's comments that I contacted a student working on a PhD in circadian rhythms, who said that the cited material was all either urban myths or discredited research. So, some parts of the book are not only worthless, they're counterfactual!! Just what you want in a textbook!! (Oh, by the way, did you know that heroin addicts are all just whiners because withdrawal isn't any worse than a case of the flu? Yeah, that's right, you can experiment with drugs because the side effects are all over-blown.)
As to the rest, the fact that Pinel constantly delves into the details of single research papers leaves the impression that the book is speculative rather than conclusive. It also made it, for me, hard to follow the material. I like to skim first to get an overview of the reading, but you can never tell with Pinel what's going to be an important discussion and what's not.
I hated this book and learned far more about biopsych after reading "Animals in Translation" the summer after the course was over. I only give 2 stars because the graphics are good. Someone needs to steal Pinel's graphics and put them in a decent, accurate textbook.
Oh, and one more thing: the 5th edition is almost exactly the same as the 6th edition. My instructor really tried to twist my arm saying she didn't want me to miss out on any updated info in the new edition. So, after getting my used 5th edition, I went through the book chapter by chapter and section by section. The books are the same, with the exception of 2 page numbers!! What a scam!
Biosych Short cuts Review.......2007-02-03
The book was in good condition, but i returned it because it wasn't what i wanted. I wanted the actual txtbook.
Love the book but CD needs work.......2006-12-13
I absolutely loved this book. It really made learning my class material a more pleasureable experience. However, BEWARE of the practice quizes on the CD. They don't work correctly. Here and there, the answer marked correct is wrong and it doesn't tally your score (which is easily fixable by paying attention). But, I have to wonder if I got something wrong on one of my tests as a result of the CD answers being wrong. So, be careful with the CD.
The book however is informative and explains the material in an understandable manner as long as one has some prev knowledge of psychology at the intro level.
He even includes cognitive neuroscience in almost every chapter which biases me because I work in that field.
So, all in all, book is great but watch out for the CD.
CD is self-congratulatory and virtually content-free .......2006-02-19
While I agree with other reviewers that the text is good and the graphics in the text are outstanding, the CD that accompanies the book is a shocking waste of time.
Pinel has videotaped himself awkwardly addressing his imagined readers and foists these segments on the user at odd points throughout the CD. Each chapter contains a set of flash cards, a single multiple choice quiz, and a list of supplemental readings. The flash cards are of some use, the quiz doesn't provide correct answers for missed questions and yields only a superficial evaluation of the student's performance, and the list of readings is short (three or four citations) and without Web links.
One has the impression that the CD was included because it's de rigueur for college texts in the $100+ price category these days. Neither Pinel nor his editor seems to have any idea what content would actually be useful on a CD, e.g., a variety of quiz types, pre- and post-tests with specific reading remediations in the text for missed questions, animations of text content (rather than silly visual-space-ship-tracking exercises), Web links to supplemental material, and so on.
Book Description
You've probably seen it before: a human brain dramatically lit from the side, the camera circling it like a helicopter shot of Stonehenge, and a modulated baritone voice exalting the brain's elegant design in reverent tones.
To which this book says: Pure nonsense. In a work at once deeply learned and wonderfully accessible, the neuroscientist David Linden counters the widespread assumption that the brain is a paragon of design--and in its place gives us a compelling explanation of how the brain's serendipitous evolution has resulted in nothing short of our humanity. A guide to the strange and often illogical world of neural function, The Accidental Mind shows how the brain is not an optimized, general-purpose problem-solving machine, but rather a weird agglomeration of ad-hoc solutions that have been piled on through millions of years of evolutionary history. Moreover, Linden tells us how the constraints of evolved brain design have ultimately led to almost every transcendent human foible: our long childhoods, our extensive memory capacity, our search for love and long-term relationships, our need to create compelling narrative, and, ultimately, the universal cultural impulse to create both religious and scientific explanations. With forays into evolutionary biology, this analysis of mental function answers some of our most common questions about how we've come to be who we are.
Customer Reviews:
Nicely done, accessible account of the human brain.......2007-08-08
David Linden's "The Accidental Mind" is a neat little book. He has two main purposes: (a) to write a readable introduction on brain science, accessible to nonspecialists; (b) to make the case that (page 6) `. . .the brain is an inelegant and inefficient agglomeration of stuff, which nonetheless works surprisingly well." As to the first point, this volume is a far cry from the magnificent work, Michael Gazzaniga's The Cognitive Neurosciences III: Third Edition. However, if one is not well steeped in knowledge and understanding of the neurosciences, Gazzaniga's edited work is close to impenetrable. This book is well and crisply written, explaining simply how neurons work the structure of the brain, how the brain develops, and so on.
As to the second point? He asserts that, quoting Francois Jacob (Page 6), "'Evolution is a tinkerer, not an engineer." That is, evolution operates on organisms as they are and then the process of change takes advantage of the material already existent to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Thus, the human brain is mounted on older, more primitive structures, in an ill fitting complex. As he says (page 21): "The brain is built like an ice cream cone (and you are the top scoop): Through evolutionary time, as higher functions were added, a new scoop was placed on top, but the lower scoops were left largely unchanged."
Thereafter, he speaks of the structure of the brain, how the fully mature human brain develops (with both nature and nurture having roles to play), how the brain is associated with all manner of emotions, learning, religion, and so on.
The Ninth chapter has a title that speaks directly to Linden's first theme--"The Unintelligent Design of the Brain." Here, he slyly critiques advocates of the "Intelligent Design" perspective by noting that the brain is hardly an exemplar of some great design. As noted already, he sees the brain as inefficient and "jury-rigged."
This is a book that provides plenty of insight into how neuroscientists study the structure and function of the brain--and presents some of the exciting possibilities for future research.
In sum, this is a work that ought to be attended to by those interested in the brain sciences, but who cannot readily read the technical literature.
Entertaining?.......2007-07-30
This is a great book for readers who are interested in an overview of the anatomical and physiological functions of the brain. If you have had any previous A+P, this book may give you flashbacks (and does a good job of explaining how those feelings were "created.") You may even recognise many of the examples and case studies right from classic lectures.
If you are approaching "The Accidental Mind" as pure entertainment, enjoy. If you are looking for juicier or more in depth case studies, keep browsing.
A Very Refreshing Book On Brain Science.......2007-07-18
The addition of this review is to fill in one gap in particular. Dr. Linden is the first scientific author I have read in quite a while that wasn't flip with schools of thought. He has distilled research with varied hypothesis and has enough respect for his field and the reader to frankly state when "We just don't know." My only regret is that Dr. Linden didn't make this book the "larger tomb" he mentions when wrapping up the research that didn't make it into the book. Highly recommended to anyone who is mystified by belief and dreams.
A Perspective-Changing Read about the Brain.......2007-07-04
Why do we sleep? What is love? What is happening when we dream? These questions seem so basic to our human experience, and yet the average person in at a complete loss to explain even the most common of our daily experiences. This is where the Accidental Mind comes in. Linden's book offers a refreshingly different perspective on the brain. After reading this book, you will have a much better understanding of how your brain shapes your experience, it's limitations, and what is going on "behind the curtain." Intelligence, gender identity, sexuality, are all covered with an eye to how these factors play out in the architecture of the brain.
This book also provides a great deal of information on the biological basis for issues that are being debated in our culture, which many people will find enlightening and necessary for making informed comments.
If you are considering picking up this book, read Chapter 7 on sleep, available for free from Linden's website:
[...]
While the book may sometimes goes into great detail on the biology, most readers will find plenty of compelling information in these pages. People who enjoy this book and are interested in some of the practical insights that new research is providing about humans, how we work, and practical advice for improving our lives should check out The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt.
Happy reading!
For your thinking and reading friends...........2007-05-31
I found The Accidental Mind a well written, humorous and thought-provoking introduction to neuroscience and to some profound ideas about evolution and other topics. It's the kind of book that makes you interrupt your partner's reading every five minutes with "Hey, listen to this...." If Dr. Linden lectures as entertainingly and interestingly as he writes, his classes at Johns Hopkins University must be in great demand.
Book Description
An exploration of the nature of our mind, from the inside out, by a leading neurobiologist.
Over the last twenty years, there has been growing attention in the Western world to mindfulness—paying attention to life in the present moment. Here, Daniel J. Siegel investigates the phenomenon of mindfulness as it impacts our daily lives, offering readers insight into personal relationships, emotional behavior, parenting, and work.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting.......2007-08-09
This is an interesting book. I bought it because I live in Los Angeles, and there is a Mindful Awareness program at UCLA. I wanted to see what that program was all about before I joined it. [...]
which is the mindful awareness research center site (MARC)at UCLA. There you can download some mindful awareness meditations. They are pretty good in helping you get into a state of greater mindful awareness.
Could be a life changing book.......2007-07-04
This book outlines the steps one can take to develop a self observer. It is the self observer within us that allows us to become architects of our destinies. Backed up with current research on how emotional trauma or experience lays down pathways in our brains that, once identified, can be re routed if need be.
The Mindful Brain.......2007-06-14
I found the content of this book fascinating and important (5 stars) but the writing ponderous and redundant (2 stars), for the most part. It is an ambitious attempt to synthesize and interpret scientific research and the author's personal experience in an emerging field that is fraught with speculation. Perhaps because of this, the author appears to have cobbled together every study potentially relating brain function and mindfulness, weaving back and forth to make every possible connection, rather than following a few salient lines of thinking and explicating them clearly. Difficult as it was to digest some of the material (I am a practiced reader of science but had to read too many sentences too many times), I benefited personally and immediately from several of the concepts presented such as streams of awareness, parenting styles ("secure attachment"), approach mindset and mindful education, and I look forward to further research in this field. I had imagined the brain research to be further along than it is and expected more about research on meditation, so I was a tad disappointed, but this is not the author's fault. In spite of the poor presentation, there was some delightful new learning for me and I am glad to have read this.
The Foundations for a Sea Change in Psychological Health and Personal Development.......2007-05-29
A favorite book of mine is Ellen Langer's "Mindfulness." Happily still in print though it is nearly twenty years old. With it, Ellen, an eminent academic at Harvard introduced the psychological community to something that lies at the core of many religious, spiritual and contemplative practices.
This marvelous book by the co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Center is a next step. To give you a flavor of the book, let me quote from the Preface,
"Welcome to a journey into the heart of our lives. Being mindfully aware, attending to the richness of our here-and-now experiences, creates scientifically recognized enhancements in out physiology, our mental functions, and our inter-personal relationships. Being fully present in out awareness opens our lives to new possibilities of well-being.
Almost all cultures have practices that help people develop awareness of the moment. Each of the major religions of the world utilizes some method to enable individuals to focus their attention, from meditation to prayer, yoga to t'ai chi."
For Daniel Siegel, being "mindful: means being aware, of being conscientious, with kindness and care." He uses a helpful acronym: COAL, for curiosity, openness, acceptance and love.
As Daniel points out, we are in desperate need of finding a new way of being, not just in ourselves, but in our relationships, schools and in society as a whole. Professionals constantly see the terrible consequences for people who feel social isolation, dislocation and alienation. Yet until the advent of the Positive Psychology movement, academic psychology, psychotherapy and psychiatry had all focused almost exclusively on the sick mind. To this day, most people working in these fields have been taught little if anything about mental health, ad even fewer are engaged in practices that can keep them healthy and resilient. It is no coincidence that people working in psychology and psychiatry have some of the highest burnout rates of any of the major professions.
The burgeoning evidence of the extraordinary plasticity of the human brain also has another side to it: if we are not mindful, if we are in unhealthy relationships, and if we are without any kind of inspiration or moral compass, our brains get wired in ways that they should not. And the earlier in life that it happens, the more difficult it is to unravel later. This is the reason why abuse in childhood can have effects that last decades.
This book is an attempt to redress the balance. The book is divided into four sections, fourteen chapters and three appendices:
PART I MIND, BRAIN, AND AWARENESS
1. A Mindful Awareness
2. Brain Basics
PART II IMMERSION IN DIRECT EXPERIENCE
3. A Week of Silence
4. Suffering and the Streams of Awareness
PART III FACETS OF THE MINDFUL BRAIN
5. Subjectivity and Science
6. Harnessing the Hub: Attention and the Wheel of Awareness
7. Jettisoning Judgments: Dissolving Top-Down Constraints
8. Internal Attunement: Mirror Neurons, Resonance, and Attention to Intention
9. Reflective Coherence: Neural Integration and Middle Prefrontal Function
10. Flexibility of Feeling: Affective Style and an Approach Mindset
11. Reflective Thinking: Imagery and the Cognitive Style of Mindful Learning
PART IV REFLECTIONS ON THE MINDFUL BRAIN
12. Educating the Mind: The Fourth ``R'' and the Wisdom of Reflection
13. Reflection in Clinical Practice: Being Present and Cultivating the Hub
14. The Mindful Brain in Psychotherapy: Promoting Neural Integration
Afterword: Reflections on Reflection
Appendix I Reflection and Mindfulness Resources
Appendix II Glossary and Terms
Appendix III Neural Notes
The book is well referenced and there is a good index.
As you will see from the chapter headings, the book is rooted in neuroscience and reviews the empirical evidence that our minds can not only control our brains, but also grow and develop them. Healthy experiences can help us cultivate our brains, our minds and our sense of well-being. What he has done in this book is to provide a theoretical foundation for the neuropsychology and consequences of mindfulness. As a neuroscientist, I thought that his models made extremely good sense. He writes well, and I do not think that what he has to say would be difficult for anyone with a high school education.
Why is this important? Because it shows that there are ways of maintaining and perhaps restoring mental health without medications or other external interventions. Of course there are times when medicines can be the only option, and literally life saving. But they are not always necessary. This brain-based approach is also very helpful for people who re already engaged in meditation, prayer or other forms of mindfulness training. It can be very helpful to know something about what is going on inside your head, without having to rely on experience alone.
Daniel shows that mindfulness is something that can easily be taught and learned, and that the consequences of using the techniques can be extraordinary, not only for ourselves, but also for our families and friends.
Though not, strictly speaking, a "how to" book on achieving mindfulness, there are ample descriptions of the keys that we need to attain it. He also provides details of some organizations that offer mindfulness training.
Very highly recommended.
The Doctor says "take a deep breath"- now you know why!.......2007-05-07
In this book a psychiatrist/medical doctor brilliantly investigates the potential of mindfulness as a holistic prescription to wellness, neuroplasticity, and the unexpected benefit of improved social relationships. Educators will benefit from reading this book and applying Dr. Siegel's "wheel of attention" in classrooms. Medical and mental health practitioners have the opportunity to offer their patients young and old new insight into an ancient tool to better physical and mental health. Anyone who has had the opportunity to hear Dr. Siegel speak will appreciate how he has put into print his personal and professional insight from cross-discipline perspectives.
Average customer rating:
- Interestingly probative; woefully incomplete
- Might be too technical for the average listener
- any impressario, non-performer, non-musician, lacks credibility
- Music For The Brain?
- Very interesting
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This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
Daniel J. Levitin
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
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Book Description
A fascinating exploration of the relationship between music and the mind—and the role of melodies in shaping our lives
Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life—even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Music unravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature, including:
• Are our musical preferences shaped in utero?
• Is there a cutoff point for acquiring new tastes in music?
• What do PET scans and MRIs reveal about the brainÂ's response to music?
• Is musical pleasure different from other kinds of pleasure?
This Is Your Brain on Music explores cultures in which singing is considered an essential human function, patients who have a rare disorder that prevents them from making sense of music, and scientists studying why two people may not have the same definition of pitch. At every turn, this provocative work unlocks deep secrets about how nature and nurture forge a uniquely human obsession. BACKCOVER: “I know Dan to have a deep musical knowledge and strong intellect combined with a warm spirit and a big heart. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music . . . He is a fine writer and has the ability to make difficult concepts very clear.”
—STEVIE WONDER
Customer Reviews:
Interestingly probative; woefully incomplete.......2007-10-15
Let me first say that I enjoyed reading this book. It helped me better understand both music and neuroscience. Music's influence on us is a fascinating and powerful subject.
That having been said, however, I do need to make at least one criticism. Levitin's evolutionary explanation for the development of music is egregiously one-sided. He suggests, with others, that music may be an outward demonstration of intelligence and physical prowess - look at me, I can afford to waste all this time and energy - akin to the male peacock's tail. THIS IS ALL WELL AND GOOD FOR MALES, BUT WHAT ABOUT FEMALES!? I read not one sentence in Levitin's book explaining what evolutionary theory would have to say about female singing. I'm willing to accept adaptive explanations for many things.. but in this case Levitin does little to ward off the inevitable criticism that his book features a number of very half-based "just so" stories.
Might be too technical for the average listener.......2007-10-11
A background in music that goes beyond light listening is required to follow parts of this book easily. Or time and effort could be necessary for many readers. But that would take you away from listening to your favorite music unless you can read about music and listen to it at the same time.
any impressario, non-performer, non-musician, lacks credibility.......2007-10-03
For a musicican, for one trained as a musician, this is a heady intellectual book. However, it often misses the point - entirely, aesthetically, and in practical terms. For instance, a piece practiced a 1000 times, according to the author, should be peerless. Obviously, this is not true. The native talent of the performer is paramount, and, most of all, the piece may be practiced WRONGLY 1000 times, of which, as a non-performer, the author is clearly unaware. The author also almost completely ignores the influence and insight of professional classical performers. The author is an administrator and impressario of rock and probably rap bands. The author has no training in musicology, and probably never talked to a musicologist. I admire the intent, but there are no breakthroughs here in understanding, or enjoying music, and no great insights into music's magic.
Music For The Brain?.......2007-10-01
Certainly well documented and written for those in the know. It tends to be somewhat boring on some occations but you have to continue on the read to hear the music!
Very interesting.......2007-09-30
Being a musician, I was suprised at how little I actually knew about sound. The book was very interesting and well written. If you're at all curious about the phycology of sound, check out this book.
Book Description
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 theyÂ'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.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting book and information.......2007-10-14
It was just what I am looking for and glad I got it. Excellent condition and delivered in a timely fashion.
Very interesting.......2007-10-05
Although this book gives a lot of valuable information, you will have to wade through the usual psychological jargon.
Superb writing on a complex and fascinating subject.......2007-09-12
What a fantastic and absorbing subject, so very well explained and defended by the author.
I believe this book to be a must read for everyone interested in, or subject to, some of the strange and intricate brain disorders we see developing and spreading in Amercian society.
Doctor Doidge has done an excellent job in brining this material to life while breaking down a complex subject into a highly readable format.
Great and easy to read.......2007-09-02
One of the best "brain" books out there.
Each chapter introduces it's own seperated brain related topic. Felt like I read many book--for my many interests, this is a good thing.
As an educator this helps explains many different behaviors and learning styles.
I have recomm this book to many.
When Change is Possible - Miracles Can Happen.......2007-08-27
If you're like me - a rank amateur in the field of brain science - you'll find that Dr. Doidge has authored an interesting and compelling text to explain the science of neuroplasticity. More importantly, you'll discover the implications of the "new" discoveries that show that the human brain is malleable throughout our lifetime.
While I sometimes got lost in the details, Dr. Doidge provided enough easy to understand nuggets to allow me to grasp that the science of neuroplasticity has life altering applicability to all human beings. The text provides many stories of personal triumph that could be seen as unimaginable miracles to those who have no background in this exciting science. The stories have not only been useful in my own life, they have shown themselves to be useful to others as I share these exciting discoveries with friends who have children who struggle with similar stories as those depicted in the text.
I would not classify this text in the self-help genre. It is a detailed exploration of the brains ability to change itself and it prepares the reader with sufficient knowledge and encouragement to seek solutions that just a few years ago were thought to be the stuff of miracles.
Book Description
Every brain begins as a female brain. It only becomes male eight weeks after conception, when excess testosterone shrinks the communications center, reduces the hearing cortex, and makes the part of the brain that processes sex twice as large.
Louann Brizendine, M.D. is a pioneering neuropsychiatrist who brings together the latest findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and whom they’ll love. Brizendine reveals the neurological explanations behind why
• A woman remembers fights that a man insists never happened
• A teen girl is so obsessed with her looks and talking on the phone
• Thoughts about sex enter a woman’s brain once every couple of days but enter a man’s brain about once every minute
• A woman knows what people are feeling, while a man can’t spot an emotion unless somebody cries or threatens bodily harm
• A woman over 50 is more likely to initiate divorce than a man
Women will come away from this book knowing that they have a lean, mean communicating machine. Men will develop a serious case of brain envy.
Customer Reviews:
Just WOW.......2007-10-16
I picked up this book after perusing the reviews and was definately not disappointed. If you are a woman, know a woman, or want to know a woman, then pick up this book and read it...cover to cover. For women, it will be a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. For those who know women, it will shed some light on our daily struggles and "mood swings". For those who want to know a woman, this book will reveal us in all our complexity, simplicity, strength, and weakness. I can't give it enough stars!!!
On Point!.......2007-10-15
The book is great! It is easy to read and so very insightful. There are so many things we don't know about when it comes to our own bodies. This book explains one of, if not the most important part!
A must to read for every man.......2007-10-02
More than reading The Female Brain i also listened to it after buying it from audiobook.
My advise is that this book is a must read for every man.
The book is very will written and the author Dr. Louann Brizendine did all of us a favour by going very deep in the Female Brain.
I can not wait to see Dr. Louann Brizendine write about the Male Brain,I am sure that it will be another best seller.
Bravo Dr.Brizendine.
Ibrahim Al Mugaiteeb
Saudi Arabia
humanrightsfirst_saudiarabia@yahoo.com
the female brain.......2007-10-01
The Female Brain is a great book to read for any parent and coach who is interested to find out about the needs and wants of a woman of different age groups. It is especially good read for the coaches who train women (most of them are men) to understand what drives the women to performance and how to fuel this drive. A must read book!
Not at all pleased.......2007-09-21
I began reading the first chapter of the book and I found my self slamming the book down and walking out of the room in an aggressive and angry mood. The first chapter pretty much sums up how she will approach the rest of the book. The largest issue I had is that she does not take into consideration environmental or social factors. Rather, she believes that we are fated by our chemistry. I am a prospective graduate student in philosophy who has done work on intelligibility and epistemology based on our physical and physiological bodies. I specifically used Anne Fausto-Sterling in my work (she's a biologist). She argues that our biology is not just something that happens, but rather our environment has the potential to affect our biology. For instance, today the words in this book caused me to have an angry reaction. I became aggressive and more alert than I was before. The thoughts that occurred in my head triggered a physiological response. Thus, my interpretation of something external caused me to react physiologically. She doesn't address (or at least this is what I gathered from the first chapter) that something externally can cause our hormones to shift. I could ramble on and on , but this is primarily what concerns me.
Book Description
Formerly a publication of The Brain Store
Turn a borderline student into a confident achiever.
This full-color book is packed with powerful tools, techniques, and strategies to help students improve brain function. The author presents a concise outline for identifying the symptoms and causes of prevalent impairments, such as oppositional disorder, attention deficit, dyslexia, hyperactivity, depression, auditory processing deficits, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Different Brains, Different Learners.......2005-08-28
A great book for teachers as well as parents. It helps to understand what is or may be happening in the brain. I like the recommendations given on ways we can help alleviate stressful events under given conditions.
Lacking.......2003-01-21
This book lacks the depth it seems to promise. Some of the illustrations are lacking. There is not enough meat to help anyone with special needs learners. I would suggest you look elsewhere. I was greatly disappointed since the majority of work by Jensen is wonderful.
Essential reading for all teachers.......2001-09-10
Eric Jensen knows the needs of busy teachers and has the gift in helping them to utilize up-to-date knowledge in brain studies. Here it is applied to identifying 10 types of different learners: 1. impulsive ones with ADD, 2. resigned with learned helplessness, 3. challenged reader with dyslexia, 4. argumentative with oppositional disorder, 5. frustrated with learning delayed, 6. hyperactive, 7. with auditory-processing deficits, 8. out of control, 9. the demotivated with chronic threat and distress, and 10. depressed and troubled.
You are given a pre-test and a post-test of 10 unique students to see if you can identify the patterns of symptoms rather than isolated behaviors. There are many color-prints of corresponding brain-images and graphic charts that facilitate learning. Brief summaries of treatment methods, supplementary resources on books, websites and organizations are given on each type. All teachers should acquire such general background knowledge so that the unqiue needs and gifts of students can be respected.
Books:
- The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library)
- The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls (American Girl Library)
- The Case Against Darwin: Why the Evidence Should Be Examined
- The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Silver on the Tree; The Grey King; Greenwitch; The Dark Is Rising; and Over Sea, Under Stone
- The Elephant's Secret Sense: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa
- The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11
- The Firecracker Boys
- The Ghost Map
- The History of Mathematics: An Introduction
- The Mandala of Being: Discovering the Power of Awareness
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