Building a Life Worth Living

 

Title: Building a Life Worth Living; A Memoir

Author: Marsha M. Linehan

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: January 7, 2020

Length: 343 Pages

Audible: 12 Hours and 19 Minutes

About the Author
Marsha M. Linehan, Ph.D., ABPP, is the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and a professor of psychology, adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics at the University of Washington.

"You can't think yourself into new ways of acting; you can only act yourself into new ways of thinking."
Dr. Marsha Linehan shares her life story and how she developed Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). 
The four skills in DBT are;

• Mindfulness
• Distress Tolerance
• Emotion Regulation
• Interpersonal Effectiveness

These skills are designed to assist people in managing behaviors, emotions, and thoughts.

My Thoughts
I was recently introduced to DBT while reading "DBT for Everyone" for Net Galley. I was curious to learn more about this therapy and I thought this book would provide good background information. The book exceeded all my expectations!

Dr. Linehan shares her life story from the time she was growing up in Oklahoma to her long distinguished career as a psychologist and mental health researcher.

When the author was 18 years old, she entered a psychiatric hospital and stayed there for two years. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia but later believed she was actually suffering from borderline personality disorder. The time Dr. Linehan spent in the hospital inspired her to devote her life to helping other women who were suffering the way she had suffered. She taught her clients specific skills that could be used to build a life worth living. 

This book is inspiring and informative. It is written in a manner that is understandable to the lay reader. Dr. Linehan's DBT therapy offers skills and strategies that can be used by anyone who is interested in emotional intelligence. The book has prepared me to investigate DBT skills in greater detail. I listened to the audiobook on Audible and hope to revisit the information in print format.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

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My Alien Life by J. Martain - Audiobook Review

Title: My Alien Life; a Novelette (Audiobook)

Author: J. Martain

Narrator: April Doty

Publisher: BooksGoSocial Audio

Publication Date: December 22, 2022

Length: 1 hour, 1 minute

About the Author
 J. Martain is a coastal North Carolina native who spends most of her time questioning the way the universe and all the beings in it work. Her characters are sometimes human, sometimes not, but they prefer not to be judged on that criteria.

Family Drama and Promise Keeping Young Lynette did not remember her mother. She was raised in rural North Carolina by her hard-working father. When Lynette's father died, the only relative willing to take Lynette was her great, great Aunt Magnolia. Lynette was nine years old and Aunt Mag promised to stay alive until Lynette was sixteen years old.

This is the poignant story of Lynette's seven years with her Great-great-aunt Magnolia Rose McClellan, the oldest sister of her mother's great-grandmother. Aunt Mag didn't have very much money, but she taught Lynette the meaning of love, commitment, and family.

The narration of the audiobook is very good. The southern dialect makes the characters come to life.

My Thoughts I listened to the audiobook and I also read a digital copy of the book. The narration of the audiobook is awesome and I enjoyed listening to the story. The characters were very authentic and I felt great empathy for Lynette, especially after her father died. I was not sure about her future with Aunt Mag, but the more I listened the more I realized that Lynette was in the right place.

Aunt Mag was totally committed to raising Lynette and keeping her promise. This short story will make your heart smile.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for a wonderful listening experience.

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La Finca - Audio Book Review

 

TITLE: La Finca; Love, Loss, and Laundry on a Tiny Puerta Rican Island (Audiobook)

AUTHOR: Corky Parker - Narrated by Corky Parker

PUBLISHER: Lantern Audio

PUBLICATION DATE: January 3, 2023

LENGTH: 5 Hours, 58 Minutes

About the Author
Corky Parker was a creative director for a small team she started in Seattle, writing and designing environmental and corporate marketing films. In 1996, she and her husband started La Finca Caribe.

A Life Filled with Adventure, Challenges, and Fun
Corky Parker shares how she and her husband purchased a tourist resort on an isolated island in the Caribbean and named it La Finca Caribe. The property was three acres in the hills of Vieques, a small island just off Puerto Rico's eastern coast. 

There are many poignant stories about the challenges and rewards of living in a tropical paradise.

The audiobook is narrated by the author and she does a wonderful job telling her story with passion and enthusiasm.

My Thoughts
I loved everything about this audiobook. It was fascinating and entertaining from the beginning to the end. 

La Finca sounds like a wonderful place and I am so glad the author shared her memories in this book. Corky hosted hundreds of visitors over a period of nearly 25 years. She has a writing style that makes the reader feel like they have enjoyed the wonderful sights, sounds, and people of the Caribbean Island.

The end of the book finds Corky a widow and her beloved La Finca heavily damaged by Hurricane Maria. The legacy of La Finca Caribe lives on.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

Thank you to NetGalley for an excellent listening opportunity.

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