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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Healing From Dysfunctional Life in New Memoir

 Title: Unfold Me; Unfold Layers of Your Wounded Heart and Begin Living Your Dream Life

Author: Deirdre Maloney

Publisher: Unfolding Press

Publication Date: January 2, 2021

Length: 134 Pages

About the Author
Deirdre Maloney is the founder of High Gate Racing, Canada's largest all-female competitive cycling team. She is also the co-founder of a women's support group in her own community. Deirdre believes in sharing our stories to cultivate more collective healing.

Resilience, Insight, and Healing
Deirdre Maloney takes an honest look at her life and is determined to learn from her past mistakes and take responsibility for her actions. She was raised in a dysfunctional family and suffered an eating disorder, abuse, and molestation at a young age. As she grew older, she was involved with drug abuse, prostitution, and extremely abusive relationships with men. 

The author decided her life experience was going to be a story of resilience that needed to be shared. She was determined to turn her pain into purpose.

My Thoughts
This book is not for the faint-hearted. The author was very transparent about her life and this book includes X-rated language and experiences that might make some person blush. However, I have to admire the way she put the past behind her and focused on making a better life for herself and her family. 

The positive changes came in Ms. Maloney's life when a therapist suggested that she join a women's support group for group therapy. The most important thing she learned was acceptance. This is exactly what she needed for healing.

The last chapter in this book is titled "A Wholehearted Life". The author reflects on her healing journey and offers practical insights to anyone who is serious about making positive changes in their life.  Change does not come easy, but it is possible. This young lady has overcome some incredible challenges and I wish her nothing but the best.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I purchased a digital copy of this book with my own funds.

Clever and Humorous Little Book for Dealing With Anxiety

 

Title: It's Hard To Be A Person; Defeating Anxiety, Surviving The World and Having More Fun.

Author: Brett Newski

Publisher: Ramshackle Press

Publication Date: June 21, 2021

About the Author
When a couple of doodles he’d posted to social media making light of his struggle with anxiety and depression garnered a surprising and overwhelming response, Brett Newski decided to make his relatable coping mechanism of drawings into a series. Now, Newski presents three years' worth of drawings in his book.

Humorous Thoughts for Dealing With Life
The author uses doodles and simple line drawings to shed light on anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. This is a comic book for teens and adults that offers some light-hearted advice for dealing with life's challenges.

My Thoughts
This is both an art/comic book and a self-help book rolled into one great package. The doodles and drawings are so much fun! I have read this book several times and enjoy it more each time I experience it.

The author faces the challenges of life with a healthy sense of humor. Each new page brings smiles and even laughter. There is serious advice mixed in with the humorous drawings and doodles.

"When you're down and out, It's normal to feel like you'll be stuck there forever. Please note, EVERYTHING is temporary."

If you could use some positivity in your life, this book is for you!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital review copy of this book from NetGalley. 

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Brave Young Lady Conquors Depression and Social Anxiety - A Book Review

A Way Out: A Memoir of Conquering Depression and Social Anxiety

Author: Michelle Balge

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Publication Date: February 27, 2018

Pages: 202 Pages



About the Author
Michelle Balge is a mental health advocate, web designer and animal lover. She holds an Honors BA in Sociology with a concentration in Critical Animal Studies, and will receive a Web Design Graduate Certificate in June, 2018.

Mental Illness Is Real
Michelle Balge provides a raw, unfiltered look into the world of mental illness.

She shares the thoughts that almost destroyed her. Suicidal thoughts invaded her mind and cast a dark shadow over her existence. They threatened to steal her future.

Michelle is a fighter. She will not surrender to the illness and let it control her life.

Here are some resources and techniques that helped the author battle her mental illness;

• See a doctor/therapist.
• Medication.
• Healthy eating.
• Exercise.
• Breathing techniques.
• Have a good support system.
• Volunteering or joining something that interests you where you can meet people.
• Meditation and mindfulness.
• Group therapy.
• Maintain a regular sleep schedule.
  

Michelle Balge learned that her mental illness can be treated and she has hope for the future.

My Thoughts
This book was difficult to read. The author's goal was to be completely transparent and share her experiences in a way that would make a difference.

Ms. Balge displayed persistence, courage and determination in her fight with depression and social anxiety during her childhood and into young adulthood. She would not allow fear to win. She set out to educate herself and find the professional help she needed to overcome and conquer the demons in her mind.

This is a very timely story in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. We can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand and ignore the problem of mental illness in our society. 

Ms. Balge demonstrates a tremendous amount of insight into her illness at a very young age. She will conquer her depression and social anxiety and succeed in helping herself and others.

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair review.

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Book Review: Never Feel Old Again by Raymond Francis

Never Feel Old Again: Aging Is a Mistake--Learn How to Avoid It (Never Be)

Author: Raymond Francis

Publisher: Health Communications, Inc.

Release Date: October 1, 2013





About The Author
Raymond Francis is an internationally recognized leader in the field of optimal-health maintenance. At the age of 76, Raymond Francis is president of Beyond Health International, a supplier of highly advanced health education and world class health-supporting products to the public.

Getting Old Is Not For Sissies!
Raymond Francis believes the body ages as a result of accumulated repair deficits, or a lack of maintenance. He says the passage of time alone does not explain what happens to our bodies. What we think of as "aging" is a man-made disease that is preventable and even reversible. The author believes everyone can live to a healthy old age and no one needs to become feeble and die in a nursing home.

Mr. Francis endorses the Beyond Health Model which employs the following six pathways; 

• The Nutrition Pathway
• The Toxin Pathway
• The Mental Pathway
• The Physical Pathway
• The Genetic Pathway
• The Medical Pathway

This book provides valuable advice on how to change old habits and start living a healthy lifestyle. The author believes you can live a strong, purposeful, active, drug-free and disease-free life well into your hundreds!

My Thoughts
This book offers an amazing amount of information. The author has done his research and is very passionate about natural healing and reversing the aging process.

I found the information in this book very interesting but I know it will be a real challenge for me to make the changes in my life that Mr. Frances recommends. The author acknowledges that "habits and addictions are real obstacles to any positive change in your life". However, I think any major lifestyle change begins with a series of small steps. I think the information in this book will inspire me to eat healthier foods, lose some weight and increase my physical activity.

This book will give you many things to think about. You might not agree with everything the author suggests, but I am pretty sure you will find many helpful tips that will improve your health and quality of life.

They say that "getting old is not for sissies!" This book will give you a new understanding of the aging process and provide information that will help you age with dignity and grace.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a digital preview copy of this book from NetGalley.

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Book Review: Maximum Brainpower; Challenging The Brain For Health And Wisdom

Maximum Brainpower: Challenging the Brain for Health and Wisdom

Authors: Shlomo Breznitz and Collins Hemingway

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Date: June 26, 2012

Pages: 288


About The Authors
Shlomo Breznitz is the founder of CogniFit, a company devoted to the goal of improving cognitive fitness. The author of seven books and many scientific articles, he has been engaged as a visiting professor by numerous leading institutions, including the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, and the London School of Economics.

Collins Hemingway is a writer and technologist who has co-written several books and written innumerable articles for the general public.

Challenging The Brain
Most people realize that a fit brain is likely the most important contributor to a long, healthy and active life. "Maximum Brainpower" discusses the brain in a way that is understandable, interesting and challenging. The book provides a lifelong strategy to keep the mind active and the brain healthy.

Did you know that?

• Mental stress can have more devastating impact on us than physical stress.
• Experts are often less mentally agile than jack-of-all-trades.
• Hope is a major healing agent.
• Mental exercises such as crossword puzzles and Sudoku are of minimal help in building brainpower.
• A college education can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's by two-thirds. The main benefit of college is it provides more interesting and challenging career choices. The more challenging our life work, the more stimulated our brains become and the greater the cognitive reserves we build.

Dr. Breznitz states that we can't change what happened earlier in our lives, but at any age we can begin to engage our brains. We can take college courses NOW. We can learn new skills...a musical instrument or a new language. We can engage in new activities...especially those involving physical exercise, which helps build the brain. The greater the variety of our activities, the better it is for the brain. Every different thing we do stimulates our brain in different ways.
 
My Thoughts
 I learned a great deal of information from this book. The book grabbed my attention in the first few chapters when it explained that it is very difficult for us to "unlearn" something that is learned from past experience. The author stated we learn early and quickly but then tend to settle into relatively fixed attitudes for the rest of our lives. The problem is that experience often teaches us the wrong lessons.

This book will be life-changing for all who read it, study it and apply the principles that are presented. It is time for us to change our thinking if we want a long and healthy life.  I recommend this book to all who are interested in complete body health and fitness.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary print copy of this book from the author's publicist to read and review.

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