Boys who play with Barbie dolls. Girls who join the football team. What is gender? What are gender roles? What's the difference between being a tomboy and being transgender? Is it possible to be in the wrong body? Explore the answers to these questions with an in-depth look at what it means to be transgender, based on the personal experiences of the men and women who have taken steps to transition. Learn from the experiences of transgender young people who make the significant choice to live openly as another gender while still in high school. Uncover the reality of this often misunderstood group and how it fits into the LBGT community.
With warmth and compassion, Sandra Ingerman describes the dramatic results of combining soul retrieval with contemporary psychological concepts in this visionary work that revives the ancient shamanic tradition of soul retrieval for healing emotional and physical illness. This revised and updated edition includes a new afterword by the author.
"Everything feels unreal to me, like a dream...I feel detached, like a stranger to myself." These are quotes from actual people, experiencing something they don't understand. What they are saying is being heard by friends, families, and physicians today more than ever before. They do not simply suffer from anxiety, or depression, and they are not schizophrenic. They have found themselves trapped in a very real and singular disorder, yet few even know its name. Their enigmatic state of mind has been studied for more than 100 years, but only recently has it become clear how prevalent and how distinctive it really is. The condition is called Depersonalization Disorder, and Feeling Unreal is the first book to reveal what it's all about. This important volume explores not only Depersonalization, but the philosophical and literary implications of selflessness as well, while providing the latest research, possible treatments, and ways to live and thrive when life seems "unreal." For those who still believe that such experiences are merely part of something else, that depersonalization is just a symptom and not a disorder in its own right, Feeling Unreal presents compelling evidence to the contrary. This book provides long-awaited answers for people suffering from Depersonalization Disorder and their loved ones, for mental health professionals, and for all students of the condition, while serving as a wake up call to the medical community at large.
Picking up where Quiet ended, How to Be Yourself is the best book you’ll ever read about how to conquer social anxiety. “This book is also a groundbreaking road map to finally being your true, authentic self.” —Susan Cain, New York Times, USA Today and nationally bestselling author of Quiet Up to 40% of people consider themselves shy. You might say you’re introverted or awkward, or that you're fine around friends but just can't speak up in a meeting or at a party. Maybe you're usually confident but have recently moved or started a new job, only to feel isolated and unsure. If you get nervous in social situations—meeting your partner's friends, public speaking, standing awkwardly in the elevator with your boss—you've probably been told, “Just be yourself!” But that's easier said than done—especially if you're prone to social anxiety. Weaving together cutting-edge science, concrete tips, and the compelling stories of real people who have risen above their social anxiety, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen proposes a groundbreaking idea: you already have everything you need to succeed in any unfamiliar social situation. As someone who lives with social anxiety, Dr. Hendriksen has devoted her career to helping her clients overcome the same obstacles she has. With familiarity, humor, and authority, Dr. Hendriksen takes the reader through the roots of social anxiety and why it endures, how we can rewire our brains through our behavior, and—at long last—exactly how to quiet your Inner Critic, the pesky voice that whispers, "Everyone will judge you." Using her techniques to develop confidence, think through the buzz of anxiety, and feel comfortable in any situation, you can finally be your true, authentic self.
An accessible approach to helping anyone struggling with depression to reclaim a joyful life. From feeling exhausted or blue to not being able to get out of bed, depression happens on a spectrum and can affect anyone. Our current approach of medicine and therapy doesn't always offer all the answers. But according to Amy B. Scher, that’s not as much of a mystery as you might think. If you’ve done everything to heal from depression but are still stuck, you’re not alone. Amy sees it as the literal depression of self—a side effect of being buried under our lives. It’s not all in your head. It’s not all in your body, either. It happens in the whole self. But just as depression happens in every part of you, healing does too. Scher’s bestselling books have been endorsed by prominent physicians and helped thousands of people overcome chronic illness, emotional challenges, and more. With How to Heal Yourself from Depression When No One Else Can, she brings her proven approach of using energy therapy for releasing emotional stress and trauma to one of the most widespread mental health challenges of our time. In this book, you’ll: Learn how invisible emotions may be negatively affecting youUnderstand why it’s okay to stop chasing that mountain of happiness we’ve been programmed to chase (spoiler alert: it doesn’t even exist)Release stuck emotional baggage, even if you don’t know what it isUse emotional healing techniques such as The Sweep to release subconscious beliefs and Thymus Test & Tap to clear stuck emotions from the bodyLearn how to release patterns like perfectionism, lack of boundaries, fear, and more that contribute to depressionGet answers for your healing from your subconscious mindFinally end the cycle of depression and become the happiest, healthiest version of yourself Amy has proven that working with the body’s energy system for deep transformation is often effective when nothing else works. Here she brings much-needed relief to anyone who wants to end the cycle of depression and rediscover the inherent wellness that resides in each of us.
Uplifting meditations designed for readers who have been victims of torture, abuse, and cruelty at the hands of other human beings. Written to bring hope and comfort to victims of domestic or partner abuse or child abuse, service members with PTSD, victims of torture in declared and undeclared wars and forced conscription, victims of sexual abuse and slavery, victims of unjust labor practices and genocide. This is not a book about retribution but about recognizing our individual and collective suffering. Once we become able to cherish and hold sacred our own and one anothers broken hearts, we stand to face our perpetrators as survivors. We learn that we are stronger because of our experiences. And perhaps we also learn to forgive.
One of the most beloved and trusted mindfulness teachers in America offers a lifeline for difficult times: the RAIN meditation, which awakens our courage and heart Tara Brach is an in-the-trenches teacher whose work counters today's ever-increasing onslaught of news, conflict, demands, and anxieties--stresses that leave us rushing around on auto-pilot and cut off from the presence and creativity that give our lives meaning. In this heartfelt and deeply practical book, she offers an antidote: an easy-to-learn four-step meditation that quickly loosens the grip of difficult emotions and limiting beliefs. Each step in the meditation practice (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) is brought to life by memorable stories shared by Tara and her students as they deal with feelings of overwhelm, loss, and self-aversion, with painful relationships, and past trauma--and as they discover step-by-step the sources of love, forgiveness, compassion, and deep wisdom alive within all of us.
“Constructive wallowing” seems like an oxymoron. Constructive is a good thing, but wallowing is bad. Right? But wait a minute; is it really so terrible to give ourselves a time-out to feel our feelings? Or is it possible that wallowing is an act of loving kindness, right when we need it most? Just about everyone loves the idea of self-compassion -- the notion that maybe in spite of our messy emotions and questionable behavior, we really aren’t all that bad. In recent years there’s been an explosion of books that encourage readers to stop beating themselves up for being human, which is terrific. Unfortunately, readers who aren’t interested in Buddhism or meditation have been left out in the cold. Self-compassion is an everyday habit that everyone can learn, even if they a) aren't particularly spiritual, b) find most books about self-compassion too serious, or else c) have already overdosed on meditation. Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings by Letting Yourself Have Them is the first book to cut right to the chase, bypassing descriptions of Eastern philosophy and meditation techniques to teach readers exactly how to accept and feel their feelings with self-compassion for greater emotional health and well-being … while making them laugh from time to time. It seems that the wisdom of “keeping your friends close and your enemies closer” applies to emotions as well as people. It’s tempting to turn away from menacing, uncomfortable feelings like anger, grief or regret and treat them like unwanted guests; however, ignoring them just seems to make them stick around. They lurk in the background like punks with switchblades, waiting to pounce as soon as they see an opening. By learning to accept and embrace, rather than suppress, difficult feelings, people can keep their sense of personal power and, better yet, gain greater understanding and ultimately esteem for themselves. Feeling bad can actually lead to feeling better, faster!
Is obsessing about food making you miserable and anxious? Are you an emotional eater? A binge eater? Do you have a mental list of 'bad' foods? Have you been on a diet for as long as you can remember? When you lose weight, do you always put it back on? Do you go to bed feeling guilty, promising 'tomorrow will be different'? Are you in control of every part of your life, except food? In just seven chapters of straight-talking, friendly advice, Lyndi Cohen shares the tools to heal your relationship with food and release you from fixating on your size, even if you've been dieting for years. Learn how to listen to your hunger and calm your mind. Lyndi is one of Australia's most popular dietitians, known as The Nude Nutritionist of Channel 9's TODAY show. She started dieting as a young teenager, unhappy with her growing body, and gave up in misery, having steadily gained weight for more than a decade. Almost by accident she become a mindful and intuitive eater, and along the way she gently lost 20kg. With over 50 deliciously realistic recipes (no 'superfoods' required) you'll also be inspired to eat well to boost your mood and balance your hormones. Change starts today.