What is life balance? How do you create a balanced life? And more importantly, If you have a balanced life, is it a better life? Five scientists who spent their career studying life balance gathered for cocktails at an international conference. When the author asked them this question what are the five things we can agree on about life balance? they came to a consensus within a minute. Life Balance: Science and Stories of Everyday Living shares those five characteristics of life balance and supports each point with current research. The science is summarized in refreshing, easy to follow language that clarifies why this topic is timely and relevant to modern lives. The research comes alive with personal stories from interviews of people in various life stages. They share the challenges and joys in their journeys to a balanced life. Chapter exercises encourage self-reflection that may provide useful insights about your life choices. Take the opportunity to learn about life balance, examine your own life choices, and make positive changes in your life.
Understanding Autism: Perspectives, Assessment, Interventions, and the Journey Toward Inclusion is a compelling book offering a multifaceted examination, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of autism spectrum disorder from both biological and social perspectives. From the role of bioactive lipids in the pathobiology of autism to the challenges faced by individuals with autism within the criminal justice system, this book explores critical aspects of autism, assessment strategies, and innovative interventions. From a biological perspective, readers will be introduced to the gut-brain connection and the impact of vitamin D on the gut microbiota. Meanwhile, the social perspective sheds light on sensory processing, autonomic regulation, and socio-emotional development in autism, as well as the pressing issue of justice and representation. Through the assessment section, readers will explore the unique challenges faced by parents with autism spectrum disorder and delve into linguistic anomalies in autism. Finally, the interventions section introduces groundbreaking programs and strategies designed to improve the lives of individuals with autism. Whether you're a healthcare professional, educator, or simply curious about autism, this book is an essential guide that offers diverse insights into this complex condition, ultimately fostering greater awareness, understanding, and support for individuals on the spectrum. - Discusses strategies to help children with autism overcome fears and phobias - Outlines innovative nutrition education interventions tailored for adolescents with autism - Uncovers the role of vitamin D in shaping gut health and its implications for understanding autism
Living Deeply transcends any one approach by focusing on common elements of transformation across a variety of traditions, while affirming and supporting the diversity of approaches across religious, spiritual, scientific, academic, and cultural backgrounds. Each chapter in the book ends with Experiences of Transformation, exercises drawn from wisdom traditions or scientific investigations meant to enhance your direct experience of the material. Opportunities to actively engage in your own transformation and that of our world are woven into the fabric of your everyday life. Learning more about the terrain of consciousness transformation can not only give you a map, but can help you become the cartographer of your own transformative journey. Research over the last decade at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) has systematically surveyed hundreds of people's stories of their own transformations, as well as conducting over 50 in-depth interviews with teachers and masters of the world's spiritual, religious, and transformative traditions. No matter who you are,where you come from, or what your current path is - whether you seek to transform your life completely or simply make adjustments that will add a layer of richness and depth to your life - exploring the many ways that transformation is stimulated and sustained can hold great power. Weaving together cutting-edge science with wisdom from teachers of the world's transformative traditions this book explores how people experience deep shifts in their consciousness, and how those shifts can lead to healing and wholeness. Research over the last decade at the Institute of Noetic Sciences has explored in depth the phenomenon by which people make significant shifts in the way they experience and view the world. Focusing in particular on positive transformations in consciousness, or those that result in improved health, well-being, and sense of meaning, purpose,and belonging, hundreds of people's stories of their own transformations were included in the research, as well as in-depth interviews with over 50 teachers and masters of the world's spiritual, religious, and transformative traditions. Authors Marilyn Mandala Schlitz, Ph.D., Cassandra Vieten, Ph.D., and Tina Amorok, Psy.D. - will begin conducting workshops based on the information they have gathered for this book. These workshops will blend the rigors of science with the deep wisdom of the world’s spiritual traditions. Drs. Schlitz, Vieten, and Amorok will offer key insights from the decade-long qualitative and quantitative research study, of how people transform their lives. The workshops will include rigorous inquiry, group dialogue, and direct experience about the kinds of transformations in consciousness that change a person’s worldview to one that is more connected to others. For more information about the Signature Education Workshops, please visit www.livingdeeply.org Also available is a companion DVD.
Identity Orchestration illustrates the importance of identity balance in behavioral health as seen through a personality psychology lens. The contributors to this collection deeply engage the self and psychological strength by examining race, gender, class, and context with narratives that highlight the asset-based constructs of identity.
This book offers a positive and compelling exploration of how young south Asian women can be encouraged to study science further and to consider STEM as a career. Drawing together both intersectional and personal perspectives, the book celebrates south Asian culture, sharing the stories of these individuals, their multifaceted identities, aspirations and successes. At the micro-level, an intersectional analysis reveals complicated identity negotiations of being young, female, a science-orientated student, imigré, Muslim, a daughter and a sister, as well as how these identities might interact, nest, and shift. The chapters build on the authors' previous work in science education, developing models of science identity (Sci-ID) and women's engagement with the study of science and their aspirations for a science-based career.
Updated to provide a modern look at the daily stessors evolving in our ever changing society, Managing Stress: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World, Tenth Edition provides a comprehensive approach to stress management, honoring the balance and harmony of the mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Referred to as the “authority on stress management” by students and professionals, this book equips readers with the tools needed to identify and manage stress while also coaching on how to strive for health and balance in these changing times. The holistic approach taken by internationally acclaimed lecturer and author Brian Luke Seaward gently guides the reader to greater levels of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being by emphasizing the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection.
Psychosocial health is a fundamental element of all human health and well-being. Psychological, emotional, and social factors interact to influence peoples’ occupational lives, in turn influencing psychosocial health. Occupational therapists practicing in contemporary health and social sectors require the knowledge, attitudes and skills to identify and address these psychosocial factors. The classic and renowned, Bruce & Borg’s Psychosocial Frames of Reference: Theories, Models, and Approaches for Occupation-Based Practice, Fourth Edition by Drs. Terry Krupa, Bonnie Kirsh, and their contributors, examines psychosocial models of practice and their application across a wide range of practice areas in occupational therapy, instead of being singularly focused on practice areas of the needs of people living with identified mental illnesses. Efforts have been made to highlight the relevance of specific models to practice for people with mental illnesses, particularly where the issues experienced by this group have historically been poorly addressed. The authors have also organized models and practice approaches according to the level at which they intervene to create change – occupation, person, environment, and transdisciplinary levels. As their central domain of concern, the first group of occupational models or approaches have a focus on “what people do” in their daily lives. A second group of models reflect those that intervene at the level of the person. This group understands strengths and problems in occupation as evolving largely from features or qualities of the individual, and the therapeutic processes suggested are directed to changing or building upon these features. A third group of models and approaches focus on the psychosocial context and environment to elicit and enable a positive change in occupation. In some cases, these environmental models expand commonly-held, narrow definitions of “clinical” practice to encourage occupational therapists to engage in population-level practices. Finally, a small group of models of practice are labeled as transdisciplinary. Transdisciplinary models provide ways to develop conceptualizations of psychosocial practice issues, practice language, and approaches that are shared across disciplinary boundaries. New in the completely updated Fourth Edition: Contains models and practice approaches that are useful in enabling occupational therapists to address psychosocial concerns relevant to human occupation Explores the psychological, emotional, and social experiences of humans carried out in context and their linkages to occupational engagement and well-being Puts forward practice models that focus on person-level aspects of occupation in psychosocial practice Examines transdisciplinary models and their relationship to psychosocial occupational therapy concepts and practices Presents well established models and frameworks that focus on population and contextual level factors relevant to psychosocial occupational therapy practice Discusses occupational therapy intervention approaches flowing from these models, relevant tools and practices, and, where available, the supporting evidence-base Included with the text are online supplemental materials for faculty use in the classroom. With its updated models and a wide range of practice areas, Bruce & Borg’s Psychosocial Frames of Reference: Theories, Models, and Approaches for Occupation-Based Practice, Fourth Edition is the perfect resource for the occupational therapist student, faculty, and clinician or any practitioner in psychosocial and mental health.
As adults, we have more responsibilities than we could have ever imagined growing up. Learning the work of marriage. Navigating the bumpy terrain of parenting. Maintaining social relationships. Facing grave hardship. Finding contentment in our career. As the years pass by, we sense how the good things in life are so often eclipsed by stress. We find ourselves doing everything we can just to endure adulthood, all the while wondering whether we are actually enjoying it. This is exactly why Dr. Anthony T. DeBenedet decided to write Playful Intelligence: The Power of Living Lightly in a Serious World, to show readers how playfulness helps us counterbalance the seriousness of adulthood. “Five years ago, my life was becoming more intense and stressful,” DeBenedet says. “My relationships, clinical work as a physician, and basic interactions with the world were blurring into a frazzled mosaic. Going through the motions became my norm, and every day brought busyness and exhaustion. I thought about whether I was depressed. I didn’t think I was. Anxious? Sure, but aren’t we all anxious on some level? I also thought about the lifestyle factors that could be making me feel this way. Was I getting enough sleep? Was I exercising regularly? Was I eating healthy? Was I playing and remembering to be playful?” Today, we live in a taxing world. The endless pressure to keep up with our responsibilities and the daily headlines swarming around us can be overwhelming. DeBenedet’s work comes at a time when stress, uncertainty, and intensity levels are high. Playful Intelligence shows adults that there is a way to live lighter—and smarter—as we navigate the seriousness of adulthood. It’s not about taking life less seriously; it’s about taking ourselves less seriously. The book’s core chapters are devoted to exploring the effects and benefits of five playful qualities: imagination, sociability, humor, spontaneity, and wonder. By examining playfulness as a sum of its parts, readers will gain a working awareness of its power and be able to apply playful principles to their own lives, bringing the magic of childhood back into their day-to-day existence. The book also offers practical suggestions on how to make life more playful in nature.
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Provocative and appealing . . . well worth your extremely limited time." —Barbara Spindel, The Wall Street Journal The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be eighty, you have just over four thousand weeks. Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening to-do lists, our overfilled inboxes, work-life balance, and the ceaseless battle against distraction; and we’re deluged with advice on becoming more productive and efficient, and “life hacks” to optimize our days. But such techniques often end up making things worse. The sense of anxious hurry grows more intense, and still the most meaningful parts of life seem to lie just beyond the horizon. Still, we rarely make the connection between our daily struggles with time and the ultimate time management problem: the challenge of how best to use our four thousand weeks. Drawing on the insights of both ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers, Oliver Burkeman delivers an entertaining, humorous, practical, and ultimately profound guide to time and time management. Rejecting the futile modern fixation on “getting everything done,” Four Thousand Weeks introduces readers to tools for constructing a meaningful life by embracing finitude, showing how many of the unhelpful ways we’ve come to think about time aren’t inescapable, unchanging truths, but choices we’ve made as individuals and as a society—and that we could do things differently.
