Mental Health Books

John Paul Carinci is a Renaissance man - he is not only a successful business man, he is a poet, song writer, screenwriter, author of many works of fiction, and the author of one of the most profound and useful 'self-help' books I have ever read.
The Power of Being Different is amazing. In its simplicity, it will show you how to transport your life into one that is not only productive, but filled with exploring your potential in every facet of your life. Big words, but it works.
I have a dear friend who is a success in the investment market. One of his favorite sayings is 'Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone.' I am sending him a copy of Carinci's book - he'll love it.
You see, you can eek out an existence by being just another head in a crowd. To get noticed, you have to stand out - to be different - and thereby having your ideas noticed, your path cleared.
Carinci dots his book with quotes from some of the greatest minds of our time - bits of information to chew and digest - His sound, thoughtful words will be those you will use and relate to.
I have 'dog-eared' many pages of The Power of Being Different so I can relay some great ideas/thoughts with you - it is something I do not normally do - dog-earing - but wanted to share with you - am looking at my copy and nearly every page is dog-eared. Not enough space to share everything I wanted to share!
The way you use your time each day can be a critical factor in your success. Your thoughts and how you handle yourself are part of your success. In other words, harness the power you have within you and you can literally move mountains to achieve your goals, personally and professionally.
Time management, sending positive thoughts, ideas to yourself are parts of the keys. How many of us wake up and dread going to work - knowing we'll get pounded in some form during the day, shrinking at the thought of having to endure another day of the same harrassment from the boss and/or co-workers in the dog eat dog daily grind we call work? I've been there done that - Carinci in simple easy to follow techniques help alter our approach to handling things making harsh situations bearable and even triumphant is brilliant.
My father was the blueprint of the American Dream. Son of an immigrant, he worked his way through college, overcoming hardships where some would have given up and taken lesser roads. Instead he persisted, and became an executive in the automotive industry - and he was sought out for not only his dedication for excellence and quality, but how he practiced what he preached. He cared not only for the product, but the people who produced the products. His techniques in business are still being practiced today. If my father was alive today, I can guarantee you he would give a copy of The Power of Being Different to each and every person under him, as well as family members. I think his dedication and caring to help and give of himself paved the way for successes of his family and people he touched. He and John Paul Carinci would have been great friends. Every page I read, I knew this was what my father embraced. And that is the highest compliment I can give this book.
Small suggestions, such as finding 15 minutes each day to start investing in yourself, writing down your dreams of success, having a mantra of sorts - a rallying 'cry' to focus what you want and to achieve - focusing in on what is truly important and zeroing in on how to attain it.
All this John Paul Carinci lays out in this book.
You are your best supporter, or worst enemy. Which will you choose? To self destruct, or rise to be the person you want to be? So easy, so amazingly presented, all you have to do is follow through. Follow through - that is another of my Dad's sayings - you can have great ideas, but unless you follow through with them, all they are, are great ideas. Not tangible success.
You may not become a Gates after reading this book, but if you follow the principles of this book, whether you are an executive in a company, or a blue collar worker in the fields, or a student, whatever, wherever you are, your success is in your hands. All you have to do is step out and be different - make a difference - and that gives a power you will find amazing.
I plan on sending copies of The Power of Being Different to many of my friends. I believe in the ideas of this book, and am working to make myself a better person by implementing the ideas Carinci lays out for us.

"The Power Of Being Different" it will change your life!

The book is amazing! It is so easy to understand. The chapters are small and powerful in their messages.
Some of the subjects covered by the author include:
Positive Driving Force:The need to succeed is so great that defeat is not accepted. The mind comes up with ways to succeed no matter how many obstacles are placed in the way. Like water running down a hill over rocks and mud, the water finds it's way down the hill, the mind too, in people that have a positive driving force, find the way through obstacles placed in their way.
Charles Kettering, an inventor, said, "The only time you can't afford to fail is the last time you try."

John Ratzenberger is a perfect example of a person with a Positive Driving Force. He was the know-it-all mailman on the long running show Cheers. It was after failing to land a part at an audition for the producers looking to hire their cast, that his positive driving force kicked in. He asked the executives and producers, "Do you have a know-it-all at the bar yet?" The Cheers people said, "what?" he said, "you know, a know it all; every bar has a know-it-all at their bar!" At that point Ratzenberger proceeded to improvise, using office furniture as props and showing the show's executives the kind of character, and finally created it for their show. Ratzenberger only succeeded because he refused to give up on his dream of acting.

Immigrants entering the US have Positive Driving Force. Their mindset is: "all I have to do is work hard and I'll make it, then I can send for my family back home and bring them to America, the land of Opportunities and riches.

Self-Suggestion Statements: A series of the same statements that are repeated a few times each day and recited at least 20 consecutive days, which forms a good habit, which feeds the subconscious mind, the inner mind and the part of the brain that sends thought impulses back out to the conscious mind, the common sense part of the mind. These statements, real or ficticious, will be accepted by the subconscious as fact. Then accepted and stored and turned into thought impulses that the conscious mind will receive like the rays of the light from a lighthouse. Statements such as: "I will be successful, it's inevitable, because my aggressiveness will equal opportunities for my success."

Intense Burning Desire: The never ending burning desire to see a task through to completion. That all consuming urge that you wake up with each morning and the last thing you think about before you fall off to sleep each night. It could be for a goal such as writing and completing a book, or report, or getting a college degree, making a garden, fixing a broken faucet in the house. Roger Bannister was a perfect example of intense burning desire when he worked to the point of exhaustion in breaking the 4 minute mile in running.

John Paul Carinci's Inventors - With Intense Burning Desire
"What do great inventors all have in common? they are intensely driven individuals that will not stop until they have achieved the goal set forth. They are not deterred by failure, no matter how many times they have failed, nor how many experts and people tell them their ideas are foolish and can't be achieved. Failure to them, is accepted much the same as regular people accept being stopped at a red light while driving, they just deal with it along the way, accepting failure, no matter how many times it presents itself, as part of the game, never allowing it to leave a negative impact."

If you read any self help book this year, make sure you include the best and most inspiring book of the last decade: THE POWER OF BEING DIFFERENT.
Ralph Lewis

"Uniqueness Leads To a Great Book"

"The Power of Being Different" by John Paul Carinci is a unique look at achieving success. Just when the "Success" genre has fallen asleep, an author such as John Paul Carinci comes out of nowhere and asks the questions, "Where are you in your life's journey? Is time speeding up or slowing down? At what stage are you?"

"The Power of Being Different" (ISBN: 1420846981) is a different and original look at "YOU," capturing a daily positive attitude, grabbing "15 minutes a day " just for you, understanding and utilizing your "subconscious mind" and "The Power Deep Inside!"

"The Power of Being Different" is written from the perspective POV (point of view) of an author who has traveled down the road already but has no problems sharing with us (if we listen) the power of becoming successful. Everything is here on this earth for us to make and create our own opportunities.

"The Power of Being Different" by John Paul Carinci is the only "success" genre book that I have ever read that actually "looks at the opposite of success --- total failure." Why do some win and others shoot themselves in the foot? "Why do some lose the gumption to push?" One reason the author points out is that they "lose their motivation." They burn out, mentally and emotionally. "They lose the spark, the magic and the excitement of their work." DISCOVER AND REDISCOVER, says the author, will give you new meaning and drive - "A burning desire to accomplish." Quoting Jack London, American author (1876-1916), "I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be superb...The proper function of man is to live, not exist."

John Paul Carinci has been a successful business owner for 30 years. Currently, he is President of Carinci Insurance Agency Inc., with over 200 brokers. John is also an author, songwriter, and poet. He is the CEO of Better Off Dead Productions Inc., a movie production company. As a writer, some of John's other works include "Better Off Dead," "A Second Chance," "In Exchange Of Life," "Better Off Dead Again," and "Reflections In Poetry." John is also co-writer of the screenplays "Better Off Dead" and "A Second Chance," which was adapted from his novels, and may be produced as motion pictures in the coming months.

Do you want to be a leader? If so, get a copy of "The Power of Being Different" (ISBN: 1420846981). John Paul Carinci asks, "Why are very few people leaders?" and then follows up with, "Many people are followers in general and in most all aspects of life. Many seem to follow others, much like all the mice that fall in line to follow behind the Pied Piper. I believe many people are too shy to lead, in whatever situation they are in. The average person, when entering a department store, will follow the person who previously entered the store. People will follow other people through the same exact door, no matter that other doors are more accessible. People tend to follow the path of a predecessor. People do the same thing because it''s easier that way. It takes more commitment, work, and determination to find and to independently accomplish something new and better." "The Power of Being Different" will give you THE POWER TO BE DIFFERENT AND BETTER AND SUCCESSFUL!

--- Reviewed by John Weaver
"Uniqueness Leads To a Great Book"

John Carinci is an excellent writer who knows how to keep a reader's interest. I am an avid reader of self-help books, have read many of the books John recommends, and have already learned many of the life lessons that Mr. Carinci presents in this book, but his writing style is refreshing and the examples and quotes he uses are inspirational.

I particularly enjoyed the author's point that the odds of our birth are like winning the lottery. The one in a million chances that an egg would be fertilized coupled with the likelihood that the development of the embryo into the miniature person born in this time and place that perpetuated our personhood is phenomenal. Those coupled with the fact that we survived exposure to disease and accidents and live in an age of modern medicine; opportunity, education, and freedom that promote our longevity and ability to have a meaningful life are not an accident. We are here for a reason!

The author does an exception job laying out how people who work hard and think positively employing the gifts they are born with and those that they develop should not be satisfied with their accomplishments. Rather, they should strive to make a positive impact on the world and leave behind a legacy that will impact humanity through the ages. He gave numerous examples of such people who ignored ridicule and persevered to accomplish and make our world one of technological advancement. He encourages us to be different, to dream, to act and never be satisfied with what is, but strive for new and better ways to live, work and play.
The author encourages us to make time for ourselves and extend our waking alert hours living healthily and purposefully. Example after examples are provided of people who were either not born with certain physical attributes or have lost them, but nevertheless have used their minds and ingenuity to achieve great things that impact the world as we know it. He believes that those who have passed on their gifts look down at us and challenge us to improve upon their contributions.

I recommend this book to people of all ages and backgrounds. It is uplifting and enlightening. I am glad I read it and you will be too.

This is the story of an extraordinarily bright and gifted teenager having a bad day. His doctors turned a common painful teen experience into a nightmare and nearly cost him and others their lives! Be sure to read to the end for a big surprise! The moral of the story is .. don't just accept what your doctors tell you .. do some research .. and trust your instincts.

This book makes you question placing all of your trust in doctors. I just couldn't stop reading to find out what happened next as I became more overwhelmed with what was happening. This is a real eye opener into antidepressents which I would have never thought twice about before reading this book. ANyone with kids on any type of long-term prescritions should read this book.

This is a true, believeable story. At what point do you stop blindly listening to people who don't give hope a chance? Chris is a good person who blindly accepted attempts to cure him, when he was much better off just listening to himself! Everyone should read this book!

Prescription for Madness is a gutwrenching must read. I could barely keep reading, yet I had to find out what happened to Chris. The teen's downward spiral echoed events in my own family's life. Prescription drugs for depression have saved many lives, but daresay have destroyed just as many. If you or your family members are taking antidepressants or considering them, please read this book, and ask lots of questions! You could save everybody's sanity and possibly somebody's life.

I bought this book to help me improve my skills at interviewing people who are in need of assistance. It has been very helpful.

I am in my first year of psychiatry training. For all the guys in the same boat this is one of the first textbooks to buy. It is covers all the basics of MSE very well, it is easy to read. If you can only buy one book on basic mental state examination in your first year and money is tight this is the one to invest in.

During my first two years working in adult mental health, I have found this book to be an invaluable resource in my day to day practice. Not only is it an excellent dictionary from which to draw when writing MSEs, it also explains just about every mental state term that one might come across in psychiatry. It has also been a particularly good tool for use in teaching and student supervision. A must for the psychiatry reference library.

This is one of my favorite reference books. It describes how to do a good mental status exam in very clear language. It provides definitions of all the terms used in the process and gives well-written examples of their use. The authors help you to develop a good conceptual understanding of how to assess and describe a person's mental status. A valuable primer for social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists.

I loved everything about this book. It explains everyting very clearly and gives great examples. I brought it for school but I doubt I will sell it back!

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning more about PsyR! It is easy to read and includes interesting case studies to assist in the learning process.

Superb introduction to psychosocial rehabilitation. Introduces the experiece of mental illness from the client's perspecitive, covers symptoms and etiology of severe and persistent mental illness as well as treatment strategies. The book is simply written using case illustrations. I have used it for new staff at our community mental health clinic for the past 2 years. The book was popular - so popular that it disappeared and I am replacing it with several copies, one for each team. I would recommend the book as a resource for any student of a mental health program or any staff person trying to get a handle on working effectively with clients who have severe and persistent mental illness.

In reviewing this book I found it to be interesting and educational at the same time. It is not dry reading for a subject that could well be that. I will be able to use this book in my clinical practice when I graduate this summer.

Melton et al's Psychological Evaluations for the Courts has been an impressive text since the first edition; with this (3rd) edition, I and am surprised to see an error in the description of the RRASOR on p. 314. The Rapid Risk Assessment for Sexual Offense Recidivism is one method used to evaluate sexual offenders for risk of rearrest or reconviction for a new sexual offense; therefore is used in many legal cases where the liberty interest of a person for years to come may be the main issue. This warrants an accurate review of the instrument, even if the review is only a few sentences. Melton et al state correctly that the instrument is composed of only four items, then list these as being prior offenses, gender of victim, age at release, and marital history. While marital history is an item of the Static-99 (a different but related method for estimating risk of sexual offenders), it is NOT an item of the RRASOR. The fourth item of the RRASOR is the offender's relationship to the victim.

The item "relationship to victim" is scored positive if the victim was unrelated to the offender, and negative if the victim was a close relative. This is in keeping with research that generally shows that a sexual offender who has offended only against a family member - incest - is less likely to commit and get caught for another sexual offense than is an offender who commits a sexual offense against an unrelated victim.

This is an unfortunate error, as the Static-99 item regarding marital history has been found to be the least reliable item to score and is the one most frequently left out of research studies and is being left out of the next version of the Static-99, the Static-2002.

Another point is that the "prior offenses" item refers to prior SEXUAL offenses, not to any criminal offense.

Sexual predator statutes were not yet enacted when Melton et al's first edition of this book came out and the methods often used today to estimate risk for future sexual criminal arrest and reconviction were not yet developed, so this section in the third edition is not one that has been extensively dealt with in previous editions.

I do have Melton's previous books and have, as others in my profession generally do, consider the volume on Psychological Evaluations for the Courts to be an indispensable resource; which is why this cursory and inaccurate treatment of a subject is so surprising. The authors have been contacted and although they cannot correct the error in this edition, they will address it in the next supplement.

The book is definitely worth having.

This book is a must if you want to do forensic work. There is no equal.

This book is for any Forensic Psychologist working in the field. If your studying Forensic Psychology you will need this book and you WILL use this book later in the field, so you better get it!!!!

The second edition, published in 1997, was the ultimate reference authority. The field has expanded considerably since then, and this third edition is even bigger and better. It is written for two groups: mental health professionals who perform psychological evaluations for the courts, and the legal professionals who retain them. It is also an invaluable resource book for students pursuing careers in forensic psychology or mental health law.

The collective experiences of the authors are diverse, and the book's coverage is similarly wide-ranging and comprehensive. Overview chapters discuss the nature of the legal system and forensic psychological assessment. Specific topics include criminal (competencies, mental state at the time of the offense, juvenile delinquency, sentencing) and non-criminal applications (civil commitment, tort claims, child abuse, parenting).

Always, the authors focus both on ethics and on practicality. We learn about operating a forensic practice and the how-to's of communicating with the courts, both orally and in writing. One of my favorite sections is the last hundred pages, which contain 17 sample reports complete with discussion. As a teaching tool, there is nothing better than this.

Thorough and well-written, this book is mandatory for the shelf of any forensic practitioner, mental health lawyer, or forensic psychology graduate student.

The book is informative and well written, but I have 2nd ed student books and now the 3rd ed TE. The seller was terrific and tried to help but the two editions do NOT match so be careful.

Good book for the course. Bought it used. Arrived within 4 or 5 days of my order.

This book was used by my high school Psychology teacher. It is the most user-friendly text that I have ever used. There is a good depth of knowledge and range of material. I would reccomend this text to any high school Psychology teacher.

This books is currently my high school psychology textbook. It is easy to read and has illustrations to help you understand the material. You only have to read it once, and you'll be able to answer all the questions after each chapter. That is how clear and concise this book is.

This is a fantastic book. Disability is a such a big category it may be impossible to ever fully understand all the issues involved. But The Ragged Edge is a great first step.

This book is a series of essays, poems, and short stories written by people with disabilities. Some are angry, others funny, none are boring. Some are better written than others. But all are powerful for their raw honesty.

I was moved by these very personal stories. I had never before appreciated all the trials, fears, and anger people with disabilites live with everyday. Before reading this book I had some vague notion of the problems of access and acceptance, but I never thought about how humiliating it would be to be paraded before medical experts as some kind of freak show (read Lisa Blumberg's essay "Public Stripping"), or how heart rending it must be to hear arguments in favor of abortion rights rooted in the fact that people like you exist, or to live in a world where even one of the United States' most esteemed legal minds could pronounce "Three generations of imbeciles is enough" in support of the forced sterilization of the disabled.

You're apt to find yourself chastized by some of these stories. Good. But you'll have learned alot, gained new perspectives, and perhaps become more empathetic and understanding of a group of people who embody the truth that we're all broken people in the final analysis.

I liked this book. It has a lot of different perspectives, lots of articles from various parts of the disability movement. It really captures the flavour of the movement in its early days.

I'm, Girard Sagmiller the author of the book Dyslexia My Life (ISBN: 096430871-1) . The book The Ragged Edge
, is one of the top book for find out about living with a Disability
, great for anybody feeling as if they are the only one dealing with this or for someone working with a disability group.. Thanks..

This book is a compilation of real-life experiences through the eyes of writers who happen to have a disability. Having read this book, I am that much more aware of both the existence of societal discrimination, whether blantant or a result of ignorance, toward persons with disabilities and the unique perceptive persons with disabilities have on life.

Phillip Golabuk is a gifted author and philosipher. It is aad that the book is out of print as it is so desparately needed by millions of people. We are a disposable society and we "rid" ourselves of spouses as quickly as we change a dollar bill. To date, we have no real answer as to how to absorb this trauma and go on. This book quiets the missplaced soul.

This is one of those books that changes your life. I read it several years ago after a devastating break up and it helped me survive. Subsequently, I have read it many times. The philosophy and tools that it gives can be used in all situations in life. The author, Philip Golabuk, is a wonderful writer whose words go straight into the heart. It is truly a heart break that this book went out of print. My copy remains cherished on my shelf. I only hope that some very brilliant publisher sees it and picks up its rights so the world can have this wonderful book again.

This author of this book is like a gentle loving friend who has been there, guiding you through the pain of a heartbreak. It is also one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. It is trully written from the heart and I would recommemd reading it just for the wisdom and beauty contained within. It has helped me through the worst times of my life and has helped others who I have recommended it too.

This wonderful book helps one who has been abandoned by a partner to traverse the chasm between suffering and awakening. The author shows how the terrible pain one endures when one is left can be the catalyst to experiencing a greater joy than previously imagined. This book truly changed my life. Reading it was the start of my journey from suffering to joyful awareness. I have used it over and over to gleam words of wisdom, comfort and guidance. I highly recommend it

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY BRAVE LOOK AT A LIFE, THAT IN SO MANY OTHER SIMILAR CASES HAVE BEEN PASSED OVER, AND EXAMINED FOR WHAT IT IS - A LIFE! REGINA'S RECORD IS SO SENSETIVELY WRITTEN, AND KEPT ME PINNED TO MY FAVORITE READING CHAIR. THANK YOU JAMES VAN AMBER!

"Regina's Record" is an exceptional piece of literary non-fiction. Van Amber combines the story of his mother's mental illness and the horrifying treatment she suffers at the hands of the Veterans' Administration hospital staff with the autobiographical details of his own childhood and early adulthood. The writing is crisp and restrained during the most horrifying events, creating a sense of clarity in the reader. In other sections, the writing becomes lyrical, moving in its expression of love and pity and search for kindness. By the end, the reader believes both Van Amber's grandmother who says "The world is a hard place," and Van Amber, who finds miracles and kindness in that hardness. A beautiful book. A must read for students of counseling and psychology and psychiatry and nursing and medicine, for anyone whose profession requires them to see the human faces of the patient and the family members behind the label of the mental illness.

The most affecting moments in this memoir take place when the mother and son share a scene. The opening scene, for example, shows, in great detail, how a five-year-old boy witnessed his mother being taken away to the mental hospital. Much later, as an 18-year-old about to join the Army, he visits her at a VA hospital north of Chicago, and she does not recognize him; furthermore, she says that she has no son. What would she make of this memoir-- the son, now in his fifties, reclaiming his mother, detailing her life of abuse and sad delusion? That is the powerful irony that lies embedded in every word of this memoir--how Regina never knew her son (and could not help him) and how the author only knew Regina long after she had died (and could do nothing to help her).

In one sense, it's a tough book to read. It does not spare the reader. It never censors itself. At the same time, it is beautifully written, a work of great literary craft, that can be appreciated by all who care about excellence in writing, not just by those who are interested in the subject of this book. It would make a terrific movie.

This is a book that should not be missed. As I read through the pages, I felt myself walking with Regina as the grip of the VA psychiatric hospital became tighter and tighter. The little boy (the author) has an amazing talent for not only condensing his mother's pain, but also his hopes, fears and his attempts to avoid his mother's fate.

It really is a thought provking book. The treatment of the mentally ill, children without parents and the brutality toward women left me with a new perspective.

I recommend it without qualification.

I went through the same type of brain surgery as did Amy went though so I was definitely interested in hearing her story about life with epilepsy and the brain surgery.

It was an excellent book!!!

Amy Crane's moving account of her lifelong battle with epilepsy and its successful cure by 1994 brain surgery is a tremendously moving account. One of the most fascinating aspects of it is the staggering amount of autobiographical detail she was able to recall from her childhood and young adulthood ... detail which greatly augments and enriches the book. An inspirational book for anyone who has to deal with a medical crisis, or knows anyone who does.

Rejoice In The Light: A Woman's Journey Out Of The Mystery Of Epilepsy is Amy E. Crane's candid and compelling autobiography of her experiences living with a condition of epilepsy from children, through her young adult years, and eventual brain surgery. Highly recommended for personal and community library collections, Rejoice In The Light also offers the reader a wealth of "reader friendly" and detailed information on important medical, emotional, and social aspects of epilepsy, including the side effects of seizure medications, and the numerous ways to help a friend, loved one, colleague with an epileptic condition.

Ms. Crane shares so vividly all aspects of her journey out of epilepsy; physical, emotional and spiritual. This book delves into the very soul of an epileptic in an effort to help the rest of us understand the disease. It's intimate nature will make you feel the author's fear, pain, and joy. Also, this book could be an invaluable resource for those living with epilepsy with it's extensive list of treatment centers and many significant insights from the author. Truly a story that champions the strength of the human spirit and the grace of God!