Mental Health Books

I tracked down this book after googling 'how to forgive a dead person' and finding Dr Raymond Richmonds excellent 'guidetopsychology' site.
you can read the book on the web pages (leave a donation if you got something from it)but i reccomend buying and owning the book.
Basically it is a very clear explaination as to how and why we get angry, and what the mistakes and traps we can fall into when trying to 'escape' or pass off our own anger are.
I learnt i had to let go of 'vindictive silence' (where you do or say nothing but behind the scenes you intend to upset the other party). Dr Richmond is religeous (I am not conventionaly) but he does not blindly impose or indoctrinate, he just makes a tremendous amount of logical, useful analaysis and gives very useful direction.

Anger is a common emotion that one may feel frequently or, in many cases, daily. This book is for anyone who feels even the least bit angry. It provides a step-by-step method that will instruct you on how to deal with your daily and repressed angers, first by helping you recognize and understand them, then by teaching you how to release them in a healthy way. Furthermore, Dr. Richmond illustrates, with clear examples, the points and definitions that help clarify the misconceptions that one may have about forgiveness.

My initial intention of getting this book was not for myself. Yet as soon as I began reading, it caught my attention, and soon I made a discovery: my repressed anger. I put these procedures into practice and passed the book on to some of my friends. They too have found this book to-the-point and very useful in their own particular anger issues.

This book will be appreciated by people who are not seeking hype, but instead are seeking practical, no-nonsense self-help that really works.

Fantastic Book. Very Thorough and Interesting. Very well written. I highly recommend it!

Fantastic Book. Very Thorough and Interesting. Very well written. I highly recommend it!

Finally a book that guides you to specific anxieties. It is easy to read and the advise is concise and sensible. This book helped me transform many of my anxieties into manageable thoughts. I only wish it had come out much sooner!

I've had the opportunity to explore The ANXIETY ANSWER BOOK and found it be for both laypersons seeking answers and for professionals to use as well as recommend to clients. The book is easy to navigate for specific information, well written, and designed for people of all ages. I highly recommend it for it's clarity and content.

Dr. Israel demonstrates his mastery of the law as applied to the mental health professions. His writing style is engaging and articulate. The case scenarios can apply to any practitioner's in the behavioral health field. This book is a welcome addition to this area of expertise. We look forward to other books in this area by Dr. Israel.

An exceptional book for the practicing clinician. Clear and to the point, I found this to be a book I recommended to colleagues and especially to new clinicians I was training and supervising. The guidelines for ethical decisions are not academic but realistic. I also appreciated that the case illustrations applied to rural and small town life . Highly readable and useable this is a book for every clinician's library.

Dentro de este libro se plantea la coneccion entra la teoria sicologica de Jung y la teoria de Caos. Como aquellos conceptos de simbolos, arquetipos, complejos de la teoria de Jung pueden ser traduccidos de manera sencilla a los conceptos de la teoria del caos como variedades, bifurcaciones, oscilaciones, fractales, etc.

En este libro se plantea la tesis que el caos es algo natural en nuestra siquis que una siquis sana es caotica !!!. Pero el caos de la siquis sana esta basado en un caos deterministico, el cual a su vez va generar un orden superior al que habia antes que existiese el caos, son los trances o las pruebas que tiene que para el individuo en su proceso de evolucion (el proceso individualizacion).

Este libro tambien hace un analisis literario en terminos de la teoria de caos de un cuento "La mujer de piedra" y un mito "Eros y Phique"

Bridging inquiry and speculation into the inner details of the psyche is seductive work. As with any seduction, it can lead to wonderful acts of creation and enjoyment, but also to messy thinking - fallacies of misplaced concreteness (Whitehead), in which the poetic pleasure of expressing parallels between psyche and cosmos can obscure both careful thinking and genuine insight into difficult realities. I find this to be a special danger in the world of Jungian concepts, primarily because the old wizard himself set the stage for exploring links between the science of mind and the mysteries that are not yet in the reach of a given science.

The math and physics of quantum and complexity theories, and of dynamic systems, are both extraordinarily demanding and extraordinarily revealing in their relevance to anything in the world that partakes of interaction, and owes and contributes its nature to other complex interactions. That is to say, anything in the world, seen out of isolation, without any excess of empirical or conceptual filtration. I've read Eenwyk's book twice now, and found it illuminating in both its intelligent and accessible handling of the physics and math involved, and of the fragile but necessary connections of the infinite dynamic of the mind and the world. Highly recommended.

Having read and reviewed Williams' previous book, "How Do You Compare?," I was excited to discover this author had written another self-examination guide. While the world is just seething with insanity, our natural tendency is to have a "I'm OK, you are crazy" view of things. Some people are not as crazy as we think they are, we are not necessarily as sane as we think we are, and some of the quirks we are embarrassed about are not as whacky as we think.

An honest reader of "Are You Crazy?" will get a helpful reality check. For most of us, reading the text and doing the self-tests will help us affirm that we are OK after all. Probably for many more of us, this book will help us be more accepting of other people and their behavior. And for some, this book will be a lifeline--by identifying that something is wrong after all. Of course, the value of the tests rests squarely on the honesty of the person taking them. Those who are in denial probably need more help than this book can provide. But for most folks, it will prove to be a very good use of their time.

"Are You Crazy?" does include some Anglo-Saxon vernacular, which some folks may find offensive. But for those who "venture outside the monastery," the language is descriptive and appropriate.

What is in "Are You Crazy?"? This book consists of eight chapters. The first chapter focuses on the reader--with tests on narcissism, negativity, and shyness. The second chapter focuses on the reader's relationships with others--with tests on security, jealousy, and manipulative behavior.

The third chapter focuses on eating and drinking disorders. Interestingly, eating and drinking disorders are "normal" in the USA (which is why we have an obesity epidemic and a diabetes epidemic). People without these disorders are actually oddballs! The drinking disorder part is referring to alcohol only, not to other beverages. So, for example, if you drink "osteoporosis in a can," this book won't identify that as crazy behavior--even though it is. Nor does it go to the very core of the dieting vs. eating right "debate." But it does touch on that.

The next four chapters delve into darker areas. These include se*ual peccadilloes, phobias, weird stuff, and really weird stuff.

The book closes by wrapping all of this up in Chapter Eight. Now that you've looked at all of these things, what do they mean? What is the big picture, and how does it relate to you?
If you want to break out of self-defeating delusion--what I think of as being perpetually asleep--(you may not even be aware you are in it) add this book to your collection. The movie "The Matrix" was a big hit, primarily because it reflected the fact our world as we perceive it is not at all our world as it is. And that is very dangerous. I think most people are actually scared of the truth, because with truth comes responsibility. But no ostrich has ever escaped the hunter by sticking its head in the sand.

You may have heard the expression, "The truth shall set you free." If you believe that expression has any validity, then this book is a "must read" for you. If, on the other hand, you don't mind sand in your ears--then you should probably buy this book only as a gift to someone else.

A note on style and composition: Form is important, as it dictates readability. Fortunately, this book actually uses Standard Written English (SWE)--with only a few grammatical gaffes here and there. In an age where most "authors" seem oblivious to basic writing, this book stands out as one where the author actually cares about communicating to the reader. Given the subject matter, Williams'consideration for the reader is a crucial plus.

Andrew N. Williams is an experimental psychologist with 20 years of experience conducting studies for academic, government, and private research firms. He has also written dozens of technical reports and journal articles, and is the author of "How Do You Compare?," a book I reviewed last year and to which I gave a positive review, considering it a worthy contribution to what some call "pop psychology." This particular category of literature, often unfairly dismissed by intellectual "purists" as "not fit for any but the simplest of minds," has always had a wide audience and, I suspect, even been read by those intellectuals who have been critical of it. The term "pop psychology" is, in my opinion, a perfectly appropriate name for this type of work which appeals, after all, to a popular audience (hence the designation as "pop") and ought to be considered in the same vein as "popular science," which not even active scientists have a problem with. As long as a work in "pop psychology" doesn't fall into the trap of "faddism" (and "How Do You Compare?" did not do so) no one should have a problem with it, including the professionals.

Now Williams has penned a new work entitled "Are You Crazy?: 18 scientific quizzes to test yourself" and he asked me to read and review his latest contribution to the genre of pop psychology. Again, this is not a book written for professional psychologists; it is a book written for the ordinary person who has an interest in psychology and, in this particular case, in "self-psychology"; that is, Williams is providing a means for the common Joe or Jane to ask and analyze questions and answers about a fundamental question that virtually everyone has asked himself or herself at some point in life: "Am I crazy?" If you have never raised that question about yourself, then, I submit, you may really need to read this book and take the tests!

As he did in his previous book, Williams takes a really serious subject and presents it in an entertaining way without doing insult to the seriousness of the matter at hand. He has culled questions from a variety of psychological tests and you are encouraged to answer these questions, score yourself, and analyze your responses based on certain criteria. These "quizzes" are generally "subjective" in nature, that is, they deal with what is called the "affective" domain rather than the "cognitive" domain of human existence. Strictly speaking, there are no "right answers," only "honest" or "dishonest" ones. On the great temple at Delphi in ancient Greece were inscribed the words "Know Thyself," probably the most basic imperative we as human beings need recognize and accept. So here is the opportunity to "know" something about yourself, not yourself in any comprehensive way, of course; that would involve a battery of tests taken over many days under professional supervision. Williams merely provides the opportunity to privately gain some insight into your "self," and make some evaluations regarding your current psychological status. Are you really crazy? Maybe -- or maybe not.

It should be pointed out that, while many of the quizzes are interesting and entertaining, some of the "tests" do have serious implications. For instance, Chapter 3, entitled "Consumed with passion: eating and drinking disorders," deals with some very significant physical and psychological problems, problems which can be life threatening. Your responses to the questions involving eating disorders or use of alcohol, for example, may make you aware of a problem you actually have and for which you should seek professional help. So this book, while it does have its lighter side, also has a serious one. While the tests included do not, of course, provide for in-depth diagnosis of any serious psychological problem, they may, on the other hand, provide an indication of an unrecognized problem for which one should seek help.

A lot of readers, I am sure, will be particularly interested in Chapter 4 which deals with "Sexual Peccadilloes." Since I read Havelock Ellis' "Psychology of Sex" many years ago, and which describes virtually every sexual behavior humanly possible, nothing in this chapter surprised me and I admittedly glossed over it. I was far more interested in his chapter on fears and phobias. Here I learned some new things. For instance, I had never heard of "hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia," which I suspect is a rather uncommon type of phobia. Live and learn, as I like to recommend to myself and others. Oh, you may be asking, what is the nature of that phobia I just mentioned? Well, you'll just have to read the book to find out. There are many other unusual phobias also on the list that Williams provides. Maybe you suffer from one or more of them. (As far as I know, I only suffer from two phobias and they are not listed; they also don't interfere with my life -- fortunately.)

There are many interesting anecdotes in "Are You Crazy?," and I'm sure most readers will be fascinated by stories about people who have, to say the least, rather odd proclivities. Such as those who lie about deaths in the family in order to collect sympathy cards. Or those who crave dirt and eat it by the handful. Or, worse, those who feel the need to amputate an arm or a leg in order to feel good about themselves. Many of the behaviors discussed in Williams' book may simply be described as "quirky." Others do border on the truly "crazy." Some are basically harmless. But some are deadly serious. Regardless of the category that any human behavior may be assigned to, every reader of this work will learn something about human behavior in general, and something about his or her psychological life in particular. Furthermore, every reader will probably gain some insights into the behaviors of individual friends and members of the family. I don't hesitate in recommending Williams' new contribution to all readers who take themselves and their life seriously.

..."Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 7 Powerful Tools for Life and Work", under the name Marilee G. Adams (presumeably her married name?)

The Art of the Question is a well conceived and easily understood method to promote creative thinking. "Question thinking" opens up any issue to further possibilities and effective answers. It is a jolt to the whole cognitive and multimodal approach to problem solving.

Besides the clear exposition of the Middle Pillar exercise, the book also contains an element borrowed from astrology - the seven principal ideas symbolized by the sun, moon and inner planets (every idea and thing can be classified within one of these root ideas). For example, the sun represents power & success, life, money, growth, etc., its positive color is orange, its negative color is yellow or gold, and its magical name is Elohim Tsa-vo-os. So for example if one has a need of money, you would visualize the negative color (yellow/gold) as a next step following the Middle Pillar and vibrate the name. To help someone else who needs money, one would visualize the positive color (orange) and the person concerned and vibrate the name. I have seen the Middle Pillar described using six chakras (Ted Andrews)or all seven chakras where Regardie uses only five (he combines the Throat & Third Eye centres), but I suppose it doesn't matter, since the effect is the same. And the effect is immediate and very tangible. An important little book, very useful for spiritual healers, alternative therapists and for everybody who takes responsibility for their own health.

One can finish this title within a half hour and it will leave quite the impression. One can utilize the wisdom and tools taught. Although flavored with Jewish Mysticism, any spiritual path will benefit from Israel's work. An asset to any library.

Of all the books addressing this complex area in Child Custody Evaluation, this text is the one I found most helpful. The author's use of nine hypothesis for testing the information gathered in the evaluation is the central theme in using this text. Allegations of child abuse in family law conflict are some of the most sensitive and important questions an evaluator ever faces. The stakes are very high for everyone, especially the children. This text has a very rich array of current research and demonstrates a comprehensive and insightful knowledge of this field. In completing a recent evaluation, I found this text extrordinarily helpful.

Assessing Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse is easily one of the best researched and practical texts in this field. In an arena fraught with landmines, Dr. Kuehnle provides a balanced roadmap for assessing these allegations and protecting children. I particularily like and value the nine hypotheses she uses as a framework for analysing the data and making a balanced, thoughtful recommendation.
Of all the many texts I have read in this field, this one is clearly the best.

This book explores the often unnoticed side of being a so-called 'normal' (or 'neurotypical') person who loves someone with a mental disorder, namely autism. I found this memoir refreshing in the way that it unapologetically gives voice to those of us on the other side of the coin--those of us who have done our best to stretch our love outside of the box by often putting our own needs on hold to be good family. This book will especially appeal to baby boomers who have grown up with autistic siblings during a time when the disorder was still unnamed, as it addresses the historically inaccurate 'parental blame' theory of the disorder's etiology. I would recommend this book to anyone who has been touched by someone with a mental disorder, and anyone who considers themselves an advocate for the mentally ill.

Anne Clinard Barnhill, born in 1952 relates the story of her life as sister to Becky, who was born 1/31/58. Becky displayed autistic behavior almost from infancy. She became continent at 4; was marginally verbal for the first few years of her life; communicated by phrasing her statements as questions, e.g. "Does the Becky want to eat? Why can't the Becky learn at home?" Anne, 6 years her sister's senior took Becky under her wing and was lovingly protective of her. She even spent her summers working with Becky on cognitive skills.

Sadly, precious little was known about autism in those days. Becky was erroneously labled as "emotionally disturbed" and even retarded. Sadly, this was not uncommon back then. Becky's schooling was also a problem - in 1965, she was expelled for disruptive behavior from one special needs class in West Virginia and saw a therapist. One group home refused to take her until she became fully self-sufficient in toileting. Although continent and reliable, Becky still needed help cleaning up. Once she mastered that skill, Pressley House, a group home/school was willing to accept her after placing her on a waiting list.

On October 1, 1966 the Clinards took Becky to Amos Cottage, which was an interim placement. Becky served 9 months in Amos Cottage which sounded like a genuine hellhole. Nurses ran the place and the lowest functioning children were kept in crib-cages with bars across the top. Becky talked of the "water babies in the basement," which sounded like she meant children with hydrocephalus. She was able to describe Amos Cottage, which sounded horrible. The Clinards were horrified by the place as anyone would be, but sadly there was no other place forthcoming for Becky.

In June of 1967 after a nearly 9-month sentence in Amos House, Becky enjoyed the annual family camping trip; had fun dodging her sister and sneaking off to the pool which was verboten and in general loving the outdoors. Despite many of her unexplainable behaviors, Anne remains loving and tolerant of Becky. I like that.

Becky's behavior remains severely autistic. She pulls dolls apart until they are limbless and headless; she flips any object in her path and she gives her sister the nickname "Jet," explaining that she thinks Anne's face is jet-plane shaped. (Kind of makes you think of Paul McCartney & Wings' song, "Jet.")

Anne talks about her own milestones; her love of the Beatles whom she discovered in late 1963; her boyfriends; her schools; her crushes; her peers and how they all related to Becky. I like the way she describes her response to the events of the day, e.g. Viet Nam War (she had classmates and friends who were drafted); hippies and the music and the family Ford Galaxie, a singularly cool car. One funny story involves how Anne and her friends got stuck in that Ford and rescued it, with great music from 1968 as the soundtrack.

Anne introduces readers to her family. Readers are treated to both sets of grandparents, aunts and cousins as well. One of my favorite parts was when the girls' mother would sing Beatle songs and emphasize the "yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in the 1963 classic, "She Loves You." It just goes to show you that nobody could dodge that Beatle influence! Becky's classmates wanted her to choose Beatle songs for her ballet recital. The Beatles remain a comforting presence throughout the book.

Despite their vastly different needs and personalities, the sisters really do, as the Beatles said, "Come Together." Readers get to follow Anne down her growing up years and experience into adulthood; at the same time readers follow Becky's progress as well. Becky weathers some major storms, including abuse at a group home when she was 9-11.

Becky's sentence at Pressley House ended in 1971. Then 13, she went onto a special program at the local high school and secured a diploma in 1979 for merely attending. She worked at area sheltered workshops before she entered a group home in 1990 at age 32.

Readers get to cheer Anne's successes as well; a successful second marriage; a blessing of 3 sons; her degrees and her courage and candor in sharing her life and that of her immediate family. Readers are encouraged by Becky's progress as well. Their story has helped lift the Dark Curtain of the Dark Ages that acted as a barrier towards appropriate placement and diagnosis for people with autism. Sadly, few options existed in those days.

In addition to the Beatle parts which I readily identified with and understood, I like the way Anne Clinard Hill opens each chapter with a passage from "The Wizard of Oz." This classic is one she and Becky have loved over the decades and do to this day.

This book makes me think of the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz." Readers cannot help but think that in time the Path to Acceptance and recognition of autism is closer than over that rainbow and is tangible, not illusive. I am one of the people who thinks that. I like the way Becky accepts herself as well and I think this is one of the best books I have ever read about a sibling who has autism.