I have read/listened to other books by David Richo and felt this would be up my alley. Sadly, it is twenty-five years too late. I am in a good relatioI have read/listened to other books by David Richo and felt this would be up my alley. Sadly, it is twenty-five years too late. I am in a good relationship now. We already follow a lot of the concepts Richo presents.
Still, I think there is a lot for everyone in this book. Having the author lead the listener through meditations as an audiobook is nice.
So many truths from scriptures, history, and other sources take more than one listen. It might be great to have the book and the audio, as I would have loved to go through and highlight those I felt were appropriate for me.
I was fortunate to pick this copy up on Libby, the library app....more
I rarely give autobiographies five stars. Not because I don't like them, but because I feel weird saying that a life in writing is the best or worst. I rarely give autobiographies five stars. Not because I don't like them, but because I feel weird saying that a life in writing is the best or worst. It seems like a judgment of the person and not the writing. But in this case, the science and research make this review easy to praise. James Longman's life was tough, but this book searches for answers about his father and how that applies not only to his own life but to all of us who have had mental illness touch our lives.
Mr. Longman's courage to attack long-held beliefs about schizophrenia, bipolar, depression and other mental illnesses and owning his own issues in the process make this a marvelous read, worth owning. I did pick up the audible version and felt the author narrated quite well. Now I am thinking about getting the paper version so I can see charts or research more easily.
Not a good bedtime book. Ms. Lewis is boisterous and loud. Occasionally, she is 'laugh-out-loud' funny; other times, she is angry and shows it. It's oNot a good bedtime book. Ms. Lewis is boisterous and loud. Occasionally, she is 'laugh-out-loud' funny; other times, she is angry and shows it. It's okay. It's her autobiography, her life, her experience. Who can judge that?
I picked this up from Audible a while ago and needed a book to finish my night reading time. It was too long to finish in one sitting, so I spent two nights trying to listen quietly on my headphones and not wake my husband with my laughing.
I've never watched Jenifer Lewis's shows. I have seen her belt out a song. Quite the voice! I had never read her previous books, so a bit of this left me a bit lost. But not so much that I couldn't enjoy her take on life and love.
I bet this would be a great commuting listen.
What is interesting in this book is she sings or recites poetry that is strong and lovely....more
This is one of the most informative and enjoyable books about ADHD I have read to date.
Penn Holderness and Kim Holderness are the husband and wife teThis is one of the most informative and enjoyable books about ADHD I have read to date.
Penn Holderness and Kim Holderness are the husband and wife team that wrote and narrated the book like a podcast. By the way, they have a podcast called The Holderness Family podcast, of all things!
Playing to those of us who have ADHD, the pace is fast and lively. Yet quite conversational. In this case, the person with ADHD was the husband, and the loving wife put up with his antics. I think what they presented was universal. I would like to see this done with a female with ADHD as the circumstances change drastically. But the family tried to point out some of those differences.
The best part, besides the camaraderie, was some of the ways the ADHDers or their families and friends can conquer, change, or make allowances for all that energy and distraction. Kim showed that she wasn't a saint but learned ways to help her husband become a super-daddy, husband, co-worker, or friend by offering supportive ideas.
I was lucky enough to find this audiobook on Libby, but I plan to buy my own paper and Audible copies soon. I could use a many-layered approach. If you want to better understand this superpower and/or disability, I think you would enjoy this....more
The Divergent Mind isn't about the the Divergent Series that is similar to the Hunger Games. This is a nonfiction book written by and for those with dThe Divergent Mind isn't about the the Divergent Series that is similar to the Hunger Games. This is a nonfiction book written by and for those with differing ways, many individuals deal with life and learning. To many, the divergent mind sees things differently than the rest of society. But from the divergent mind, the world seems like a planet in a galaxy far, far away.
Tegan Ashton Cohan was the narrator. Though a bit textbook-sounding, she did lend a voice of truth to a science that is new and needs us all to dive in and see how other people think or feel. Please check out the blurb on Amazon or GoodReads.
ADHD, autism, synesthesia, high sensitivity, and sensory processing disorders are explored with new ways to not only deal with but enjoy our differences. Embrace our uniqueness.
I was lucky to get to listen to the Audible version. ...more
If you are feeling suicidal or want to hurt someone else, please don't rely on just a book. Find a therapist. If they don't click with you, keep lookiIf you are feeling suicidal or want to hurt someone else, please don't rely on just a book. Find a therapist. If they don't click with you, keep looking. Meanwhile, there is a lot this book can do for you if you put in the work.
My daughter recommended this book. She laughed and said she just loved the title. I had no idea what the book was like, so I picked up the audiobook on Libby.
A friend of mine and I have been working on our creativity. Trying to get the muses to work with us. In the process, we have found some glitches we keep running into. Feelings of not being good enough seem to scream at us, feeling stuck and unable to finish what we planned. These are just a couple of issues that have plagued us. While listening to this book, I saw so many ways that Doctor Burns' methods could help those concerns and reach a few deeper, long-seated matters.
I have been in therapy in the past for depression and anxiety. The doctor even put me on disability. I fought against that one, but once he put me on the pharmaceuticals I knew I couldn't do much. Each drug had so many side effects that it wasn't long before I had to give them up. But I was left with more issues than I started. Working in public was not an option for quite a while. When depressed and feeling anxious, shaking, or gaining more weight doesn't promote the self-esteem needed to meet anyone new. So I gave them up. If you find yourself in that position, try to have the doctor help you. My insurance ran out, and I was stuck figuring out how to get off those powerful chemicals. Titrating off is harder than titrating onto a drug. Anyway, with no one to help me, I had to find ways to cope. Writing helped. Being creative, even when I didn't feel like it, helped get me out of my head. And it was nice to have a finished project to feel good about. I wish I would have had this book back then.
The only problem with the audio version from the library is that it didn't come with all the charts, forms, and other thought instigators that are in the paper book, so I will buy it when I get paid.
David D. Burns often says that if you have a deeper problem than these cognitive-behavioral prompts can deal with, seek help. Meanwhile, they might help a little while you are looking for someone to assist you.
At first, my plan is to hit the creativity snags in my psyche using his methods. But deeper still will be health, exercise, and housekeeping. Because I think the method can be viewed from many levels and handle many problems. And having a friend to reflect with as we go through this together will help both of us. If it gets too heavy we'll know when to gently suggest when we might need a professional. Hopefully, we won't need that, but it is nice to get out of our heads and into productive living. ...more
Don't complain about the title. By the time you finish reading this, you will see why and hold hope for this young woman.
This was, in fact, a tough rDon't complain about the title. By the time you finish reading this, you will see why and hold hope for this young woman.
This was, in fact, a tough read. Jennette McCurdy read her autobiography. I think it added a layer of truth you might not get reading the words yourself.
I didn't know Jennette McCurdy before reading this. I saw her on one of the talk shows and thought reading another autobiography would help me with my own. This one made me realize I need to read mine aloud. There was something therapeutic in listening to her life story. Maybe there will be something from my life to help someone else?
If you read the blogs and the reviews on GoodReads or Amazon, you will get no closer to deciding to read this. Would you choose to watch a train wreck? No? But this one offers hope in the end and makes you feel good for Ms. McCurdy. Take a chance....more
Doctor Jen does her own narration and does a great job of it. She keeps the reader's interest.
I love the idea she promoted here of attacking one habitDoctor Jen does her own narration and does a great job of it. She keeps the reader's interest.
I love the idea she promoted here of attacking one habit a month. I always feel there are so many habits I'd like to form or eliminate, but how does one do that with the hope of success? Ms. Jennifer takes us with her on her own journey, so we see how it all works and occasionally doesn't work for her.
Since this was a Libby audiobook, I felt I missed the stats and ways to connect with the ideas. So I have ordered the hardback to actually start my own Self-Care odyssey.
Are there some habits easier for a doctor than a person on Social Security to form or banish? Absolutely! But I think her methods could work with any that one would like to try. And the bonus is that by the end of the book, she had learned lessons along the way and kept many habits, and could keep track of those ideas she didn't want anymore.
I highly recommend this book and these ideas for change....more
Many reviews about this book are high, some are low ratings. It's her life. I don't think it is up to me to judge it. Her life is far different than mMany reviews about this book are high, some are low ratings. It's her life. I don't think it is up to me to judge it. Her life is far different than mine. Yet, I found a deep dive into another life, another memoir gave me insight into writing my own.
Until I saw Selma Blair on the View, I think it was, I had only heard the name and couldn't put a face with the name. Not too uncommon for me with anyone. Her movies weren't my type of movie. But I have known friends and loved ones that had MS. It is such a horrifying disease. I was curious to see how this person handled it.
If you like autobiographies, memoirs, this is for you. If you don't, you might move forward to another read. Ms. Blair gets personal and honest about many aspects of her life. I found the writing well done. And her voice is actively involved; honest tears are felt when she reads the parts most vulnerable.
Since her life always included pain and depression, it is spelled out quite often. If that is triggering for you, this might not be the read for you. It does help to see how someone else worked through her own darkness. I think it was worth the read. ...more
I don't know who recommended this book for me. Whoever, thank you! This was so interesting!
Having borrowed the Libby audio narrated by the author, I nI don't know who recommended this book for me. Whoever, thank you! This was so interesting!
Having borrowed the Libby audio narrated by the author, I now hope to buy the book someday.
The thing is, this is more than a book about depression, or even one person's account of his own journey. This book includes a bit of history of the diagnosis and treatment for centuries. It also includes how the disorder affects different socioeconomic sets of people.
I highly recommend this for anyone who has gone through depression or know of others who might be suffering. It leads to not only a deeper understanding, but medical issues and ways to find health....more
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Boy, am I glad I did! It was well-written and well-researched.
Do you suffer from anxiety/I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Boy, am I glad I did! It was well-written and well-researched.
Do you suffer from anxiety/depression like I do? Have you taken every drug the doctor prescribed and not have it work at all? Here is someone who has. I personally related to this book. Andrea Petersen tells her story while relating it to the science in history and current treatments for these ailments. She tells about her experiences helping us to see all the things in her life that could have or didn't cause her own problems. She owns what she can but it isn't a blame game for her. It is trying to understand how it was she thought she was going to die during anxiety episodes.
I am going to put a bit of a spoiler here as it is the one takeaway I want to remember. And I'll tell you why. Have you had a panic attack? I have. But I've also had stage fright. I used to sing solos at churches. I found this to be true: If I could get excited about singing the song in front of people I rarely made mistakes and the song sounded pretty good. I never could have said that about giving a speech or playing solos on the piano. TERRIFIED FROZEN POOL OF SWEAT. The same applies to talking to people on the phone, even people I love. If I had the performance memorized and I was excited (which can also cause shaking hands) I did fine. If I can work on making sure to build the excitement, I might be able to overcome the phone issues. It's an idea I plan to try as I think of it. You see, you can't memorize what you are going to say on the phone. I tried when I did phone sales. My stuff was memorized for the person if they followed their lines, they never did. But maybe when I plan to talk to someone I love, friends, and the family I can start applying this excitement over anxiety. Have you tried it? Did it work for you?
You may find a ton of things to help you in Ms. Petersen's story. As a journalist she gets personal yet she hangs onto that ability to step back and remain 'just the facts, M'am' research writer. I loved reading this book! I hope others who have had to endure mental illness either personally or someone you love, will take the time to read it. Maybe you'll find some answers....more
I have always admired Felicia Day. It was great to see a smart female actress playing smart female characters on the shows I've seen her on.
This bookI have always admired Felicia Day. It was great to see a smart female actress playing smart female characters on the shows I've seen her on.
This book gave me insight to the person and her history. It was fun to know that we shared a similar history. No, I'm old enough to be her mother. But my children shared her history and I through them. We learned the computer from way back with CompuServe, Prodigy (where I met my husband) and various video games and bulletin boards. Her ultimate game was WoW whereas my kids got into EQ. It was fun reading about how it was physically meeting the friends she made online. That experience the kids and I shared. But it was fun to watch the computer evolving with the generation who came of age at the same time.
My children were homeschooled, too. It was interesting to see her thoughts on it. I find that we who were schooled who wasted so many years with more time dedicated to kids with bad behaviors or teachers who bored us to sleep and were still quite socially shy and experienced depression tried to save our children of that. Instead, they blame their very anxiety on not having to school. They don't realize the opportunity they had without all the wasted time. Felicia became a professional violinist. And all these skills she acquired that makes her unique are a direct result from not being squeezed into a mold that schools force children into.
Anyway, I loved being able to listen to Felicia read her own story. It gave, even more, credence to autobiography. I knew I wanted to listen to her read it. But I found that there was no Text-to-Speech. That made me sad because had I not been able to afford the Audible version to whispersynch I would have had no way to enjoy this book. Still, it was delightful to listen to her voice. I wish her the very best in life. She deserves it!...more
I have always admired Felicia Day. It was great to see a smart female actress playing smart female characters on the shows I've seen her on.
This bookI have always admired Felicia Day. It was great to see a smart female actress playing smart female characters on the shows I've seen her on.
This book gave me insight to the person and her history. It was fun to know that we shared a similar history. No, I'm old enough to be her mother. But my children shared her history and I through them. We learned the computer from way back with CompuServe, Prodigy (where I met my husband) and various video games and bulletin boards. Her ultimate game was WoW whereas my kids got into EQ. It was fun reading about how it was physically meeting the friends she made online. That experience the kids and I shared. But it was fun to watch the computer evolving with the generation who came of age at the same time.
My children were homeschooled, too. It was interesting to see her thoughts on it. I find that we who were schooled who wasted so many years with more time dedicated to kids with bad behaviors or teachers who bored us to sleep and were still quite socially shy and experienced depression tried to save our children of that. Instead, they blame their very anxiety on not having to school. They don't realize the opportunity they had without all the wasted time. Felicia became a professional violinist. And all these skills she acquired that makes her unique are a direct result from not being squeezed into a mold that schools force children into.
Anyway, I loved being able to listen to Felicia read her own story. It gave, even more, credence to autobiography. I knew I wanted to listen to her read it. But I found that there was no Text-to-Speech. That made me sad because had I not been able to afford the Audible version to whispersynch I would have had no way to enjoy this book. Still, it was delightful to listen to her voice. I wish her the very best in life. She deserves it!...more
My recent research into all things schizophrenia led me to this great little guide. I found it concise and very understandable. I think it would be a My recent research into all things schizophrenia led me to this great little guide. I found it concise and very understandable. I think it would be a good starter for those who have had the diagnosis or those, like me, who know someone and want to have a little knowledge about what my loved one is going through.
This book even goes into the medications that are most often prescribed and how it might affect the patient.
My only question I'm left with as I just couldn't get it straight in my head, what is the difference between schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia, or if they are one and the same.
I was lucky to pick this up for free, but it is now $3.97. I think it would be worth it for the patient, their loved ones or a study guide for those studying the mental health disorders....more
It seems a long time since I finished a book. Moving, boxes and boxes and boxes. I feel I may never get finished with this move. But the mess I left bIt seems a long time since I finished a book. Moving, boxes and boxes and boxes. I feel I may never get finished with this move. But the mess I left behind, I never want to see again. After a couple years of the fibro getting me down and keeping me in bed the place was a mess. I have to admit it was a mess. But I was in bed. When you're in bed you don't feel like cracking the whip on anybody else. And they don't see it like you do, they don't see the mess, they don't care, or they think I'll get up and do it even though I'm hurting. And my brain wasn't working. I did what I could do, and I read a lot. In those worlds my life wasn't messy, I had adventures.
Thank goodness for summer. I finally felt good. I had a chance to go on road trips. I got to go swimming and I felt good! And in all of that I found hope again. And possibly, I found some answers for my health. Because whatever I'm doing now must be working. Even though I've walked 3 miles every few days and have muscle aches, I still didn't get a flare. Is it the magnesium? Is it the extra B vitamins? Is it the extra calcium and D vitamins? Is it the elevation here in Christmas Valley or the barometric pressure or the lack of humidity? Is it the combination of all of it plus a new life in my own adventure? I don't know. But while I feel good, I want to organize and get my life together.
So I've been collecting books about housekeeping, organization, and decluttering, those kinds of books. But I dreaded reading them. You see, long before fibro, I knew I had ADD/ADHD. Organizing is a problem for people like me. There are shiny chickens everywhere. Cleaning out the closet may find me putting together a new hobby or finding something new to research. That's me when well. Add pain and exhaustion to that and nothing will get done. And here is where the book I just read comes in.
This was not so much how to book though there is a little of that in there. This book feels like I got to meet a whole lot of organizers, who were also counselors. Each of the counselors has her own way of dealing with people and has a specialty of types of people that they deal with. Many organizers deal with people who have money. These people can afford to have all the shelves put in and closet arrangers that they need in their houses to get organized. When you're poor, you can't afford that. When you're poor, you need to organize even more, but you don't have the money to hire an organizer or have the money to hire a housekeeper. One of the women interviewed talks about taking this whole subject on. I hope they can find help for all of us who are in that position.
Another person interviewed takes on the issues that a person with ADD/ADHD must contend with. And yet another takes on the issues that senior people have. Like me. When you had problems in your life, health problems or psychological problems that set you back when there's no one to help you, the problems just get worse. Your place becomes a health hazard, accidents are going to happen when you can't walk through the place with plenty of room. And it was a relief to see that these people in this book are looking at these issues and seeing them as true challenges.
Sometimes you feel somebody out there does care. This book helped me feel that. It helped me to see how to read the rest of the organization books that I've picked up. To realize that these are tips and tricks that work for some but not for everyone, but to collect what works for me. And to realize I'm not alone.
This book was free when I got it. Now it is $3.99 I think. Still I think it's worth it. It's a good starting book. I'd like to read the rest of the series. This was only volume 1....more
The trauma that started in book/section three continues. It is so bad that it could be the end of the relationship between Carmen and her lover and evThe trauma that started in book/section three continues. It is so bad that it could be the end of the relationship between Carmen and her lover and even plays a part in her relationships with family and friends. But is time on her side? Is there a point where your trauma can isolate you to a point of starvation. Can she find her inner strength before everyone gives up on her?
This may be the most personal of all. If you haven't lived with trauma that is that debilitating you might not understand what Carmen is going through. But I felt the author, Sophia Deluna, did a marvelous job getting inside the heads of characters of this section. And something I haven't written about in my reviews of the previous Taxi installments is her writing. I love it! Her descriptions and ability to tell a story, reeling in this reader, hook, line and sinker. All the relationships seem real. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this story.
As with the other few bits of this story, I am most upset by the price per bit. I am now at the end of my budget for the month so I won't be able to read part five for a month. It is this that is causing the less than five stars for me. At least with Kindle Unlimited I can still read a book when the money runs out. Oh well. I still have a few of Ms. DeLuna's other stories downloaded to peruse over the next few weeks....more
After reading Original Sin by Lisa Alther and having a hard time liking it in any way, I had a decision to make. You see I got both of these books thrAfter reading Original Sin by Lisa Alther and having a hard time liking it in any way, I had a decision to make. You see I got both of these books through Kindle Unlimited which means they were free to borrow. I thought about returning this one, Other Women, and not reading it at all. Thank goodness I didn't. I loved this book!
If you have had a good experience with a counselor, dealing with problems of the past or current ones, this will feel familiar. I think everyone should have a good counselor once in a while to air the mental stuff that you might not want to weigh down your friends and family with. And here in Other Women there were plots and characters that felt so real that I was sorry the book ended. I think I might read it again, sometime.
Though this book ended quite well, all threads neatly sewn up, I still wish there was more. I want to see what happens next. We are left with ideas as to how life might continue, but I knew I would miss all these people as much as the real people in my life. I like when an author can do that. She created a reality that felt real.
Just saying that made me smile. Wasn't it because Original Sins felt so real that I hated it? I think I could relate more with the characters in Other Women much more deeply than I could with the characters in Original Sins. So maybe that is why the reviews on both books had such a variety of ranks. I guess it has to do with your own viewpoint of the world.
This is one book I will have to buy someday. I think many will love it as much as I did....more
This was a slow read for me. Not that the writing waI registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
Merged review:
This was a slow read for me. Not that the writing was bad, but because it was the paperback version and the font was small. But it wasn't so small that I couldn't take it in small doses.
Going deeper, the information that gave reminders that all of us need; that we are okay as we are. Fat shaming has never helped a bountiful woman or man to lose weight. That those who are of bountiful size have had enough with dieting that doesn't work. That trying to hide so as to avoid the critical voices, hides us from those who might be our friends or more.
Did I learn anything new here? No. Just some affirmations I had forgotten. Moreover, I wish the book had started with the ending stories. The beginning seemed a dream for those of us who have fixed incomes. The suggestions we go to health spas or invest in counseling that can also be exorbitant. Instead offering ideas to find those positive beings to come into our lives that create the kind of support we all need.
So, sorry, it's just okay but worth the read. Find the bits, as I did, and pass it on.
I registered this one with BookCrossers, the BCID is here: 473-12817834...more
This is on my wishlist to own! Thank you, Washoe County Library System for carrying this book!
It is not an easy book to get through. But if you manageThis is on my wishlist to own! Thank you, Washoe County Library System for carrying this book!
It is not an easy book to get through. But if you manage, you find so many diamonds of wisdom to apply to your own life.
Which of us has gotten through childhood unscathed? Which of us, as parents, release healthy, unscathed adults into the world? In Alison Bechdel's first memoir, Fun Home, Alison addressed her life with her father. In this book, Alison tells of her life with her mother. I was amazed at how well she was able to keep the story on her own interpretation of her own life. She brings in her therapists and friends and lovers in how they help her understand why certain things happened and how she can get over it and become whole.
Though this is done in comic book form it is far from funny. Yet, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, she was able to speak volumes using this method of story telling. It brought my own mother issues to mind while reading this.
A spot of vomit on the floor. Running lines with mom for the next play she'll be in. The inability to cry properly. Maybe these things wouldn't cause you cathartic experience, but as you follow Alison's path, which is also her mother's path, it is easy to relate to both women. As Alison calls into play the works of Virginia Wolfe and Freude among others to help her understand how it all fits and how we all fit into our mother's worlds.
This book may have triggers for some people but I think that most people will find if they stick it out there are more answers than questions through Ms. Bechdel's story. I recommend it highly to everyone....more
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