5 comments about Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters.

1. I have actually been through a long period of spiritual chaos. I have owned this book in the past. I also owned many other books that are of this kind. This book is actually useless. The best thing to do in times of turmoil is to keep things SIMPLY. That is the best solution. Think in a positive way but not to the extreme end that is advocated in all these self improvement books which are actually self DESTRUCTION books.
   For those who question my opinion, I have been severely depressed for over 6 years. I stop being depressed back in 2003. I am currently a psychology major. REAL psychology books are VERY different from these SHAM books.
   I hope my review have helped someone. If you have books like this, you should throw them away.



2. Every person's experience in a reading a book is their own, and therefore, unique. I took away a sense of this book "making me think" and asking myself hard questions about life. I felt the exercises were way too long, but I got a much needed dose of mental focus from reading it.
   
   Dr. Phil offers so good, sound, ideas that will cause you to look at how you are managing your life and how you can do it in a better way. I recommend that you read this book.



3. This book was bought for my neice. I already had it and believe me, after you read the first two chapters you know this book isn't just a lot of mumbo jumbo. Instead of giving you reasons why your life is messed up it actually helps you evaluate your life where it is at right now. You'll gain insight about your behaviors and how they affect your decisions. You'll understand how you invite people to treat you the way they do. It's not all roses but it's great information if you really want to make a change in how your life is going. There are so many "well, duh..that makes total sense!" moments in this book! It's a great read. I also have the workbook (which really is a WORK book).



4. Despite being embarrassed to buy this book (I felt like a loser handing it to the cashier), I bought it anyway because I like Dr. Phil's show--he's entertaining. However, I didn't find this book nearly as helpful as Wayne Dyer, The Secret or Eckart Tolle. I didn't take anything away from it, and I wish I had bought something else instead of this book. Sorry Dr. Phil! I still love your show and that brilliant masterpiece, Dr. Phil House.



5. Haven't gotten a chance to read it yet. I glanced through it and it seems helpful in preparing my personal vision statement.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover's Soul: Inspirational Stories About Horses and the People Who Love Them (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. I like horses, but I had a hard time getting into this book. Some of the stories were better than others. I think two of my favorite stories were the one about the Horse at Harvard and the one about the horses surrounding and protecting the baby. Most of the stories were good. This is a book about true horse stories.



2. This much needed book offers readers an opportunity to feel better connected to their souls and the primal call within to connect to the beauty, strength, freedom and gentleness of not only horses but the Animal Kingdom in general. If you like or love horses, another book is also inspiring: ON THE TRAIL OF THE PONY EXPRESS by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. He retraced the 2,000 mile route of the Pony Express Trail by horse, foot, covered wagon and canoe. The non-fiction adventure book is filled with the history and spirit of the Pony Express riders who became part of the great American West.



3. This book does the line of Chicken Soup books great justice. A great read whether you love horses or not. The stories will touch everyone's hesrt.



4. As a first time horse owner (I inhereited three in one day at the age of 24) I am constantly looking for ways to expand my knowledge of horses and all things equine-related. This book was not only inspirational, but got me familiar with terms I hadn't used in my every day language until I got my horses. This book made me laugh, sniffle, and nod my head in relation to some of the stories. This is a good book for first time horse owners and not-so-new horse owners.



5. I love, love, love this book. It makes you laugh, cry, get angry, then laugh again all in one story. There were dozens of stories. The only thing I've wondered is that I noticed over 90% of the stories came from professional writers. Were they then true, or did they just tell us a good story? Either way, a must read for any horse lover.

3 comments about Experiencing Grief.

1. This book is excellent. I read it about 1 month after my 3 year old died and I loved it. It is short, and a very easy read. Many books can be difficult to absorb in the fog of grief. Helped me understand places I was in, emotions I was experiencing, gave practical ideas for healing, and helped with expectations to come in the grief journey. this is very practical and I believe would be an excellent gift to anyone in grief, and at any point from the first day of mourning on. I would pay 3x the cost for the item!



2. This book describes the many different feelings grieving people have and offers assurance that healing will come but not according to some preset time table. The one who is grieving will better understand that his experience is normal and those who want to help will have more empathy after reading this book.
   The author writes from a Christian perspective and includes some Scripture references, but the approach is gentle and should not be offensive to a non-Christian.
   The book is short, easy to read, and is small enough to be tucked inside a condolence card. I plan to buy several copies.



3. My pastor gave this book to me after my son died. After reading it, I HAD to purchase additional copies to give away. After the death of a close friend or family member, there are so many feelings we go through, and this book describes and addresses all of them I went through! Even one I didn't realize, from my Father's passing two years prior to reading this.
   It gives the reader understanding of tumultuous feelings of loss, regret, guilt, AND release from any guilt, plus encouragement for the future. I highly recommend this book for yourself, a family member or friend; it will be one of the best things you could do.

5 comments about Suicide and Attempted Suicide.

1. From someone who has lost her father to suicide, I find this book completely disturbing. No, I have not read it and I never will read it. I cannot believe that there is a book out in circulation that cooks up methods on how to take one's life. It is an utter trajedy for the person suffering from attempting or completing suicide and I can wholeheartedly tell you what a tradjedy it is for those who are left with no answers and all the feelings that go with this selfish decision. Shame on the author who wrote this and to those who are reading this. Better to spend your money on an appointment with a therapist! By the way I was FORCED to give this book one star before submitting my opinion.



2. Anyone who pays a thousand bucks for a $20 book deserves to die. Give me a break!



3. This does not help anyone. Everyone around me is committing suicide to this book. It's awful... awfully good... awfully good to die to.



4. Whenever I feel helples and awfull (which is SO offen) I look up at the stars and wonder why, GOD, did you put me on this earth to suffar? I suffar SO MUCH! i just want to thank you, geo, for helping poeple liek us (the depresed) realize that there is really so little to live for. i might as well die. geo... i'll shake your hand in hevven! i <3 <3 <3 geo!
   
   i have never read this book.



5. When I was 11 years old, my brother and I were walking to our favorite swimming spot on the Colorado River. We passed through a dusty, overgrown lot where an old man had been living in his trailer. We saw him working around his car, with a tube that he'd taped to his exhaust pipe. He looked up, smiled and waved. When my bro and I were done with our swim, we walked home the same way we'd came. We noticed the old man's car running...amber smoke in the car, the long tube taped from his exhaust pipe to the rear window...his head was leaning against the passenger window. We knew then that he'd killed himself.
   The thing that strikes me about that memory is the peace that I saw in the old guy's face prior to his making his exit. He wasn't obviously tormented - he looked happily resolved. And if my life was deteriorating in an uncomfortable and irreversible way for myself, I'd like to think I have the backbone to go ahead and pull the plug like he did. Why is there so much stigma attached to this act? I guess the key word here is "irreversible". Some dire situations, certain emotional pains - seem to have no end, so suicide appears to be the best solution to some people...in the moment. If they'd just work through the pain of a temporary situation...they can go on to a happier existence. Is this a dangerous book for people at that threshold? My life partner reacted badly to the mere idea of my owning this book, and brought that point up. I reminded him that he and I come from a generation that was used to hiding all the smut and dirty little details of reality...the new generation is the "Information Age". If a person really wants to learn how to do something, they can research it on the net and forums dedicated to certain controversial topics. But this book DISSUADES someone from making a foolhardy gesture - going into detail about the consequences (pain/crippling) of certain common methods of trying to "dispatch" oneself. It's presented in a very realistic, responsible way. If I had to lose my entire library and only keep one book - this would be the one book that I would keep - tucked safely under my arm - as a valuable reference for the moment I might need it in the (hopefully distant) future. Throughout the tumultuous journey that is life, I find great comfort in having my guidebook, my "map", of how to gracefully, and with dignity, be able to find my final resting place - should I need it.
   
   XXX...As a final note to this review; I found out later that the old man my brother and I saw commit suicide had been pining for his life-long sweetheart, who had died the previous year...in addition to facing grave health problems of his own. I used to go into his abandoned trailer to play "Go-Fish" with my little friends, and never felt weird about what I'd witnessed. I felt like he would have welcomed me being there.
   I wish people would start giving up their fear of death in our narrow-minded little western society. Other, comparitively primitive societies have much healthier and more realistic attitudes than we do.

5 comments about Married to Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After Divorce.

1. I could not put it down! We as women have struggles but to for Dyanara to write about it was great .. I was happy to read that she had so much support and love from her family.
   
   Jeannette Torres-Alvarez loved her notes! BALANCE!!!
   
   I know that I have picked up some wonderful tips!
   Thanks for sharing your ups and downs.



2. 
   Full Disclosure
   
   Dayanara is a friend of mine and if I hated this book there would have been no review.
   
   If you're looking for a tell all about Dayanara's marriage to Marc Anthony this book will be a disappointment. If you're looking for a "tell-something" you are in luck.
   
   I don't know how but at a remarkably young age the sisters Torres (Jinny is the co-author) have found their voices. Although it appears to be geared to the divorced or divorcing woman, Married To Me is a wonderful guide for married women too.
   
   There is more than one gentle reminder that our children are only half "ours". Married, divorced, single or looking Dayanara and Jeannette are women worth listening to. By honoring our children's fathers we honor our children.
   
   Do not miss the chapter on Rebuilding. A smart woman begins every day fresh.
   
   It's a charming and uplifting book with small glimpses into a very exciting life led by two insightful and glamorous women (who are surprisingly just like us).



3. I am very happy to see that she was only 17 when she started her career. Entered to another world by winning the Mss Universe and married Marc. Is good to see that yes, she is very beautiful, have done so much and have achieved many things but, yet she doesn't live Queen's/perfect life. I think that this book is a wake up call to all these woman who think that life is perfect or like we will say in Spanish "No todo es color de rosa."
   In any event, the book is worth to invest the time, money and energy.....! Well done Dayanarra.
   From Boston, Ma.
   
   Juan Carlos Gonzalez
   cjguy1@hotmail.com



4. This book is good for women going through the tough time of a divorce. I gives helpful hints to help yourself so you can move on with your life



5. I bought this book because Yari is a well-known celebrity in the Philippines back in the 90's. I was just curious.... like I also bought Tori Spelling's book...
   However, I found this book really INSPIRING. How I wish I had this book while I was going through my divorce. I have collections of books about divorce, moving on, rebuilding from well known Psychologists and recommendations from my therapist. But this is the first and only book that I will keep reading until I can rediscover myself again. Good job Yari! You are now my idol and inspiration.

4 comments about Pick-Up Lines That Work: Get the Girl Tonight!.

1. I love pick-up lines and this book delivers. "The Definitive Book of Pick-Up Lines" by Max Tucker delivers lines that have more punch and wit, however these pick-up lines have more conversational quality to them. Devon Wild is a P.I.M.P.



2. Pick up lines that work is a helpful book if you are trying to pick up girls!!!its an entertaining read and it is simple to learn the pick up lines. The special foemula in the book is near flawless. It makes me more comfident to talk to girls. GOOD BOOK overall!!!! pick it up!!!



3. Yes,there is finally a real book on pick-up lines.The author did his research.Its about time someone wrote a book on pick-up lines and how,when,where and why to use them.This book covers the lot.
   
   The book is divided up into various sections showing which pick-up line suits each situation.Not many corny jokes in this book so you're not likely to get slapped across the face or kneed in the groin.
   
   This is the book every guy should have.If you want to improve your chances with women then this book is going to be help you meet and pick-up women.As for the price the book is good value.It definitely a quality book not one of those books written by some idiot trying to cash in on singles.If you are going to buy a book purely on pick-up lines buy this book.Its the only one you need.
   
   Add this book to your collection of "How to pick-up women" type books and you will be a winner.



4. I thought this book had some really good stuff inside. There are lots of ways to pick up women without feeling ingraitated or like you're throwiing out stupid pick up lines. This book helps with that. I also liked and would recommend Dating Sense: The Practical Way to Meet, Date and Marry the Right Person.

5 comments about Master Strategies for Higher Achievement: Set Your Goals and Reach Them - Fast! (Your Coach in a Box).

1. If you've listened to any Brian Tracy tapes, or seen his videos, you know he can go on for a long, long time--on many different subjects. Much is repeated, on virtually every one of his programs, this is no exception. However, a lot of new, invigorating stuff is on these CD's. The price alone makes this an excellent program. All of Tracy's audio/video programs on Nightingale Conant sell for $70 and up. I keep these CD's in my car all the time, and listen to them often. His tone of voice is much more soothing than Zig, and he is almost every bit as enthusiastic. If you are thinking about getting an auto-audio education, this is a great starting point.



2. I love Brian Tracy's products because he is a great teacher and mentor! His materials are amazing! I decided to buy these CDs to add more to my Brian Tracy Collections.
   
   It is a great CDs, but I wasn't too happy when I listen to them. When I first listened to these CDs, it seems like the rest of the CDs will be a boring class because Brian Tracy's tone of voice in these CDs is a little bit slow. It was weird, because usually Brian Tracy talks very naturally and fun to listen to. On these CDs, he talks like a phone greeting machine.
   
   You have to be very patient when you listen to these CDs because of the way Brian Tracy talks on this CDs, but the way I see it is that not all my mentors are exciting and entertaining, but I still can learn from them.
   
   Brian Tracy talks about the difference between the rich and the poor that the rich is willing to sit down and learn new things and discipline themselves to acquire new skills that make them rich. He will teach you different master strategies that will excel you to a different level of thinking.
   
   So it is worth it to listen to the whole entire audio series because you will learn so much from Mr. Brian Tracy.
   
   These principals will really take you to a higher level of achievement.
   
   Must listen audio series, it is a lot better than listening to worthless music while you drive to work. Brian Tracy made it clear that the time we spend on the road must be invested in learning by listening to educational CDs and tapes.



3. I've been listening to Brian Tracy for a number of years. I've purchased many of his audio programs and read several of his books. In my opinion, Brian gives you the most information for your money over any other business / motivation speaker out there. There are other good speakers, of course. I also like Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Harvey Mackay, Stephen Covey, and Mark Victor Hansen, as well as classics like Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill. But all-in-all, I keep going back and listening to Brian's stuff over-and-over again and find it to be the most practical.
   
   This program "Master Strategies" is excellent. In fact, I've recommended this program to almost all of the people I work with. Many people might think this is a program just for business people. But really I think this is a great program for helping you get the most out of your life in general. There are some excellent life management skills to be learned here.
   
   The other program of Brian's that I recommend is called "21 Secrets to Success". It's available on Amazon also. This program is similar to the "Master Strategies" series but has some different and very useful information. I think they are both worth owning and listening to frequently. I have loaded both programs into my iPod so I can listen to them while jogging. Good stuff. And if you're used to buying Brain's material in other audio formats you know this is a good deal for the amount of information you get.
   
   I recommend this program for anyone who wants to improve their personal and professional work habits.



4. I listen to a lot of CDs for motivation and to enhance my learning. I found this CD set to be extremely useful. I feel as if I did learn quite a bit and plan to re-listen to this CD set. Definitely a worthwhile purchase.



5. While this information wasn't especially new, it was a great reminder. I run decluttering and time management workshops for a living (inspiredhoney.com) and so I like to have a break once in a while give my mind a tune-up (like I do for my car). I always find Brian Tracey's material interesting and well-presented.

5 comments about Froggy Gets Dressed.

1. It's very very difficult to dislike froggy. Those wide innocent eyes. That wide innocent mouth. He's like Kermit the Frog in picture book form. And though Froggy has been around some ten years plus, he's just as beloved of children today as he has ever been. You want a good read aloud story? Just pick up the nearest Froggy book you can find and start ah-readin'. Like Pavolv's dog, kids are somehow programmed to react to Froggy's setbacks and mistakes with uproarious cued laughter. The best example of this can probably be found in the lovely laughable, "Froggy Gets Dresssed". Arguably the best in the series ("Froggy's First Kiss", has its admirers as well, I should note), the book's a great Intro to Froggydom. And in the wintertime it's an ideal choice for your little ones.
   
   First of all, frogs hibernate in the winter. This is a fact of life. No one disputes this. But this winter is different. Froggy wakes up in his warm toasty bed, takes one look out the window and shrieks with delight, "Snow! Snow!... I want to play in the snow!". Froggy's mother attempts to dissuade her little one from this course of action, pointing out that frogs are not snow-playing creatures. Froggy remains undeterred. He dresses hurriedly and flops outside. Whoops! Froggy seems to have forgotten his pants. So he runs back inside, puts on the missing item and runs outside. Whoops! He's forgotten his shirt and coat. You see where this is going. About the time it becomes clear that Froggy has forgotten his underwear (cue the laughter of underwear obsessed kids everywhere) he's too tired to do anymore playing in snowdrifts. And so, it's back to bed he heads.
   
   You want alliteration in your picture books? Well brother, you've got alliteration. One of the great draws in "Froggy Gets Dressed" are the sounds made as Froggy dresses. Listen: "So Froggy put on his socks - zoop! Pulled on his boots - zup! Put on his hat - zat! Tied on his scarf - zwit! Tugged on his mittens - zum!". It's twice as much fun to say aloud as it is to read to yourself. But Jonathan London is only half the genius in the Froggy world. Illustrator Frank Remkiewicz deserves just as much credit as well. Froggy is such a likable protagonist that it's hard not to read the book over and over just to watch him as he leaps, hops, dresses, undresses, and generally has a fine ole time. And his mother, though she tells him that frogs sleep in the winter, is mostly amused by his antics. She carries a bemused smile on her face as he runs hither and thither in the snow, donning various articles of clothing. Clever children may even wonder why it is that Froggy HAS all this winter clothing if he tends to sleep during the winter. Such children should be immediately deemed geniuses and given full scholarships to Yale. Ditto adults who say the same thing.
   
   All in all, it's hard to find a better upbeat winter bedtime story than dear old "Froggy Gets Dressed". It's one of those sure-fire hits that the kids will be bound to enjoy. A top notch bit of kiddie fare. Recommended in spades.



2. This is our first Froggy book. We bought this book because of all the great reviews. If I had previewed the book at the bookstore, it would probably had stayed at the bookstore. There is probably nothing wrong with the way Froggy's mommy chose to deter Froggy from playing in the snow, but my older son was turned off by her telling Froggy about his underwear and he didn't want to read the book anymore.
   
   His explanation was Froggy's mommy is not very nice because: 1) she embarrassed him by yelling at him in public, 2) my son didn't see the problem with Froggy not wearing underwear (since Froggy probably wasn't wearing underwear in bed or he wouldn't have forgotten, 3) for my son, underwear had no function in keeping warm. I asked my son to suggest some ways to improve the book (as we always do when we find bad books), and he said, "she should help him get dressed and let him play for 10 minutes in the snow. That's what I would like you to do if I were Froggy." Love that child.
   
   The illustrations are quite cute, especially with the rabbit and racoon in the process of making a snow bear in the background. It is nice to see such attention to detail.



3. I've always loved the Froggy books, so when I had my daughter I was glad to see that there was a board book available in the series. She's 3 months old now and loves to look at the pictures and enjoys all the sound effects that go along with Froggy putting on each item of clothing.



4. Another in the prolific Jonathan London's "Froggy" series, this book about the amphibious one is a recursive story about all the clothes you must wear on a snowy day--and all the clothes you must take off (in the reverse order) when you forget to put some on.
   
   In this Froggy tale, our green hero wakes up with incredible enthusiasm--it's like he was raised on caffeine--and he just CANNOT wait to go out and play in the snow.
   
   "No! No! cried Froggy.
   "I'm awake! awake!
   I want to go out and play
   in the snow."
   
   Straight away, he puts on his socks, boots, hat, scarf, and mittens. London cleverly uses different sound effects for each item (e.g., socks get a "zoop!," and mittens, a "zum!"), and different verbs for each action: A scarf is tied on, boots are pulled. However, just as the excited Froggy is ready to join the other animals in the snow, his mother yells, "Frrrooggyy!" (and that's a direct quote) "Did you forget to put something on?" Froggy discovers that he forgot one important thing--to put on his pants.
   
   That, of course, is an almost certain lock on kids' attention. But first, Froggy has to take off all his clothes (except his socks--they don't get in the way), put on his pants, then put them all his clothes on again. The hasty frog's mood jumps from joyful to exasperated surprise to determined. Subsequently, his mother clues him into noticing that he has forgotten his coat and shirt, and, of course, his underwear. All this putting on and taking off and putting back on tires Froggy out, and he crawls back into bed. The book's basic plot and repetitive scheme will engage most toddlers, and teach them a lot about clothes (they all look so cozy!), sequencing, and word structure. The illustrations, colors, and font are big and bright, and despite all the action, the pages look uncluttered.
   
   (One very minor complaint regards the synchronization of text and illustration. On one of the three pages where Froggy realizes he forget to put something on, he is shown smiling as he prepares a snowball. It's really unfortunate when this sort of editing error occurs, and I've seen such problems [poor continuity is another example] in other books for kids.)
   
   Illustrator Frank Remkiewicz also does wonders with facial and body expressions. Still, I wonder whether somewhat older toddlers and those in early elementary school might feel a little disappointed that Froggy doesn't get to play. It's realistic--a kid or a frog WOULD get tired with all that dressing exercise--but I didn't like that the mom smiles so broadly when Froggy goes back to bed. However, I doubt that the intended audience is going to give a rivet about that.



5. What a cute book! My kids love hearing me read FROGGY so they can respond with WHAT! The sounds after Froggy puts on a piece of clothing still makes my children laugh and we've been reading it off and on for over a year. This is a book that parents will enjoy reading also.

5 comments about The Care and Feeding of Indigo Children.

1. Some ideas in this book were right on, some were unbelieveable to me (such as indigos choosing their own age to die - particularly living to be a few hundred years old). Aside from strange ideas like that I think the information in this book can help indigos and non indigos, such as eating healthy and avoiding dyes and preservatives. However, contrary to popular belief, I do not believe most indigo's are true ADD or ADHD, and the ones in this book giving their eperience of the medicines were biased. Medicine does help some children who truly need it (though I believe you should try to wait until they are at least 8-9 years old). Doctors will happily write any parent a perscription because they make money doing so. This is what they have been taught. Parents should always try alternative methods first, and also check for common allergies (wheat, milk, soy, eggs, peanuts etc.) My sons have a wheat allergy (one who is an indigo in particular, his behavior changed drastically when wheat and milk were removed from his diet. The older one (a sweet crystal child) did start medicine when he was 9 but takes a low dose, does not "space out on meds or seem high", and was able to get out of a self contained class to regular classes, have a B+ average, and has his PDD_NOS / autism diagnosis now classified in partial remission. He has many friends and is well liked by his teachers as well. You can not tell he is different (he grew out of his odd speech) except for the fact he is so well behaved. His other brothers, well thats another story...(but they're great too!)
   
   I believe many of the indigos in here were mislabled (as they could be gifted), and ADHD and gifted children share traits such as questions and challenging authority. They were not severe enough to warrent meds, but unfortunately schools pressure it when children do not conform. Always keep respect for your child and give them love and structure (and discipline if needed.)
   
   Putting down meds so much I believe causes a separation between traditional and alternative medicine when what I feel is needed is a blending of the two systems to benefit the whole population, indigo or not.



2. Thanx to Doreen Virtue I now can answer/explain different things to my children in terminology they understand, such as,"this is the way they do it on earth..." Most important for me was the feedback from other "aware" parents with helping my children cope in this "foreign to them" world. thanx so much!!!!



3. I read the book, THE CARE AND FEEDING OF INDIGO CHILDREN by
   Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.
   I took a look at it,and I found that I could strongly relate to this
   stuff. Therefore, I bought the book. The more I read it, the more I
   believed that Indigo Child seemed like a label for children with
   learning disabilities and AD/HD. I feel that New Agers created this
   label because of the skyrocketing increase of children with AD/HD. The
   problem is that the AD/HD condition is not just exclusive to children.
   There has been an increase of diagnosing AD/HD in adults. Some were
   diagnosed AD/HD at 60 yrs old. In 2004, I was diagnosed inattentive
   type ADHD at the age of 32, and my mother told me that she can relate
   to many of the symptoms AD/HD and Dyslexia. From what my mother told
   me,my father seemed to have Dyslexia and AD/HD. From what I have seen
   in my mother's side of the family, numerous relatives have these AD/HD
   traits. Everyone of my mother's 4 halfsiblings dropped out of high
   school,and my mother never even went to high school. They did find
   their niches,and they did well in their careers except for my uncle
   Dino has gone through many jobs but he has learned many skills. My
   Uncle Eddie who is now 47 years old, was always hyperactive. He was in
   special ed with speech problems like me. My stepgrandmother refused to
   have him medicated because both her and my grandfather were
   hyperactive,and they weren't on medication. It seems that
   hyperactivity runs in the family.
   
   With knowing these things, I do not
   believe in Indigo generation nor the Indigo label itself. The label is
   not going to help a child with problems with learning to read and
   communicate as well as learn. Special education helped correct my
   Dyslexic,Dyspraxic problems,and so I am a compensated Dyslexic,Dyspraxic
   As for the AD/HD, I really don't think it's a problem. I honestly feel that it's an alternative learning style that doesn't fit well with mainstream classroom,and I feel the same about Dyslexia. I also feel that because of their sensitivity, the wrong foods can affect them in adverse ways. I also feel that the fluorescent lights in the classrooms can make them feel uncomfortable and can exacerbate both AD/HD,Dyslexic,and Dyspraxic symptoms. Fluorescent lights can make Scotopic Sensitivity worse. The fluorescent lights can make people with Scotopic Sensitivity have problems seeing black print on white paper due to reflection of the light on the paper.
   
   I was a special ed student for 3 yrs in elementary school. If it wasn't for special education(motor skills therapy,auditory therapy,speech therapy,phonics training, I would always had severe problems with language processing and very poor motor skills because of my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. I have had psychiatric misdiagnoses of psychotic,bipolar crap by psychiatrists in adulthood because they were ignorant of my Dyslexic,Dyspraxic nature. I have history of anxiety and depression. I have always have been extremely sensitive on every level too. I was referred to as being "special" by my mother and stepfather. After all, I had special needs. I was in special education. A lot of people had no idea how much I hated that word. You know how some people say "Oh..You think that you are so special!" to cut you down. They didn't know they were talking to somebody that had special needs and was a special ed student. I definitely believe that Indigo Child is just a New Age copout label for people like myself. I don't believe in the Indigo Child propaganda.
   
   I believe that Indigo Child is an umbrella term for people with atypical neurological systems(AD/HDers,Dyslexics,Dyspraxics,other Learning Disabled,Aspergers,Autistics) like myself. They have always existed.
   There is nothing new about people like us. We're the types that have been in self contained special education classes,special schools,group homes,doped up on heavy antipsychotics,gave us lobotomies,or locked us up in asylums. Our types were probably burnt at the stake in other time periods. In modern times, we just have more awareness of the diversity of neurological make-ups in people. We have a very long way to go for society to tolerate and accept neurodiversity which is shown by the skyrocketing increase of neurodivergent people on psychiatric
   medications.



4. I recommend this book to any parent of an Indigo. I read it very quickly and it offered excellent advice on the raising and care of an Indigo child. It will stay in my library to be used as a reference tool in the future.



5. I am a teacher of Metaphysics and bought this book discover more about my own child and other children that I teach and also ended up discovering a few things about myself. I love the way Doreen has children interview other children to get their full and honest views on their lives and how they deal with them. Who better for a child to console with, but another child. This is a very easy to read book and flow smoothly from one subject to another. I think this is a great first book to start reading about Indigos because it really gives a good background and foundation for the world that you are about to open your eyes to.

5 comments about Shadow Syndromes: The Mild Forms of Major Mental Disorders That Sabotage Us.

1. 
   Shadows Syndromes is a worthy read, in that it does a good job of highlighting the major disconnect between diagnostic categories and reality. While the DSM model has its uses (research and billing being the only two I can think of right now), it also serves to reify the notion that mental illnesses are precise, discreet disorders. Any one with an ounce of clinic experience will tell you that real cases don't fit neatly into categories. The diagnostic questions sometimes help think through and organize the presenting concerns, signs and symptoms. But often the debate over whether someone is suffering from a pure mood disorder versus PTSD versus character pathology serves as a distraction. Or , another classic example: spinning wheels arguing whether a patient is an addict with psychiatric symptoms secondary to drug abuse or are they actually someone with a primary psychiatric diagnosis who is using substances to self-medicate their mental illness. It's a meaningless exercise based on an overly simplistic model. But that one does matter because insurance companies consider one of those scenarios worth paying to treat and the other worthy only of their contempt.
   
   In reality, just like any other organ in the body, the brain mediates a number of functions. It is responsible for mood regulation, memory, sustaining attention, shifting attention, interpreting social cues, integrating sensory information, regulating motivation of all manner of behaviors, and impulse control, to name a few. We all have various strengths and weaknesses, and we all fall somewhere on a bell-shaped curve for performance of each of these various tasks. People who shake out on the extremes ends in one particular area probably look like textbook definitions of specific illnesses (a "pure" mood disorder with no other comorbidities). That's rare. Looking at it even just from this sort of statistical model, one would expect that, for any given disorder, the number of people who unmistakably qualify for a specific diagnosis would be just a fraction of those who almost qualify. These "subclinical" cases are what Drs. Ratey and Johnson refer to as "shadow syndromes." They go a step further and assert that these people actually suffer more from mental illness, because they slip through the cracks. They are not quite sick enough to find themselves needing treatment, but they are impaired by their symptoms.
   
   It's an important perspective that is explained in simple, readable terms in the first part of the text. The second part then breaks the shadow syndromes down into specific "mild" mental illnesses based on the traditional categories. So just imagine how densely the comorbidities can layer now. Is there anyone motivated to pick up this book that won't conclude that they have masked depression, are slightly bipolar, have a subthreshold intermittent rage disorder, mild attention deficit disorder, a touch of "autistic echoes" and are a shadow addicts? Then what are the implications? Does everyone need to be in therapy? Does everyone need to be on a finely tuned psychopharmacological regimen and a behavior plan?
   
   I recommend this book, I think it's well-written and thought provoking. It does succeed in explaining complex issues in a way that is understandable to people outside the field without being simplistic or dull to people within the field. That's a tough line to walk. And I like the emphasis on blurry boundaries to disorders, and the overall message of understanding how your brain works, what your relative strengths and weaknesses are and how to make the best of things. But I worry that the take-home message for many will be to feel these diagnostic categories expanding, billowing out of their margins, pathologizing every aspects of our humanity as it envelopes us. While it gets at the true complexity of these disorders, it also does so with the bias that mental illness primarily a Biological phenomenon. Perhaps this is to combat social stigma and people's assumptions that these deficiencies are due to personal weakness (or- just as damaging- all to be blamed on bad mothering). Or perhaps, it's that, as we learn more about these disorders (which we are doing at a rapid rate thanks to the new abundance of genetic data and advances in brain scanning that lets investigators see brain regions light up as they work), we learn more about the biological aspects, since that is what we are looking for and trained to interpret. So, now the authors expand the scope of these diagnoses and therefore lead us to the conclusion that more people could benefit from psychopharmacologic treatments. It's a nice book to recommend to your patients if you take only self-pay patients and only do psychopharm visits. But it skims over the real beauty of psychiatry, the reason it is the most intellectually challenging field in medicine and the most rewarding specialty to practice, which is the multifactorial, composite nature of everything our brain is and does at any moment. No doubt the genetics shape the brain, as does the metabolic and endocrine factors in the uterine environment during development, as does nutritional factors, and then near infinite environemental variables acting constantly on each individual. From things as foundational as the fit in temperament between primary caregiver and baby, all the way out to religion and culture. From the preconscious memories of the earliest childhood experiences all the way out to this morning's headline news.
   
   You can take the best brain in the world, if there is such a thing, but I guarantee the individual possessing it will be no healthier than the families, systems, and societies they inhabit.
   
   So thumbs up for a great read, and a perspective that broadens our view of the mind and mental illness. Too bad they interpret the new landscapes with tunnel vision, but it's to their credit that they left me wanting more.



2. I was familiar with John Ratey due to his involvement with Dr. Hallowell in books like "Driven to distraction" however I had never read any thing written by Dr. Ratey himself. I found his book surprisingly informative. This book is an easy read even for the lay-person.His explainations are easy to follow and understand. I have referanced this book several times when writting about mental conditions and sharing information with other who are intersted in mental health. As some one who is very familiar with mental conditions and mood disorders I found this book to be unique in it's presentation and ideas. Dr.Ratey does a wonderful job of bridging the gap between those who have sever mental conditions and those of us who are functional but still struggle with social expectations. I found his writing to be informative without being depressive or bias. I highly recommend for any one curious about mood disorders or various temperaments. One of a kind, very original.



3. An interesting book to read and understand all syndromes and how they appear. Although too much on the side of using Prozac which now is not used as much as many patients become hooked on such medicines . If you take that away,or do not pay much attention to this part, it is very informative and you can understand those who are near you who have these syndromes.



4. This is an important book that should be read by everyone who has an interest in mental health, and that includes just about all of us. In many ways, this book is an extension of the ideas of Peter Kramer's Listening to Prozac and Michael Norden's Beyond Prozac, especially the former book. It's filled with useful information and plenty of detailed case studies, where I think case studies are a very useful and entertaining way to learn about the effects of psychiatric drugs. Is there really a large fraction of the population that exhibits symptoms bordering on overt mental illness? I think so and they probably could benefit from the right psychiatric drugs at the right doses, as long as those drugs don't have serious side effects for the given person. This is a highly enjoyable and enlightening read. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.



5. The book don't share the objetive information that I waited.It don't help you to diagnose or perceive the "shadow syndromes".A lot of real cases but little epidemiologic, neuropsychiatric, and treatment information.And it don't do the most important in my opinion: to diferenciate from a shadow syndrome to the other.