5 comments about Waking the Tiger : Healing Trauma : The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences.

1. On the positive side, I think the author had a few good things to tell those of us who struggle w/ trauma, which I noted at the side of each page, i.e., facts about the numbers of people living w/ trauma & the struggle we have w/ folks who haven't been traumatized but urge you to get on w/ your life, etc. On the negative side, if you start at the wrong place you will arrive there every time. I choose not to believe I have a reptilian brain, that I am a human animal or that I am a product of chance or evolution. That was insulting, but predictable. I believe that trauma has meaning, even if I never discover what it is. If it doesn't serve some purpose then life is meaningless, truly. If we are all basically animals, why be moral? He believes that most of our problems in the world are due to unresolved trauma. That's the blind leading the blind. How do I, as an organism, trust what he's saying is true? This book raises more issues for me than it solves, not only because of its starting point, but also because of how blatantly absurd it is in that it does not conform to real reality even if there are similarities in the animal world. I wasn't helped by this gibberish.



2. The fact that the body remembers the psychological injuries inflicted on the mind is not new. What I found very disappointing and almost incredible is the fact that the author draws up a list of possible abuses and puts at the same level the trauma of a painful surgery and the emotional or/and sexual abuse of a child mistreated by her parents for years. The book is simplistic and first of all sends the wrong message to people who carries deep emotional wounds. It is close to the superficial self-help books that claim that they can solve your problems once and for all. This must be untrue given the huge number of books of this kind, all of them promising what they do not deliver. And the reader who needs serious help keeps buying the latest "secret" book that holds all the answers to your problems.



3. Great book, best not to read it in one sitting as I found it "woke my tigers" all at once, which the book says can happen.I did seek help as book suggests.Well worth it all.



4. I am a Marriage Family Therapist Trainee who has suffered from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for over 15 years. Western medicine includes some form of medication and desensitization from the traumatic event. Although this treatment has been helpful, I believed that my PTSD symptoms were a life-sentence, which included anxiety, fear, phobia's, bodily sensations, depression and a sense of confusion because my life never seemed to be the same again after the traumatic event.
   This book has given me new hope in the 'healing' of PTSD. Because this book shows you how to "discharge" the trauma from the nervous system, one can experience freedom again from the torment of living with traumatic symptoms.
   This book entails much more than I will be writing in this review, but I can tell you that this book offers hope, practical exercises, and an in-depth, yet simple, knowledge of trauma and a recovery process so that an individual may begin to experience a joyful life again.



5. This is a very informative and important book that explains the very core of what trauma is, how it affects us, and what we can do to overcome our suffering.

5 comments about Guided Meditations: For Calmness, Awareness, and Love.

1. As a former Buddhist monk (Im a white guy however, so let any images of Kwai Chang Caine go) and a teacher of DBT, ACT and MBSR to clinicians. I Have found that as one meditates more and more and enters into the silence of the mind, one understands the value of silence. This Cd is leading actual traditional practices as taught in shravakayana Budhhism (hinayana to americans) and is led by someone who knows how to teach the practice in a way that helps the person to actually expand awareness and develop impulse control. It has no music in the backround just the voice of the guide interspersed with periods of silence. It follows the general method of annapranna, breath meditation. I highly reccomend this CD to clinicians who are looking for a non new agey guided practice that teaches Buddhist meditation in its original form. The guide is easy to understand and the CD also contains a meta bhavana practice (loving kindness) for clients that need help with self hatred and shame.
   One of the best I have sampled so far. I highly reccomend it.



2. I have attempted to meditate many times in my life and prior to this CD the only success I've experienced is with live guided meditation. This is the first CD I've used that cuts through my unmedicated ADHD and enables me to truly relax and experience a quiet and energizing interval.
   The instructors voice is very soothing and pleasant to listen to. I am easily able to sit successfully through the entire CD, and for quite some time after. I cannot adequately express how tremendously helpful this CD has been on my spiritual journey!! Two thumbs up and 10 stars!



3. This CD is very calming--the first meditation focuses on breathing, the second guides you through the Buddhist metta bhavana--loving kindness to
   all, and the third is a meditation to be used when walking. Bodhipaksa is originally from Scotland, so there is a little accent to his voice, but it is very soothing and not at all distracting. If you are a beginner to meditation, this CD will walk you through all the steps of relaxing and breathing as well as sending out the positive thoughts of love and kindness that will be returned to you. We have several CD's, but this one is a favorite that we choose most often.



4. As other reviews have stated - it is just the guy's voice... he has a very faint accent (somewhat Irish, but again - very faint). His delivery is unhurried, and smooth. No background music is both good and bad: it's great because if done poorly that can really be distracting... but if done well it does help, and can also block out background noises a little too. This CD will work best if you're fortunate enough to have absolute silence to work with... which for many of us simply isn't the case.
   
   The breathing meditation is really good - you can really relax to it and he keeps your mind at rest nicely. The 2nd mdeitation is nice as well, and has some positive affirmations mixed in: a nice "feel good" meditation. the third is a "walking meditation"... I don't foresee using that one, but I do like the first two a lot, both in there own way are great.



5. The voice of Bodhipaksa is very calming to a stressed out mind and body.
   I now use this meditation CD and another CD of his,Guided Meditations for Stress Reduction as a routine part of my life. They are and continue to be plesant and peaceful experience. It is my opinion that anyone would enjoy these CD's

5 comments about It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff.

1. This is the best book I have ever read. My husband is a hoarder, so we read it together. This book will help you systimatically go through your home and eliminate everything that you no longer use or need. I feel so free now, and my home is more peaceful and relaxing. It's a great life when you free yourself of the junk that keeps you from enjoying it.



2. This book was eye opening. I actually checked it out from the library a couple times and decided I just needed to buy it for reference and share it with friends and family. It is a very useful guide to organizing, downsizing and training your habits on your stuff. Definite must read for anyone with clutter or hoarding issues!!



3. I have read a myriad of books about space clearing and getting organized, but none hit the spot like Peter Walsh's philosophy of getting (and staying) organized.
   
   Even Walsh admits that much of what he does is good ol' common sense, and it is. He puts his educational psychology degree to excellent and practical use in his career. He's one person who deserves all the positive publicity he gets.
   
   It was refreshing to see another person say lots of the things I had been thinking about regarding hoarding stuff. I'm not a hard-core hoarder like some folks, but I did need that extra push to not only get rid of the things that had been clogging my space for years, but not feel bad or want it again when it's gone.
   
   Although I have been able to let go of much stuff in the past, Peter Walsh's book enabled me to keep in mind not to continue to buy while cleaning out and to be extremely mindful when buying more things in the future.
   
   If Walsh's advice were taken by more Americans, no doubt there would be less debt, less fat, and less needless stuff floating around. Highly recommended! - Donna Di Giacomo



4. By process of self-selection, I would place myself in the better half of the population when it comes to keeping the clutter out of my life. Reading Peter Walsh's 'It's All Too Much', I was glad to find many of the suggested practices already in use, but I also found a few small gems which made me reconsider the status quo and make a change for the better. The discussion on 'cost vs value', was especially valuable: remember that the cost (what you paid), is not necessarily equivalent to value of that item in your life. It's that piece of clothing you bought and wore once, or an expensive present someone gave you and which is now occupying prime real estate in your house - it's time for it to go.
   
   The only immediate shortcoming: the book, in all likelihood, will attract a self-selected crowd of people who are already well down this path. We all know a friend or a relative who could really use the lessons, but Peter Walsh does not provide any discussion on how to breach or introduce the subject. There, you're on your own.



5. Simple and profoundly true. I sat down to rest, to write this. Must go back to THROWING THINGS AWAY, that are neither useful or important. Excellent book.

5 comments about The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook).

1. I didn't read this book myself, but purchased it for a friend who, due to a chronic medical condition caused solely by stress, needs to change not only his lifestyle but his thought process and self identity. He tells me this book opened his eyes to how stressful his life truly is, and found many of the suggestions and techniques helpful in the beginning process of identifying stressful behavior, and taking the first baby steps in changing that behavior. For him, however, the major changes may have to come through therapy, but for those for whom a relatively simple lifestyle change will bring improvement, this book appears to be the ticket.



2. Well written. A great how-to for beginners. Finally a self-help book that tells the reader "how" to do something rather than a diatribe of how wonderful the author is and why the information is important. Workbook is easy to follow. I'm very happy with it.



3. This book is wonderful for teaching people how to relax and cope with stress. It has practical exercises for learning the different techniques.
   Workbook covers such topics as: body awareness, breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation, visualization, autogenics, self-hypnosis, refuting irrational ideas, thought stopping, worry control, goal and time
   managment, assertiveness training, job stress management, nutrition, exercise and how to stay on track with a stress management program. I've had therapists tell me they use this book all the time in their practice. I'm currently using it as a guide for people in my Wellness Recovery Program. The exercises are easy to teach and practical to use.



4. This book has the basic techniques on reducing stress, anxiety, fears, OCD to some extent, negative thinking, among other stress inducers. There is also a chapter on assertiveness training. The instructions are easy to follow. A really great book.



5. This book has lots of good ideas for dealing with stress. I have been able to find some that work well for me so I recommend this text.

5 comments about Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life.

1. Perhaps it is because I have some familiarity with the eastern thought that I really didn't connect with much in this book. I didn't find anything new or novel. Perhaps if you are completely new to meditation this could be an introduction but, then again, you will have to continue well past this book if you actually want to practice and benefit from meditation. In the spirit of the message of this book, I can say that this book didn't take me anywhere and therefore it succeeded brilliantly!



2. I found this book to be very dissapointing. I forced myself to read 3/4 of it. If you want to get useful info.. Put up a book on buddism or yoga meditation. I found nothing special about this book. I read a lot of books on meditation, yoga, and buddism, and this book doesn't hold up to any of them. I read the reviews on this site and ran out to buy this book. After forcing myself to read it I finally had enough. I definately don't want this book to be in my libary.



3. Explore the new realm, of your mind. Becoming aware is the first step to solve any problem. If you do not know there is a problem, how can you fix it? This book is the prequel to, You.



4. It's a great book and i am enjoying it. it had a good bit more markings in it than was described, but it's not a big deal.



5. I love the book, this was my second copy that I wanted to give as gift,however the seller did a very bad job of packing it for shipping, it arrived, but was completely open on one end. It had water and dampness damage, not from the mailing process. I could not give it as a gift. Seller would not contact me.

5 comments about You: Breathing Easy: Meditation and Breathing Techniques to Relax, Refresh and Revitalize.

1. This was rudimentary, at best. The instruction was mostly "feel good" nonsense and way too little breathing exercises - a total waste of my money.



2. I was looking forward to meditation and breathing to relax. What a disappointment as it began with medical advice for shots needed after age 60.. My stress level increased waiting for the meditation, I turned it off after 15 minutes.



3. I think it is an excellant CD for health purpose and living in a safe and healthy surroundings. It gives great tips on breathing, the method and the results your body receive from the process. I am enjoying the purchase of this item. Thank-You



4. I found it boring as there is too much diagnosing the function of meditation and relating itto the individual. I expected as portrayed in the advertisement to have some actual mediatations scripts, new age music etc. it was hard to find.



5. I have COPD so breathing techniques are very important to me. This audio is at the top of my recommendations both for the well described breathing techniques AND for the guided meditations. I had to have some intensive gum surgery done and donned my iPod and listened to this meditation during the proceedure and it truly helped me relax and I have suggested it to others for use during medical/dental proceedures as well. Thanks for another GREAT book, Dr Oz..........

5 comments about Mindfulness for Beginners.

1. I bought this CD at the recommendation of a social worker. I'm a perfectionist, which frequently leads me to experience anxiety. I've lived this way for 50+ years but it's not healthy. However, it has been the norm for my life. Yes, I've done some counseling over the years, which has been extremely helpful but I constantly battle with trying to do too much, making it all perfect and then dealing with the anxiety that follows.
   
   Although I've tried relaxation techniques in the past, I learned that Jon Kabat-Zinn's information is more than relaxation. It is learning to incorporate "mindfulness" into my busy, waking day. I found the information in this CD to be very informative. I've only listened to the CD two times and will need to repeat several more times to better learn this technique. Kabat-Zinn is the narrator and his voice is excellent as a reader or narrator. I highly recommend this CD, as well as the follow-up CD I am now listening to, "Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Mediation in Everyday Life".



2. I needed something, especially non-religious, to get my mind off of where our country is headed.



3. I have been lucky enough to take two Mindfulness courses and they have changed my life. Both were run by excellent course leaders but nothing compares with hearing Mindfulness founder Jon Kabat Zinn discuss the philosophy and methodology behind it. His wit, compassion and way with words themselves make CD1 compulsive listening as well as explaining the reasons for CD2 which are the practices themselves. I cannot recommend this highly enough to anybody who wants to learn about themselves and especially those seeking release from troubled mind states such as anxiety and depression. Buy it- Mindfulness practitioners will tell you honestly that they make no promises to 'fix things' but it might change your life too...



4. While going through classes to try and grasp this concept I still could not grasp the practice. This CD made things so clear. It is extremely helpful & informative. I appreciate the authors tone and easy to follow language!
   I will probably purchase follow up products from this author.



5. A very useful program to help each one of us get in touch with what's real and important. It makes a lot of sense when you think about what John says. And you can't help but relax listening to his voice.

5 comments about Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness.

1. Thich Nhat Hanh is infinitely better than Zinn.
   
   Zinn's book is WAY too long at 450 pages, and it is also way too detailed, as one might expect from a graduate of MIT - which is what Zinn is. By contrast, the OTHER authority on Mindfulness (there are only two according to the online encyclopedia - Wikipedia): Thich Nhat Hanh has written a book on Mindfulness entitled: The Miracle of Mindfulness which is only 140 pages long.
   
   After I studied Zinn, Hanh absolutely blew me away with his simplicity, and his clarity, and his positivity. And Hanh quickly left me wondering whether he does in fact speak with the voice of the Buddha. And an example of Thich Nhat Hanh's positive approach to Buddhist Mindfulness meditation is that he emphasizes practice of the "half-smile;" as in: "Breathing in I calm my body. Breathing out I smile." - There is no such happiness orientation in Zinn's writings.
   
   And although Zinn graduated from MIT, which is impressive, - Thich Nhat Hanh, is infinitely more academically impressive. Thich Nhat Hanh studied Comparative Religion at Princeton, and then he taught Buddhist Psychology and Literature at Cornell and Columbia after having taught this at a prestigious private university (which he himself established) in Vietnam. Hahn also wrote over 70 books, approximately 40 of which have been translated into English. Also, Martin Luther King nominated Hahn for the Noble Peace Prize. Also, Hahn established relief agencies for war victims in Vietnam; as well as having established monasteries in Vietnam, in France, and in the United States.
   
   Also, Thich Nhat Hanh has been endorsed by two of the greatest living Buddhist authorities alive today, namely by the Dalai Lama; and by Sogyal Rinpoche - who said of Hanh: "Thich Nhat Hanh writes with the voice of the Buddha." By contrast Zinn has been endorsed by NO living Buddhist authorities other than Thich Nhat Hanh himself - who endorsed only Zinn's most recent book: Wherever You Go, There You are.



2. You need to give this book and information time to work. I saw results after 10 weeks. It helps to get the CD's that go with the book. Makes application of ideas and processes easier to accomplish.
   Results -- lower blood pressure, healing of some stubborn issues,and most important relaxed happiness.



3. I bought this book in the middle of a year-long battle with insomnia--not the typical life-changing trauma that brings many others to this book, but insomnia destroyed me both physically and emotionally. My doctor suggested anti-depressants, and a friend suggested Full Catastrophe Living.
   
   I never touched the anti-depressants.
   
   Jon Kabat-Zinn is the voice of calm all throughout this book, never imposing his method on you but simply making suggestions that he's seen work in his practice, both personal and professional. The first section offers mindfulness activities that you can immediately put to practice: meditation to help separate your self from your thoughts; a body scan to simultaneously connect you to and release you from every section of your body; and yoga to strengthen your muscles and flexibility, both physical and mental.
   
   The second section shows how those methods have been proven to work, through both scientific research and anecdotal evidence. It is a section for those still reluctant to give themselves over to what they may perceive to be the "new age" or "weird" practices in the first section. If you've been practicing as suggested in the first section, the second section will verify to your head what you feel moving in your heart and body.
   
   The third section offers a variety of lifestyle and anecdotal advice for specific ailments and disease, from insomnia to headaches to cancer. Through all this, Kabat-Zinn is at once compassionate and scientific, speaking to and reassuring all shades of his audience.
   
   Together, these sections taught me to listen to and have faith in myself. The book showed me that mindfulness is not some new-fangled craziness but a path to peace and self-knowledge. Eventually, my sleeplessness went away, but that was more a side-effect of the practice, a natural reaction to the peace I learned from myself through this book.



4. I am about half way through this book - it was a little bit of a culture shock to get into this way of thinking and acting, but I am enjoying the challenge and think that it has already got me thinking about how I deal with stress and everday events - I have been dealing with some serious medical issues, and need to reduce my stress - I believe this will help - the psychologist who recommended it to me thought very highly of it and was convinced I would benefit from it - I think I will....



5. The book is very detailed regarding how one stress clinic helps their clients. The author has some very good points, but is long winded.

5 comments about The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition.

1. This is the very best book ever written for those suffering from Panic/Anxiety attacks! I could not face life without it! It covers everything about what panic/anxiety is, to how to deal with it, information to help to heal with meditation, diet, drugs, connecting your with higher power. GREAT, GREAT book! I also know of Panic/Anxiety support groups that use this as "the book" for information.



2. I bought this book after my therapist recommended it. I cannot put into words how much this has helped. The advice is practical and seemed to be written directly for me. I do not have any phobias so I only use about 1/2 the book... but it is still well worth the money.



3. This is an actual "workbook". It doesn't just say that you should do certain things to overcome anxiety. It gives specific details about specific techniques you can use. There are pages that you fill out to assess your specific breed of anxiety, and it recommends certain techniques for each type of anxiety. This book is written in a way that the general public can understand. The beginning has an overview of the types of anxiety/phobias. A lot of information is repeated in different sections, but that just helps reinforce the knowledge. This is great in conjunction with Lucinda Bassett's book, From Panic to Power.



4. As someone who suffers from social anxiety disorder, I have done extensive research and testing on many different things that claim to "cure" anxiety. Because medication and professional therapy is not an option for me (due to lack of insurance), I decided to try a more natural approach to treatment. I picked up this book recently and although it does have some really good ideas, it's a tad bit incomplete.
   
   Let's talk about the positives. First, this does act as a workbook which encourages you to partake in the activities and write down your experiences. Second, the writer suggests quite a few different techniques to help treat you. He discusses meditation, positive thinking, breathing techniques, and he even touches on something that I personally believe is the most helpful-exercise and nutrition.
   
   Furthermore, the author gives specific examples of things to tell yourself if you're experiencing self-doubt. He also describes how to meditate and even what to think about when meditating. If you believe that CBT is right for you, this book does a good job of explaining everything.
   
   And now for the negatives. I understand this is a book for anxiety and phobias in general but some of these things just didn't/won't work for someone in my situation. Because I experience free floating anxiety a lot, it's hard to "talk yourself out of the situation" when you don't understand why the heck you're experiencing anxiety in the first place.
   
   Another thing I disliked is that the author suggests that you correct your negative thoughts and instead change them into positive. What the author doesn't discuss is what to do if you don't actually BELIEVE the positive statement you're telling yourself. For example, if I'm in a situation where I feel that everyone is judging me and I become anxious, it doesn't help to tell myself "Oh don't worry about what they're thinking. They're not even looking at you." when there are, in fact, people looking at you. In terms of the whole imagining yourself in an anxious situation and then actually visiting this place, I don't think this would work for people with my disorder because it's all on a case by case basis. Whereas sometimes I'll feel uncomfortable standing in line in a certain grocery store, I'll be fine in other stores. It's not the actual place but the people you're around.
   
   Although I do think there's a wealth of information on this book, I don't think all of the ideas work for every person with anxiety issues. There are books out there that are more "understanding" than this one so just search for one that is specific to your phobia.



5. This book is pretty good except he has me doing tons of stuff to get well. Walk an hour a day, eat better, mediatation, autogenics, downtime, massive vacations, and the list goes on. Come on who has the time to do all that and work and raise a family. Who has the money to take long restful vacations. Certainly not me after paying for the doctor and the SSRI. Preacher wants me to read the Bible through every year, husband wants me to work full time, therapist wants me to utilize this book to the max, mother wants me to take her places, and now this author has me doing tons of stuff. So I give it only 3 stars.

5 comments about Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life.

1. This book was recommended to my from my Real Estate Office. Being in a business that see's change frequently this book really provides a birds eye view of the thought process in dealing with change. It does not tell you how to do things or specify in any fields but rather sparks the notes neccessary on how to relate this to your own life! I hope my wife reads this too!



2. A short easy listen giving great insight on what happens if you fight change. I for one had difficulty accepting changes that I didn't want, this book presented a new perspective and insight.



3. The book is a quick read and reread. A good reminder of how we MUST flow with change in our lives.



4. I am grateful to all the reviewers that tried to save money and anxiety and anger for other people or potential readers of this book, by advising against buying it. I find all such comments are very interesting and very inspiring, which are elements you would never find in this book. In particular, I am grateful to the review entitled Show Me the Cheese by Bruce Silveman. It is such a wonderful review which should be published by major newspapers like New York Times and Washington Post. And we can read here for free! This book is an attempt to trash our culture, to put everything valuable we inherited from the past in a dumpster and sell some real garbage as the latest invention of once in a life time. This book and many other books such as the Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Shack, and the book insults God which I don't want to mention here, are all part of effort to show that man can be better off by themselves without the divine guidance of Jesus. Everything in the Western society in the last two hundred years are part of the development of that ideology. Just wait, you will read things worse than this!



5. Forget the little red book by Mao, We have a new mind numbing, thought control written device out there pushed among the working class. As it has been stated before..it truly is sobering that an American of any socio-economic status, level of wealth or educational background would be INSPIRED by this corporate tripe. Here's a thought for the cheese heads out there, has it occurred to you to move the " cheese provider " out of the picture and therefore the total dependence maze?..make your own cheese on further discovery out from the maze that was made specifically to control you? OR...perish the thought...maybe have more choices in your actual consumption other than cheese?
   
   I understand that the book only addresses the need for accepting change but doesn't one's thoughts automatically leap to then who is the change maker?? Part of my offense to this little book is it's simplistic approach to life modifying decisions by OTHERS. Stepping back however, this book speaks volumes for the contempt corporate America has for redefining intelligent thought, decent & breaking linear either/or thinking, coupled with a current generation that turns out more votes for some lounge singer element on TV than in some civic elections in this nation. Unbelievable