Personal Development Recent Picks

January 2011

The title-underlined links will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.

The confidence gap / Russ Harris.
2010
“Is there a gap between where you are right now and where you want to be? Is a lack of confidence holding you back? We’ve all been stuck in the ‘confidence gap’. We want to find a better job, pursue a romantic relationship, enrol in a course or expand our business, but fear gets in the way and we don’t take action. Life coach and medical practitioner Dr Russ Harris has helped thousands of people overcome fear and develop genuine confidence. He uses a scientifically proven approach known as Acceptance and Commitment Training, which employs ‘mindfulness’ – a state of openness, focus and awareness – to enable authentic long-lasting change. Compassionate, practical and inspiring, ‘The Confidence Gap’ will help you identify your passions, succeed at your challenges and create a life that is truly fulfilling.” (Book cover)

The compassionate mind : a new approach to life's challenges / Paul Gilbert. 2010
"In societies that encourage us to compete with each other, compassion is often seen as a weakness. Striving to get ahead, self-criticism, fear, and hostility toward others seem to come more naturally to us. Yet researchers have found that developing kindness and compassion for ourselves and others builds our confidence, helps us create meaningful, caring relationships, lowers anxiety and hostility, and promotes physical and mental health. ‘The Compassionate Mind’ reveals the evolutionary and social reasons why our brains react so readily to threats. Because of this tendency, it's easy to slip into anger, fear, and depression, and compassion can be difficult for us. This is not our fault. However, research has shown that our brains are also hardwired to respond to kindness and compassion. Building on this latest research, this book offers many practical exercises to help deepen compassion towards ourselves and others. Far from fostering emotional weakness, compassion subdues our anger and increases our courage and resilience to depression and anxiety. Wisely used, compassion arms us with the strength to pursue genuine happiness, peace of mind, and peace in the world." (Amazon description)

Flipnosis : the art of split-second persuasion / Kevin Dutton. 2010
“This book is about a special kind of persuasion: ‘flipnosis’. It has an incubation period of just seconds, and can instantly disarm even the most discerning mind. This is the kind of high-wire psychological espionage which, in the right hands, can dismantle any conflict – but which in the wrong hands can kill. Flipnosis is black-belt mind control. It doesn’t just turn the tables, it kicks them over. From the malign but fascinating powers of psychopaths, serial killers and con men, to the political genius of Winston Churchill – via the grandmasters of martial arts, Buddhist monks, magicians, advertisers, salesmen, CEOs and frogs that mug each other – Kevin Dutton’s brilliant science can teach us about the techniques of persuausion.” (Book cover)

Eight steps to happiness : the science of getting happy and how it can work for you / Anthony M. Grant and Alison Leigh. 2010
“Dr Tony Grant and Alison Leigh bring us the latest findings of happiness research - and show that happiness is within our grasp and how we can achieve it. While genetics and life circumstances play a significant role in happiness levels, 40 per cent is within an individual's personal control. You can't change the cards you were dealt in life, but you can change how you deal with them. The book will take readers step-by-step through the program, from a questionnaire to assess their happiness levels as a starting point, to simple, practical changes they can make. Readers will learn how to evaluate all aspects of their life, including dietary and sleeping habits, and the crucial elements of the happiness tool kit: mindfulness, altruism, gratitude and social connections.” (from Global Books in Print)

The shyness & social anxiety workbook : proven, step-by-step techniques for overcoming your fear / Martin M. Antony, Richard P. Swinson.2008
“There's nothing wrong with being shy. But if social anxiety keeps you from forming relationships with others, advancing in your education or your career, or carrying on with everyday activities, you may need to confront your fears to live an enjoyable, satisfying life. This new edition of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook offers a comprehensive program to help you do just that. After completing the program you'll be well-equipped to make connections with the people around you and on your way to enjoying all the benefits of being actively involved in the social world.” (Global Books in Print)

Growing up Jung : coming of age as the son of two shrinks / Micah Toub.2010
"Micah Toub faced quite a few psychological challenges when he was growing up. And two of his best guides through them - as well as the biggest causes of them - were his parents. Part memoir, part introduction to famous and infamous psychological concepts past and present, ‘Growing Up Jung’ tells the story of a boy raised by two psychologists. It's an extraordinary coming-of-age story, replete with more sexual confusion and domestic dysfunction than even the average adolescent has to endure. And through the telling of that story, Toub is able to discuss such topics as why Freud's obsession with Oedipus threatens our chances today of being close to our mothers; the methods a Jungian psychologist might use to help a young man overcome sexual anxiety; and why it is okay to sometimes let your inner-murderer out for the night. Referencing the written works of the thinkers discussed, books that have been written about them, and relevant contemporary pop culture, Toub discusses and explains such topics as Synchronicity, Archetypes, and the Oedipus Complex, as well as lesser-known corners of the psyche, such as the Ally, the Dreambody, and what Jung called Active Imagination. And he is able to weave all this information seamlessly into his own story, because if there was a psychological problem going, it went Toub's way. Call it synchronicity. And if you don't know what synchronicity is, see chapter 5." (Global Books in Print)

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