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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 22 of 22. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
As per:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040902/msgs/393286.html
Dr. Bob suggests that we conduct a vote here, and he'll link three books to Amazon from the intro. (If I've got it right). I vote for "In Session".
I can't think of anything else so widely applicable, although Linehan's "Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" has something for everyone, but I'm not making it an official vote.
BTW, while I was searching for Linehan, I saw a book I hadn't seen before. I'm not recommending it, but I think I might look into it. "Depressed and Anxious: The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook for Overcoming Depression & Anxiety"
Anyway, does anyone have any nominations other than "In Session" for the three books?
Posted by vwoolf on September 21, 2004, at 10:01:16
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
Some wonderful books for survivors of childhood sexual abuse - case studies, not theoretical:
"Kiss Daddy Goodnight" - Louise Armstrong
"Bastard out of Carolina" - Dorothy Allison
Posted by badhaircut on September 21, 2004, at 11:39:32
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
Dinah Great idea. But as so often with new PB features, I don't quite get how Bob is planning to implement it. (Maybe my post should go to your Admin thread.)
I wonder if a link from the intro to a big *list* of recommended books would work better? I think having only 3 books in the intro to a board that covers "psychology" (a rather broad topic itself) and "DIFFERENT theoretical orientations and techniques" of psychotherapy is bound to imply bias and limits. There are supposedly HUNDREDS of distinguishable, published techniques of therapy. Even if, as some researchers claim, most therapists end up doing about the same thing no matter what their orientation, the theories they use can be way different mutually exclusive, even.
No 3 books can fairly cover the spread. I can't even represent my own thinking in just 3 books, but here's a sampler:
"The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology and Everyday Life" by Robert Wright attempts to explain why humans seem mentally & emotionally so ill-adapted to our lives.
"Feeling Good" by David Burns is probably the #1 best-selling modern self-help manual. It's a cognitive-behavioral approach, but the techniques can be cherry-picked and used in any therapeutic program.
"Brain Lock" by Jeffrey Schwartz applies mostly to unpleasant compulsive urges, but a central issue in it is a challenge for all of us: Are my troublesome feelings & thoughts "me" or "not-really-me"?I don't expect many other votes for these books. Quasi-democratic tho' a vote would be, posts to the Psychology board are heavily weighted to issues of the "therapeutic relationship" transference and so on. Those are important, but if the choice of 3 books is similarly skewed, I (for one) would feel less connected here.
Anyway, I like the idea of making specific psych books & our comments about them more permanent & easy-to-find. I'm not sure how it can best be done, but 3 books per board seems bound to be unfair...
Actually, I'll post more about that to the Admin thread. Thanks!!
Posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 17:26:11
In reply to I don't get it but here's my votes :), posted by badhaircut on September 21, 2004, at 11:39:32
Well, the other part of the idea is to maintain a thread discussing psych books, so that a portion of the thread would always be on the current page, not archived, and it would be easier to look back on the thread than if it were buried in the archives.
I'll admit it's hard to pick three books. I love Brain Lock, and I think the Burns book would be a really good choice for a general book.
I've got a miserable migraine at the sec, but I'll try to think some more soon.
Posted by shortelise on September 21, 2004, at 23:25:02
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
"The Mouse Wife" by Rumer Godden
"Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Suess
"Rabbit Island" I can't remember who it's by
Feeling silly
ShortE
Posted by fallsfall on September 22, 2004, at 9:14:20
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by shortelise on September 21, 2004, at 23:25:02
There are so many...
I agree with "In Session" (I take it with me when I travel in case I need "comforting")
I also agree with "Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder" because we recommend that one so often and the title is so hard to get perfectly right.
Another that I think should be considered is "The Dance of Anger". This book doesn't really talk about anger, it talks about relationships (husband-wife, parent-child, friends etc.), and how if one person in the relationship tries to change that the other also needs to make changes. And it talks about the resistance to those changes. Since we are all trying to change in one way or another, chances are we are running into others who like things the way they were. It also gives a better understanding of what is going on in therapy - our therapists are NOT following the same patterns as other significant others in our lives, and this causes conflict but also provides the opportunity for us to change. If our therapists followed our significant others' scripts, we would be locked into our usual behavior.
I just put my psych books on a bookshelf in my room (they had been in piles on the floor and my headboard). I sorted them into 3 piles - ones I haven't read, ones that I want to go back to - to refer to, and ones that reading them once was probably enough. I could do an annotated bibliography of those that I refer back to.
Posted by Dinah on September 22, 2004, at 11:56:51
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by fallsfall on September 22, 2004, at 9:14:20
That sounds great Falls. How about I start that ongoing book recommend/feedback thread I suggested to Dr. Bob, and you can put it there? I'll make sure it always stays current, if it ever shows signs of lagging. Although I could probably talk psych books from here to eternity. :)
Posted by 64bowtie on September 22, 2004, at 14:15:55
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
(((Dinah))), et al,
1. Dr. Phil McGraw, "Life Strategies Workbook"
95% of what's in the parent book, "Life Strategies", just couched in ways that can be conducive to open discussion (and adultlike "agreeing to disagree"). Also a couple of bucks cheaper than the parent text.2. "The Road Less Traveled"
3. ...anything by John Bradshaw. Any of his books or tapes or magazine articles or replays of his PBS specials. eg: "Healing the Pain that Binds"
Posted by 64bowtie on September 22, 2004, at 14:26:11
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by fallsfall on September 22, 2004, at 9:14:20
falls,
> I could do an annotated bibliography of those that I refer back to.
><<< I would enjoy seeing some of your annotated bibliography. Mine is seemingly acient sounding stuff these days. I go to Boarders and B & N and get confused in the titles even. Some of what you have read would help me get on track, I bet.
Rod
Posted by rubenstein on September 22, 2004, at 16:57:14
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
I love Satir's work although I can't remember the title of the book.
Also I think that "Noonday Demon" is terrific as well as "On becoming a Person" by Carl Rogers.
I am reading the "Road Less Traveled" as we speak, and have really been touched by it. I love this thread, thanks Dinah!
Rubenstein
Posted by Dr. Bob on September 22, 2004, at 17:56:18
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by rubenstein on September 22, 2004, at 16:57:14
> Also I think that "Noonday Demon" is terrific as well as "On becoming a Person" by Carl Rogers.
> I am reading the "Road Less Traveled" as we speak, and have really been touched by it...I'd just like to plug the double double quotes feature at this site:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#amazon
The first time anyone refers to a book, movie, or music without using this option, I post this to try to make sure he or she at least knows about it. It's just an option, though, and doesn't *have* to be used. If people *choose* not to use it, I'd be interested why not, but I'd like that redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7717.html
Thanks!
Bob
Posted by pegasus on September 23, 2004, at 11:31:51
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
I recently read "A General Theory of Love", which really helped explain why and how we are drawn to attach to other people (such as therapist). My feelings toward my therapist (and my husband and parents for that matter) made a lot more sense to me after reading this.
I also agree with Feeling Good and In Session. Feeling Good saved my life once.
pegasus
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 30, 2004, at 3:41:22
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
> Dr. Bob suggests that we conduct a vote here, and he'll link three books to Amazon from the intro.
OK, done. If there are more votes, the selections may change...
Bob
Posted by Perpetual on February 9, 2005, at 8:37:19
In reply to Vote for three books, posted by Dinah on September 21, 2004, at 8:17:37
Is it too late to vote? No surprise...I vote for ACTIVE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION, by Richard O'Connor...author of UNDOING DEPRESSION and UNDOING PERPETUAL STRESS.
Posted by fallsfall on February 9, 2005, at 8:45:19
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by Perpetual on February 9, 2005, at 8:37:19
Welcome to Babble! No, it is never too late. We are always looking for book suggestions.
Dr. Bob has a special feature on this website that lets us put links in to Amazon for book titles. If you put two double quote symbols around the title of the book, then you will get a choice of links when you get ready to post your message. This is one double quote symbol: "
So, is this the book you wanted? "ACTIVE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION"
That does look very interesting! I was in CBT for 8 1/2 years and am now in Psychodynamic therapy (moving towards Analysis?). Looks like I might agree with this book.
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 9, 2005, at 21:34:38
In reply to Re: Vote for three books » Perpetual, posted by fallsfall on February 9, 2005, at 8:45:19
Posted by pinkeye on February 11, 2005, at 16:04:34
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by Perpetual on February 9, 2005, at 8:37:19
> Is it too late to vote? No surprise...I vote for ACTIVE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION, by Richard O'Connor...author of UNDOING DEPRESSION and UNDOING PERPETUAL STRESS.
This one looks more like it is for professionals? Have you read it? Is it useful from the patient's point?
Posted by Perpetual on February 11, 2005, at 16:18:07
In reply to Re: Vote for three books, posted by pinkeye on February 11, 2005, at 16:04:34
It's true that "Active Treatment of Depression" is a professional book, but it is very readable. "Undoing Depression" is probably the one I should have suggested. But you can read several whole chapters on the website at http://www.undoingdepression.com and see what you think.
Posted by Perpetual on February 11, 2005, at 16:22:00
In reply to Re: Vote for three books » pinkeye, posted by Perpetual on February 11, 2005, at 16:18:07
I forgot to do two double quotes in my previous message...
> It's true that "Active Treatment of Depression" is a professional book, but it is very readable. "Undoing Depression" is probably the one I should have suggested. But you can read several whole chapters on the website at http://www.undoingdepression.com and see what you think.
Posted by mair on February 12, 2005, at 15:13:22
In reply to Re: Vote for three books » pinkeye, posted by Perpetual on February 11, 2005, at 16:18:07
I read "Undoing Depression" several years ago and it really resonated for me. I thought the author did a wonderful job of explaining me in ways that were understandable and articulate. I wished that I had discovered it when I first got depressed and that I had then gotten my husband to read it or at least parts of it.
Although I don't think she's been here in a few years, his (O'Connor's) wife used to visit this site fairly frequently. She is a depression sufferer also.
Mair
PS: What did you think was so valuable to be drawn from the other book you mentioned?
Posted by Perpetual on February 12, 2005, at 15:34:20
In reply to Re: Vote for three books » Perpetual, posted by mair on February 12, 2005, at 15:13:22
I don't want to mislead anyone. I mentioned that I wasn't actually new, but that I hadn't visited for a long while. And that is why I said "of course" when I suggested Richard O'Connor's books. I am the wife; what brought me back was a message to our website that came from someone who got the recommendation here and said how helpful "Undoing Depression" had been. The new book just out is "Undoing Perpetual Stress" and that has us following up all messages from readers of UD to let them know about UPS. I realize I was being too vague by taking the name Perpetual. I hope no one minds.
> I read "Undoing Depression" several years ago and it really resonated for me. I thought the author did a wonderful job of explaining me in ways that were understandable and articulate. I wished that I had discovered it when I first got depressed and that I had then gotten my husband to read it or at least parts of it.
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> Although I don't think she's been here in a few years, his (O'Connor's) wife used to visit this site fairly frequently. She is a depression sufferer also.
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> Mair
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> PS: What did you think was so valuable to be drawn from the other book you mentioned?
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Posted by mair on February 12, 2005, at 22:14:13
In reply to It's me again » mair, posted by Perpetual on February 12, 2005, at 15:34:20
Thanks for the explanation. Maybe I'd have figured it out if I had read through the whole thread. I miss your voice of reason. I hope all is well. It sounds like I'm way behind on my O'Connor reading (-; I guess I'd better catch up.
Take care
Mair
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