Holly Fox-Vellekoop Reviews Valerie Allen's Newest Book

Beyond the Inkblots: Confusion to Harmony

By Dr. Valerie Allen
Author's Web site: www.ValerieAllenWriter.com
ISBN: 9781478146117
Genre: Nonfiction-Psychology-Self-help
Reviewed originally for Amazon
Five Stars

Synopsis:

Beyond the Inkblots : Confusion to Harmony is a book of simple truths. It opens a path to calm anxiety and find inner peace. It leads the way for personal growth, understanding, and emotional strength.

At some point, we all come face to face with life's big questions dealing with who we are and what we have become. We wonder about those dreams we had and ask where are they now.

We deal with day-to-day issues of hurt, disappointment, and betrayal. We have dark days and sad times, but remarkably, we rebound and we survive. We have accomplished things great and small. We have found success. We have sipped from the cup of love and happiness.

This book offers insight into how we arrived at our place in life. It presents an opportunity to assess the choices we made that brought us to this place at this time. It offers the promise of positive change to reach our goals, find success, and experience emotional stability.

 

To take charge and be in control of your life, go beyond the inkblots, look deeper into yourself, and move from confusion to harmony.

Reviewed by Holly Fox-Vellekoop

Reading Dr. Allen's book is much like learning from a sage and/or having coffee with a good friend who provides practical advice and a much-needed dose of reality on topics which all of us must face in life. In these changing times, many young people and adults alike have no one to turn to for the wisdom the author imparts in this book. As Dr. Allen so aptly writes in the 'Introduction,' "This book is meant as a journey with musings about life's big questions. It is a place to begin a search and rescue mission for your true self." Read it once, read it twice, then read it again and heed the advice. Be sure to buy "Beyond the Inkblots" for your siblings, grandchildren, friends and anyone else whom you believe would enjoy a good read while gaining direction and self-discovery.

 

~The author may be reached on Facebook at Facebook.com/Valerie.Allen.520 . She is the author ofBeyond the Inkblots: Confusion to Harmony, Write Publish Sell!, Summer School for Smarties, Bad Hair, Good Hat, New Friends, Sins of the Father,Suffer the Little Children

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Layman's Guide to Fear Reviewed

A Layman’s Guide To Managing Fear

By Stan Popovich

Book Web site: www.managingfear.com
Publisher: Treble Heart Books
Genre: Self Help Book
ISBN: 1-928602-97-5Rated: [G]
Highly recommended by Allbooks Review

Reviewer: Cheryl Heinrichs, Allbooks Review at  www.allbookreviewsint.com

“Reading this guide is a first step into the rest of your life.”

Fear is a state of mind or emotion when we sense personal danger. Some people are more prepared than others to rationalize their fears. It can prevent us from harm by removing us from the situation, but can also cause unbearable, immobilizing anxiety. Someone living with fear may make unhealthy life choices because they are afraid that they are incapable of forming a well balanced decision.

The author, Stanley Popovich presents three main principles in this layman’s guide to managing fear:

General Counseling Techniques encourages critical thinking and deductive reasoning. In order to make an informed confident choice, facts must be gathered first, and well researched. One must also factor in the ‘what if’ scenarios. Then with common sense reasoning determine what is most important. The reader is enlightened by the examples used of ‘John and Mary’s’ unpredictable situations.

Non-Resistant Methods of dealing with fear is more of a defensive approach. We all have ‘triggers’ that bring on anxiety and it is important to recognize them, not allowing ourselves to be ruled by them.

Christianity is a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Belief in faith can provide a powerful foundation for problem solving.

FEAR is an introduction for readers who yearn to control their negative reactions. Stanley Popovich provides basic but exceptionally valuable steps in learning how to personally manage negative situations. Along with detailed stories the reader is provided with websites dealing with fear, twelve pertinent suggestions and several Biblical scriptures that provide support. As the title suggests, it may be used as a guide and empty pages are provided for your own notations.

Stanley Popovich has used his writing skills, analytical talents, interviews and diligent research in an attempt to educate readers. He was educated at Pennsylvania State University and has used these approaches in his own life.

I am no stranger to fear. In the past I had allowed myself to become controlled by it. Through reading, research and my physician’s advise I learned that there are many courses to take pertaining to the subject. I have completed several, adding a new confidence to my life. One is unable to enjoy a fulfilling life when fear is ever present. For more information please go to www.managingfear.com

Reading this guide is a first step into the rest of your life.

 

Author's Bio:

Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods" - an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Help Yourself with the Swiss Cheese Theory of Life

The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life:

Subtitle: How To Get Through Life's Holes Without Getting Stuck In Them!
Genre: Nonfiction: Psychology/personal devlopment/self-help

     

 

Each of us has the ability to find within ourself the seeds of resilience to overcome obstacles, rise to life challenges, and convert failures into success. But just how do we do that? The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life: How to Get Through Life’s Holes Without Getting Stuck In Them! (PESI, ISBN 0982039891, Softcover $19.99, Self-Help, 247 pp.) will show you how. With both authors having over 30 years each of counseling and wellness speaking experience, this book unlocks loads of practical tips and tools for a happier life.

Using the analogy of Swiss cheese as a metaphor for life itself, this “user-friendly” self-help book serves up practical tips to its readers, using case examples, self-tests, inspirational quotes, mini-lessons, and current psychological research packaged in digestible “bites.” Psychological lessons are distilled and she crystallizes findings from many prominent experts in the self- help field.

The underlying analogy of this whimsical yet informative book is based on the concept that life is not smooth and predictable like American or Cream Cheese. Life has holes, and it’s how you get through them that counts! Instead of wishing the holes away in our lives, the book’s ten self-help slices show readers how to get through life’s pitfalls without getting stuck in them! In fact, it is the holes in our lives that give us character and make our life rich in meaning, just as the larger the holes in the Swiss, the sweeter the taste of the cheese. Thus, we need holes in our lives to become who we are, and this book shows us the way to navigate them successfully!

This book makes an ideal book club book for women who enjoy self development and sharing with other women about issues that are important to them.

Empowering people to transform negativity into optimism and turning obstacles into opportunities for growth underlie the books mission. On the Swiss Cheese Theory web site we pose The Swiss Cheese Challenge to our viewers:

-Are you trying to make changes in your life, yet you find yourself digging deeper into a hole?

-Do you know better but can t seem to get out from under your unhealthy patterns or habits?

-Do you often have why does this happen to me thinking?

-Are you looking for happiness in all the wrong places?

-Are you ready to make healthy changes in your life ... physically, emotionally, spiritually?

If you answered yes to any of these questions help is here!

And whatever you do, don’t forget to “SMILE AND SAY CHEESE!”

Below are what some of the expert reviewers say:

An engagingly fun 'cookbook' of recipes for self-discovery. Tips, tests, tool-kits, and clever insights make for a practical handbook for harnessing your emotions and fulfilling your life-goals. --Neal Roese, Ph.D., Northwestern University, author of If Only: How To Turn Regret Into Opportunity

This book shows you how to take complete control of your thoughts and emotions, and live a wonderful life! --Brian Tracy, International Motivational Speaker and author of No Excuses! The Power of Self-Discipline

We often struggle to make sense of the bad hand that life sometimes deals us. The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life offers a simple, refreshing approach to helping us reshuffle the deck' and tap into that inner resilience that we need to achieve a more fruitful existence. --Frank M. Dattilio, Ph.D., ABPP, Harvard Medical School, author and editor of 18 professional books

"Even if you are lactose intolerant 'The Swiss Cheese Theory of life', will offer you some really valuable advice to help you get through difficult times and live life in a balanced way." - Sophie Keller, Happiness Expert and Author of 'How Happy is' book series.

“Smart, concise and clever, The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life offers brief therapy for dealing with disappointment, loss and leftovers from a dysfunctional childhood.”
- Jane Adams, Ph.D., Author of Boundary Issues and I’m Still Your Mother

~ Co-Authors Judy Belmont and Lora Shor are both psychotherapists, each with over 30 years of experience. They are professional speakers on issues relating to Resiliency and Wellness, and are both members of the National Speakers Association. They offer wellness presentations and trainings to a variety of corporations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. They also speak on a variety of wellness topics for organization and association conferences. Visit their web sites at www.theswisscheesetheoryoflife.com or contact them at info@theswisscheesetheoryoflife.com

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Gail Bradney Reviews Nonfiction Book on Spirtuality

Title: The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys

Author: James Fadiman PhD
Genre: Spirituality/Psychology
ISBN: 978-1-59477-402-7

Name of reviewer: Gail Bradney

Review first published at blogcritics.

It's long been known that psychedelic substances expand normal functions and perceptions of the brain. Psychedelic use isn't a recent phenomenon. In fact, virtually every culture on every continent over eons has ingested consciousness-altering plants and used them medicinally and in rituals.

 

But many readers would be surprised to learn that Nobel Laureate Francis Crick received a vision of the double helix DNA when he was under the influence of LSD, or that late Apple founder Steve Jobs counts his psychedelic voyages among the "two or three most important things" he's done in his life.

 

Despite the fact that the federal government shut down psychedelic research some 45 years ago and made its use illegal, 23 million Americans have taken a psychedelic since then, and it's estimated that more than 600 thousand Americans will try psychedelics this year.

 

Today, there's a recent resurgence of scientific and medical research on the healing potential of psychedelics. Important clinical research on psychedelics is being conducted at Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and elsewhere that may offer new hope and help for cancer patients, cluster headache sufferers, heroin addicts, US veterans with PTSD, autistic children, and patients with many other medical conditions. There's also renewed interest in psychedelic use as a vehicle for personal growth and exploration, for problem solving, and as a way to trigger artistic and creative breakthroughs.

Enter Dr. James Fadiman, psychologist, professor, and America's most respected authority on psychedelics. Dr. Fadiman was one of the people involved with totally legal psychedelic research during the 1960s with the Harvard Group, the West Coast Research Group in Menlo Park, and Ken Kesey. Now he's written a fascinating new book, The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys (Park Street Press, 2011), in which he clears up current myths and misperceptions about psychedelics, and presents findings from both long-neglected and recent clinical studies, research experiments, and surveys showing a surprising range of benefits from safe, supervised psychedelic use.

This comprehensive resource offers a wealth of practical information for therapists and health-care professionals, researchers and scientists, psychedelic voyagers and their guides, and even policy makers. Dr. Fadiman has not written the book for those who want to use these drugs recreationally, nor does he delve deeply into shamanistic practices.

           

In The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide, readers learn how to prepare for a guided psychedelic experience—and six factors that can help the voyager get the most from it. We discover how higher doses, with the assistance of guides, can often lead to profound spiritual, transformative experiences, and how moderate dosages are being used for emotional healing and single-session psychotherapy. Dr. Fadiman presents interesting findings from studies demonstrating that low-dose guided sessions can lead to scientific and innovation breakthroughs, and extremely low-dose use of psychedelics may enhance cognitive functioning and emotional balance, and even boost problem solving.

 

Dr. Fadiman has managed to compile an enormous body of psychedelic research and useful findings from fields as diverse as psychology, business, medicine, neuroscience, and spirituality into a page-turner that's intriguing, fresh, and endlessly surprising.

This is the first time much of the important past and current scientific research, case studies, and first-person essays from the most renowned psychedelic pioneers—including LSD discoverer Albert Hoffman, Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary, and Ram Dass, among many others—have been brought together in one source. A checklist for voyagers and their guides as well as an extensive resource section make this a truly invaluable and definitive guide for everyone interested in psychedelics and their potential to make us wiser, smarter, healthier, more connected to the natural world, and more compassionate.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You
[Kindle Edition]

By Yvonne Perry
Foreword by Caron Goode 
 Kindle Price: $9.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Ahhh, yin and yang. My mother thinks I'm stubborn. I'm pretty sure she didn't mean it as a compliment. A boss of mine once said I was persistant and I'm pretty sure she meant it as a compliment.

Having empathy is a Janus-faced thing, too. I always preferred friends who had empathy and it never occurred to me that, uncontrolled, it could be a curse. I also had no idea they were called "empaths." I knew a bit about "detachment," too. Mostly from studies in psychology. I knew that often people assign yin and yangs to that concept, too. Most find it kind of distasteful. You know, unfeeling. Only a few know of its healing powers, both for the person who practices it and the person it's "practiced" on.

As you can tell, Yvonne Perry's Whose Stuff Is This? really got me thinking. Once I had determined that I am not am empath--or at least not much of one--I thought it an interesting book but not really for me. I was wrong. I learned much from it.  I learned about my own belief system. I was comforted that many of the life-skills I use are not only accepted, they're essential. But mostly I was inspired. Yvonne's story is wrenching. The courage it took to share that story to help others was awe inspiring. Anyone who is suffering from depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, anxiety attacks, hypothyroidism and more and can't seem to heal should read this book.



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 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Overcoming Fear

A Layman's Guide To Managing Fear
Author: Stanley Popovich
www.managingfear.com
Nonfiction: SELF HELP
ISBN: 1928602975 AND Rated: [G]

Review by Piers Watson, OCD Action, London England for Treble Heart BooksReview


This short booklet, published in the USA, is full of common-sense practical advice on techniques for coping with fear. As the title makes clear, it is very much a layperson's interpretation and explanation of the most commonly accepted methods of managing or overcoming fear, namely behaviour therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy (terms not used by Popovich). Effective use is made of examples to illustrate the choices we all face.

For some this booklet will be profoundly helpful. Everyone, however, whose life is crippled by fear, will find something useful here

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Ruth Hartman Shares Struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Title: My Life in Mental Chains: My Struggle With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Author: Ruth Hartman
Published by Pipers’ Ash Ltd., $13.00
Publication Date: November 1, 2008
Non-Fiction, True-Life Story Chapbook
ISBN# 9781906928001
http://www.ruthjhartman.blogspot.com

Reviewed by Joanne Hirase-Stacey

I didn’t know much about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) before I read Ruth Hartman’s true story, My Life in Mental Chains. I’d heard of people who wash their hands over and over, or constantly check appliances to make sure they’re off or unplugged, but had never given their obsession much thought. After reading Ruth’s book, I’ve come to realize that OCD is an illness that consumes its victim and overtakes his or her life.

OCD seems to strike out of nowhere. Ruth led a normal life with her husband, and was a dental hygienist. Then one day, everything changed. While cleaning her dental instruments, her thoughts became obsessive. She couldn’t stop scrubbing. Her job performance began to suffer as she got behind schedule, keeping patients waiting. After her boss and fellow employees confront her, she starts to spin out of control.

She realizes she needs professional help, and despite the stigma and worry of being labeled “crazy”, Ruth bravely meets with her doctor, but doesn’t want anyone besides her husband, to know of her OCD diagnosis. She tries to hide it, to be normal, but the OCD gets worse, and it becomes hard to leave the house.

She eventually tells her family and her husband’s family. To her relief, they embrace her, support her and love her through all her ordeals. Ruth finally takes another job to help pay the bills, only to have her boss tear her down. And someone she thought was her friend abandons her. But she continues with her treatment and faces her OCD head on.

Ruth does a fantastic job of drawing you into her dark world of fear and anxiety. You’ll find yourself saddened by those who mistreat her, and encouraged by those who stand by her. You’ll cheer for her as she fights her way back, through the agonizing steps necessary to become herself again.

This book is a must read for anyone who knows nothing about OCD, as well as those who have first hand experience with OCD either as a patient or a family member or friend. It takes you into the life of one woman and her daily struggle with OCD, and gives you comfort and hope in knowing that OCD is treatable.

Hartman's book may be ordered on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_0_17?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=my+life+in+mental+chains&sprefix=my+life+in+mental Please copy and paste the address.
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by author names, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the index handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.