Review of Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World (Paperback)

There are books on frugal living, cutting costs and you'll find plenty of those in here, or in any bookstore.But let's start with the premise that 21st century life for many people - especially those who can afford tobrowse the Internet, and shop on-line, is paced far too fast to be trulyenjoyable.Read this book and you'll find personal stories of many peoplelike you, like me, who have found ways to continue living in the worldwhile bringing more meaninginto theireveryday lives. Not an instructionmanual, not helpful hints for practical savings, it's an inspirationalboost for those of us who know, in the back of our minds, that we arespeeding PAST life at breakneck speed - while realizing that life is tooprecious and too short to live like we do.



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Review of Careers in Psychology: Opportunities in a Changing World (Paperback)

This is an excellent resource for all psych majors out there who are wondering what to do with the very popular degree they are pursuing. The authors urge students not to think in terms of "jobs in psychology" per se (because it is rare to see a job advertised for a psych major),but instead to think of the skill sets they have developed through studying psychology (helpfully identified for you), and to consider how these skills can be used in the workplace.
The rest of the book lays out various professions where psychology skills are used. Each chapter is devoted to an area (i.e. consumer psychology, social psychology, neuropsychology, health professions etc.), and specific jobs in that field are described in clear detail. You learn which jobs require only an undergrad major versus those that require advanced degrees; descriptions of these jobs; recommendations for additional coursework you might want to do if this field interests you; current pay scales; an evaluation of how competitive the job market is for each job and what the prospects are in the coming decades. You can even take a quick little "quiz" to help you decide if this is a field that might suit you. It is easy to navigate through the book, and the authors do a good job of pointing out a lot of factors that you might not have considered.
My only criticism is the book's format: the small font and the unimaginative page layout are at first off-putting. But, perservere! This is a remarkably helpful book that gives a lot of good information in a consise manner. You'll be glad you bought it.

Product Description
CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY helps readers answer the pragmatic questions that many psychology majors ask while still in college. The authors encourage students to take an active role in their own career planning, to take control of their education, and to further define their career goals within psychology.

About the Author
Dr. Tara L. Kuther received her Ph.D. from Fordham University in developmental psychology and is currently an associate professor of psychology at Western Connecticut State University where she teaches courses in child, adolescent and adult psychology. She is an active member of the Society for Teaching of Psychology, Division Two of the American Psychological Association and the Council for Undergraduate Research. Dr. Kuther is the author of several books including THE PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR'S HANDBOOK.

Dr. Robert D. Morgan received his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University in counseling psychology after completing his predoctoral internship at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg Virginia. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology in the department of psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the Missouri Department of Mental Health. Presently Dr. Morgan is the Co-Associate chair of Psychology and Assistant Professor in the Counseling Division at Texas Tech University.

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Review of The Whole Brain Business Book (Hardcover)

Ned Herrmann's book, "The Whole Brain Business Book", deserves a five star rating.Herrmann has written an excellent book, I only wish I had read it seven years ago when I first ventured out in the world to start my own business.It is a must read for anyone who is planning on startingtheir own business, has a startup business, or has decision makingresponsibilities in an organization. The Whole Brain Business Book is veryeasy to read and is written in a very instructive manner. The authorprovides many examples from his research and he uses a number of diagramsthat are very useful in determining a company's and/or one's personalmanagement style, in addition to some insight as to how one thinks, makesdecision and work together with other people.A number of exercises andstep by step instructions are provided to assist readers in learning how tomake decisions that incorporate all of the brain's functions.I found somevery valuable information in this book that I will use to enhance mydecision-making process.Herrmann has made me stop and re-evaluate some ofthe ways I approach a number of business issues.

This book is dividedinto five dynamic sections; each section is packed with methodologies,examples and exercises for utilizing Herrmann's concept.Herrmann providessome hard evidence to support his Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument(HBDI) tool.HBDI is an assessment tool that is uses to determine whatdrives the way one thinks and makes decisions.HBDI utilizes fourquadrants (styles), Organizer, Personalizer or Visualizer, each quadrantrepresented by a letter A-D.Herrmann believes that we make decisionsbased on some combination of these four thinking styles and thatcultivating these styles and utilizing the resulting energy is the key toproductivity and creativity in business.

Herrmann presents some veryinteresting information about entrepreneurals, and how they rank based onhis HBDI tool.He expands this discussion by pointing out the differencebetween a entrepreneural, one who works for him/herself and aintrapreneural, one who works for a company.Herrmann discusses risktaking and the importance in learning from failure.He pursues thisfurther by describing the type of management that nurtures creativity andsets the stage for innovative thinking. Herrmann discussescharacteristics of people who are on the outer realm, (he calls themMavericks) and how and why they are so successful (he uses Tom Peters andDavid Letterman as examples).He touches on process reengineering, and howit is generally initiated based on cost savings versus change in workprocesses.In addition, he provides some interesting research dataregarding CEO's and how they ranked a list of sixteen primary workelements.In the final chapter, Herrmann presents some helpful steps forbecoming a Whole Brained Businessperson.

Product Description
The Whole Brain Business Book is the long-awaited culmination of Ned Herrmann's highly respected and extensive research and testing. In it, he presents his four-quadrant model of the brain and the corresponding thinking styles: logician, organizer, communicator, and visionary. Most people and organizations, he demonstrates, are stuck in a ``brain rut'' because their work is dominated by just one mode. Through highly practical explorations and exercises, he shows individuals and organizations how to harness the power of the whole brain. Readers will use The Whole Brain Business Book to expand their own thinking styles--to create and manage Whole Brain Teams--and to introduce new levels of flexibility and innovation into the corporate culture. It will show them how organizations like DuPont and GE use their ``whole brain'' orientation to thrive and profit in times of chaos--and it will help them to do the same.

About the Author
McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

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Review of Meditation For Dummies (Book and CD edition) (Paperback)

This eloquent, insightful book thoroughly explores the simple yet subtle art of meditation. While user-friendly like all of the titles in the For Dummies series, it's also written with a wisdom born of the author's many years of direct experience as a meditator and teacher. Meditation ForDummies covers a range of subjects with humor and grace, from basicinstructions to the discovery of our most profound spiritual depths.

InPart 1 Bodian clariifes what meditation is (and isn't) and offers a numberof compelling reasons to adopt this "advanced technology for the mindand heart." He also traces the historical roots of meditation anddescribes the important foundations of motivation, attitude, and beginner'smind, which ensure a fruitful practice. "Ultimately, the greatmeditation teachers advise that the best attitude to take toward meditationis an open mind, completely free from all preconceptions andexpectations," Bodian explains. "One of my first meditationteachers, Zen master Shunryu Suzuki, calls this beginner's mind -- and hecounsels that the goal of meditation is not to accumulate knowledge, learnsomething new, or achieve some special state of mind, but simply tomaintain this fresh, uncluttered perspective."

In Part 2, the authorcovers the basics of meditation practice, including pointers on posture andpreparing for meditation, as well as a chapter on opening the heart andcultivating compassion. In Part 3, entitled "Trouble-shooting andFine-tuning," he offer sage advice on developing the rightrelationship with troubling thoughts, feelings and sensations. Thehighlight of this section is a chapter on cultivating spirituality thatexplores the nature of self (or no-self), traditional paths of awakening,and the sensitive subject of finding a teacher (inner and outer), which theauthor recommends if one wishes to go more deeply into the practice. Thebook concludes with chapters on how to nurture self-awareness while engagedin daily life and on how to use meditation for healing and performanceenhancement, followed by answers to ten commonly asked questions aboutmeditation.

Despite its one-size-fits-all title, Meditation For Dummiesis the best book on meditation I've read -- at once subtle andcomprehensive, spiritually sensitive yet pragmatic. Be prepared for aneasy-to-read, good-humored, and discerning guide on the journey ofdiscovering your true nature through the ancient but timely art ofmeditation.



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Review of Clinician's Electronic Thesaurus, Version 6.0: Software to Streamline Psychological Report Writing (The Clinician's Toolbox) (CD-ROM)

This is a simple to use program, and is excellent for both general practice and for me, as my primary practice is forensic work.It is essentially the same as the book, which I have and use all the time.I like using them both because i can easily read the book and improve my skills, then use what I learned to write my reports with the electronic version.The book also helps if I dictate my reports.I consider both essential to my report writing.


Product Description
Now in Version 6.0, this timesaving software puts the entire language of mental health at your fingertips and also becomes your personal text library. A few mouse clicks bring up thousands of useful words and phrases to help you accurately describe nearly any clinical situation, reduce typing time, and quickly create any kind of report. Customize the program by adding or deleting text to meet your writing needs. Version 6.0 has been updated along with the Clinician's Thesaurus, 6th Edition (2005), and includes many new words and phrases, some with hyperlinked definitions; guidelines for HIPAA compliance; and other user-friendly features.


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