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345 of 366 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
not primarily about mindfulness therapy, February 17, 2010
I began reading "Mindsight" eagerly because I have a strong interest in mindfulness therapy and Siegel comes highly recommended. I found, however, that I could never get really engaged in the book. I pushed forward and read the whole thing, because Siegel obviously knows his stuff and writes in a clear and easy manner. But I didn't find what I was looking for.
It took a while to figure out why this book was not for me. Three reasons:
First, this book isn't primarily about mindfulness as its title suggests. Siegel has his own well-developed system of therapy. It includes mindfulness, yes, but also a lot of neuroscience, interpersonal therapy, and psychoanalysis (i.e., using insights about one's upbringing to bring about a cure.) Though the word psychoanalysis is never used, it seems to me that it is the dominant strand in his system.
For example, he writes, "With mindsight I was able to make use of the reflections that arose from that conflict [a run-in with his son] to arrive at more clarifying insights into my own childhood experiences."
So because mindfulness is not the main theme, or for some other reason, it is not very thoroughly developed--certainly not as much as in many other books I've read. Hence my disappointment.
The second problem I had is that the bulk of the book is made up of clinical cases (stories of the lives of the author's patients and the therapy he does with them) and stories from the author's life. I find that a few such cases in this kind of book can be illuminating, but reading one story after another becomes tedious.
Third, this book is not directed at helping the reader use the techniques that are mentioned.
None of these observations are meant as criticisms--just some information for anyone trying to make a decision. But if you are mainly interested in mindfulness therapy and would like to use it in your own life, I would recommend "The Mindful Way Through Depression" -- a clear, insightful, and practical book, written by researchers in the field.
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173 of 185 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding presentation of mindfulness techniques, January 18, 2010
I'm so grateful to Dr. Siegel for writing this book.
I've been somewhat ambivalent about various mindfulness practices that are popular today. They promise so much, but they're usually presented in the context of promoting philosophies/religions/worldviews that are antithetical to my personal beliefs. As a result, the barrier to sifting through the material has been just too high for me.
That's why this book is such an important addition to the popular literature. Dr. Siegel explains how developing our capacity for attention changes the wiring of our brains. Given how our brains function, exercises that increase our capacity for attention - e.g., focused breathing and body scans - aid in the development of important attributes such as empathy and the ability to self-calm turbulent emotions.
After reading the introduction, I skipped to Section 2 of the book, which contains practical application material presented in the context of case studies from Dr. Siegel's counseling practice. I was so taken by the material that I then went back Section 1, where Dr. Siegel explains how the brain functions. Both sections are outstanding!
Thank you, Dr. Siegel, for explaining these powerful techniques for personal growth in a way that is accessible to all!
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99 of 104 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ticket to a Higher Quality of Life: Buy Yesterday, January 14, 2010
I found this gem of a book in a Dallas, TX bookstore before the official release date. As an educator with post graduate work in teaching children how to think as they learn (cognitive learning specialist), I loved Dr. Siegel's tag line "Inspire to Rewire". That is exactly what the book teaches you to do. I now work as an educational consultant and a parenting consultant. It is so evident that people are holding onto thoughts that are keeping them in their own prison of the mind due to the rigid or chaotic thinking and lack of cohesive brain integration. While working with a client, who was struggling with parenting issues, she began to develop Mindsight and understood the leftover issues keeping her trapped in a rigid mindset. After applying Dr. Siegel's suggestions to overcome the brain's rigidity, she realized that she received a message from her childhood implying that she was responsible for everything and everyone. We were both "inspired to rewire" her thinking, as it was apparent that she was learning to see her own rigid views on life. After three sessions, she began to change her own views on parenting and responsibility. For the first time in her life, she understood her story.
This book belongs in the hands of everyone in the helping profession. It's also written in such a way that your clients/parenting students, spouses, friends can use the meditations and other suggestions by Dr. Siegel to begin to rework their story into a cohesive narrative. Boomers will love this, as they search for reasons why their lives may not be working. Dr.Siegel's suggestions for rewiring take time, but I'm convinced they are well worth the time involved. There appears to be a better life awaiting all, who are dealing with confusion or a weak sense of self. His teachings illustrate how to rewrite a new autobiography in a way that makes sense. The book is a huge prescription for a happier more resilient life. An added bonus is the fact that the book offers Mindsight exercises designed to foster enjoyable relationships with those in our families and circle of friends.
I'm pleased to recommend this book to my colleagues and friends. Mary Ann Lowry, M.Ed.
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