Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation [Paperback]

Daniel J. Siegel (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 28, 2010

This groundbreaking book, from one of the global innovators in the integration of brain science with psychotherapy, offers an extraordinary guide to the practice of “mindsight,” the potent skill that is the basis for both emotional and social intelligence. From anxiety to depression and feelings of shame and inadequacy, from mood swings to addictions, OCD, and traumatic memories, most of us have a mental “trap” that causes recurring conflict in our lives and relationships. Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, shows us how to use mindsight to escape these traps. Through his synthesis of a broad range of scientific research with applications to everyday life, Dr. Siegel has developed novel approaches that have helped hundreds of patients free themselves from obstacles blocking their happiness. By cultivating mindsight, all of us can effect positive, lasting changes in our brains—and our lives. A book as inspiring as it is profound, Mindsight can help us master our emotions, heal our relationships, and reach our fullest potential.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Siegel (Parenting from the Inside Out) combines Western neuroscience with Eastern meditation in an exciting exploration of how a troubled mind can right itself. Drawing on current science and case studies, Siegel, a clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine, reinforces the idea that the power of reflection allows us to approach, rather than withdraw, from whatever life brings us. And learning to stay with a feeling, even a threatening one, is the beginning of discovering that this emotion is just a set of neural firings in our brain. There is enormous pain in the clinical cases: 31-year-old Allison's back pain conceals a painful memory; 12-year-old Sandy is stuck in a panic expressed in obsessive-compulsive behavior. But there is also enormous hope—that therapy, sometimes even without medication, can guide a patient through life. Siegel's method isn't a quick fix and doesn't sugarcoat reality: The mindful traits of serenity, courage and wisdom involve accepting our place in the order of things. He challenges his patients to a life of tough work and convincingly suggests it will be well worth the effort. (Dec. 1)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

The concept of emotional intelligence, or EI, rather than IQ as the true barometer of social success has been a hot topic in psychological circles since Daniel Goleman’s landmark Emotional Intelligence (1995). Yet, according to UCLA psychiatrist Siegel, Goleman’s personal friend and fellow Harvard alum, the notion of “mindsight,” or the mind’s knack for stepping back and analyzing its own thought processes, is just as critical. Drawing on cutting-edge neurobiological research and Eastern meditation practices as well as studies conducted by his own, L.A.-based Mindsight Institute, Siegel presents a convincing case that mindsight’s dual focus on mindfulness and empathy can literally rewire the brain and catalyze greater personal fulfillment. In 12 lucid yet scientifically grounded chapters, he provides the evidence for mindsight’s powerful effect on human behavior and then presents a guidebook for developing and applying mindsight in one’s life. Unlike his earlier, more academic works, Mindsight is refreshingly accessible, offering solid practical advice while avoiding the naive optimism of many mainstream self-help books. --Carl Hays --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; Reprint edition (December 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553386395
• ISBN-13: 978-0553386394
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Reference
  • #30 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Behavioral Sciences > Cognitive Psychology

More About the Author

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., is an internationally acclaimed author, award-winning educator, and child psychiatrist. He is currently a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine where he also serves as a co-investigator at the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development and co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. He is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute, an educational center devoted to promoting insight, compassion, and empathy in individuals, families, institutions and communities. His books include "Mindsight," "The Developing Mind," "The Mindful Brain," "The Mindful Therapist," "Parenting From the Inside Out," and "The Whole-Brain Child." He is the Founding Editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology which includes "Healing Trauma," "The Power of Emotion," and "Trauma and the Body." He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. For more information on Dr. Siegel's work, please visit DrDanSiegel.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#74 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting

#74 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

506 of 544 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars not primarily about mindfulness therapy February 17, 2010

By Kristin

Format:Hardcover

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.

134 of 141 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ticket to a Higher Quality of Life: Buy Yesterday January 14, 2010

By Mary Ann Lowry

Format:Hardcover

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.

205 of 220 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding presentation of mindfulness techniques January 18, 2010

By M. Johnson

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

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!