About the Author
Bradley P. Barris holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and is president of Barris & Associates, Inc. This consulting firm has pioneered the development of programs for individuals, mental health professionals, teachers, law enforcement personnel, attorneys and corporations, providing them with the psychological tools necessary to manage emotions and behaviors in the face of ever-greater personal and professional challenges. His first book, When Chicken Soup Isn't Enough: Managing Your Anger in an Increasingly Angry World, has sold over 40,000 copies nationally and is used by schools, businesses, mental health centers, public and private psychiatric hospitals, private psychology practices, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP's) including the FBI in Los Angeles, NASA in Houston, TX., and Owens-Corning Corp.
Known for his uncompromising directness and use of humor in order to educate, Dr. Barris is a member of the prestigious National Speakers Association.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
At the dawn of the new century, we are a nation of "emotion junkies." To "emote" or feel has become the sine qua non, or essential element, of what many believe it means to be human...To talk about your feelings is a sign of emotional health; an inability to discuss your feelings indicates psychological problems. According to current psychological dogma, when you experience a loss your are expected to experience certain feelings. If you do not experience the required feelings--in the correct sequence, no less!--then something is wrong with you. The problem with this focus on emotions is that it has given us a world where many people are enslaved by their emotions.
The truth is that some emotions are helpful and others are not. Some emotions motivate us to deal more effectively with problems in our lives while others interfere with those efforts. Some emotions enhance our relationships while others wreak havoc. One of my tasks in this book is to teach you how to create emotions that are helpful and how to avoid creating emotions, like anger, that interfere with your living successfully. In all likelihood you've never viewed emotions as experiences you could learn how to create on demand. By the end of this book, however, you will be able to do just that.
