The Pathway: Follow the Road to Health and Happiness [Paperback]

Laurel Mellin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 23, 2003

The ability to self–nurture and set effective limits is the root of human maturity, and the foundation for emotional, behavioural, and spiritual balance. Fortunately, the skills to self–nurture and set effective limits can be fine–tuned and readers will learn them via a wealth of practical examples, colourful case histories, and scientific findings that are both fascinating and easy to understand. These skills are effective for a wide range of psychological and addictive problems––from alcoholism and other addictions to overeating, overworking, overspending, and perfectionism.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laurel Mellin, M.A., R.D., is an associate clinical professor of family and community medicine and pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine. She is the director of the Institute for Health Solutions, and is the author of The Solution: 6 Winning Ways to Permanent Weight Loss and The Shapedown Program. Mellin lectures extensively to health professionals and self-help groups and has appeared on Oprah, Today, Good Morning America, and the CBS Evening News. Her work has been featured in Time, Life, Newsweek, Fortune, Health, Shape, and U.S. News & World Report. She lives with her three children in Marin County, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; First Edition edition (December 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060514035
• ISBN-13: 978-0060514037
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laurel Mellin is an associate professor of family and community medicine and pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, where she directs the Center for Emotional Brain Training Research.

Emotional brain training (EBT) is based on a new paradigm in health care -- rewiring the stress response to enhance rewards, and decrease the drives for overeating and other common external solutions. EBT is based on the strategy of moving up the brain's emotional set point, to decrease the range of stress symptoms and enhance the higher order developmental and spiritual rewards of life.

She began developing the method (www.ebt.org) as part of a federal project to train leaders in adolescent medicine, and began exploring brain-based methods to turn off the drive to overeat in children (www.childobesity.com). Currently, her first program, the Shapedown program is delivered in the US and Canada. The method evolved to provide tools that mirror the brain's natural processes from each brain state, and to provide individual with the techniques to rewire their own emotional brain.

Mellin's Institute for Health Solutionstrains therapists and physicians in EBT, and her programs (6 EBT Kits) are used by EBT practitioners to progressively rewire the emotional brain through group training, one-on-one coaching and social networking. She is a New York Times bestselling author, and speaks widely to professional and lay groups. She has three children and lives in Marin County, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Older Solution book may be a better choice for some, December 3, 2003

By 

Katherine R. (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pathway: Follow the Road to Health and Happiness (Hardcover)

I read both The Pathway and The Solution. First, I want to say that I think this is groundbreaking work that has had a huge impact on my life. As I read the books, I felt like I was talking to the only person who has ever understood me or my relationship to food and weight. Yes, I lost weight but more importantly, I gained an internal sense of sanctuary that I have never known in my whole life. . .my "sweetest fruit."

However. . .I think that a lot of people are likely to be turned off by the Pathway's emphasis on The Solution Kits and/or can't afford the financial cost. For those who are unable/unwilling to purchase the kits, The Solution (her first book) does provide an inexpensive way to begin.

The Solution has writing exercises, like Thinking Journals and Feeling Letters, along with some quizzes, journals and other things. I did the exercises and shared the book with my husband and some close friends. I found that was enough support for me to master the skills and deal with the "emotional trash" without shelling out $600+ dollars for the Solution Kits, etc.

That may not be true for everyone, but it was true for me. Her books have a quiz that determines what level of support - the "Pathway" that a person may need to follow - her scale did recommend that I seek external support, and I kept that door open if I needed it, but I didn't.

I know Ms. Mellin is probably struggling with how to scale her method to maximize effectiveness and safety, but I think she's fallen into the trap of trying to create an industry/brand around it. By doing so, she's necessarily limiting her services to those who can afford to spend that kind of money.

It may have been better if she could have followed more of the Twelve Step model of self-organized groups based on a rigorous structure and format, with only minimal central organization. Less control, granted, but a lot less expense and overhead to deal with, and the participants reap the benefits of feeling competent enough to help others as they grow in their ability to help themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if the Solution Circles evolve into that kind of an organization, over time.

74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My life has changed already!, February 26, 2003

By 

Lisa Faulkner (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pathway: Follow the Road to Health and Happiness (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book! I have been practicing the skills - especially self-nurturing & limits setting combined with more balanced eating and mastery living (exercise, restoration, and meaningful activities) for almost 4 months and I am already a different person! I already feel much more emotional balance than I ever did before. As I become more compassionate towards myself, I find myself being more compassionate towards others, more accepting of their mistakes. Not only do I feel this way, but my husband and co-workers have noticed it too. One of my co-workers told me she thought I had set a New Year's resolution to be more patient. The best part is I'm not struggling to be patient; I am just becoming that way. My temperament is actually changing! I cannot tell you how truly amazing this is for me.

I actually started this method to lose weight and I have lost nearly 10 pounds (and I know I will continue to lose weight & keep it off as I continue making progress towards my Solution). I recommend this book and its method because of how much better my life is and how much better I know it will become from the descriptions in "The Pathway" of those who have reached their Solution. I am still somewhat incredulous at the power of this simple, but powerful method. Sometimes, it feels a little like magic, but I know it is not. I am working hard at practicing the nurturing and limits skills and it takes courage and it does take time, but it is so worth it for the rewards it brings. I encourage you to purchase this book. It may change your life in ways you cannot even imagine!

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Grace - Roadmap, March 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Pathway: Follow the Road to Health and Happiness (Hardcover)

I have read the author's other book, The Solution, so I had interest to read this book as well. It was an eye opener to me!
This book offers a roadmap for how to get to the ROOT CAUSE not the SYMPTOM of why people go to excesses in their lives to deal with their emotions. As a child I did not learn the skills of self-nurturing and setting limits for myself. I have found external ways to comfort myself by overeating, and overworking. I put up walls and spent so much time over-thinking everything in my life. This book has offered me an Amazing Grace - Roadmap to learn the skills of nurturing and setting limits so I can develop a sanctuarity within myself. My over excesses are literally slowly killing me. I have tried so many things that have dealt with the SYMPTOMS not the ROOTS. This is not a quick fix but a teachable method that when practiced diligently does create permanent change over time. If you can identify with my comments, I strongly recommend you read this book.