Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed of Life [Paperback]

Jude Treder-Wolff (Author), RMT, CGP LCSW (Author), Kristina Lucenko (Editor), Kristiana Parn (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2008

Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed of Life deconstructs the strands of our increasingly fast-paced, technology driven, and socially fragmented lives. Weaving together current research and information from the worlds of social psychology, economics, physics, business, and education, the book puts words to the psychological, emotional and social effects of the speed of life in these times and the consumer culture that drives it. Some key points: Creativity and relationship/networking skills as core competencies for success in the 21st century; The ways consumer culture continually redesigns what it means to have a good-enough life, with impacts on our sense of self, family life, and health. Addictive thinking and its effects on society; How we learn to deny, abandon and mistrust our intuitive, creative drives and what we can do to develop them at any point in our lives; The evidence that arts training, creative development, and arts-based experiences grow the brain and strengthen psychological resilience. Possible Futures is a handbook for living with the creativity, consciousness and connectedness we need to succeed in these paradigm-shifting times

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jude Treder-Wolff is a Licensed Clinical Social worker, Registered Music Therapist, Creative Arts Therapist and Certified Group Psychotherapist who conducts training seminars, workshops and groups on the topic of creativity and the process of change, healing, learning and growth. She has published articles in The International Journal of Arts and Psychotherapy Special Issue on Addiction and Special Issue on HIV/AIDS, Music Therapy Perspectives, Clinical Social Work, and Recovery Press and has been interviewed for articles about creativity and stress-resilience that appeared in New York Newsday, The Los Angeles Times, and Woman s Day among others. She served as editor of The Psychodrama Network News, the official newsletter of the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama from 2001-2007, and currently writes a monthly e-newsletter titled Lives In Progress.

Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: Lifestage, Inc.; First edition (October 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979990505
• ISBN-13: 978-0979990502
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,671,757 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jude Treder-Wolff is a creative arts psychotherapist, writer, and performer with an active practice as a therapist working with adults and teens, and trainer/consultant specializing in experiential learning and skill development for the networked world. Her performances combine comedy, music and social commentary, and often raise funds for not-for-profit groups. In March 2010 she was a featured presenter at the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium, facilitating an improvisation and music pre-conference institute with her musical director Wells Hanley, and a full-day training intensive on Group Therapy In The Networking Age. She is published in the International Journal of Arts In Psychotherapy, Music Therapy Perspectives, as well as numerous professional newsletters and websites. She has developed courses for the Summer Institute Continuing Education program at State University at Buffalo and has been interviewed for articles that appeared in New York Newsday, LA Times, Orlando Sentinal, Chicago Tribune, Woman's Day, The New York Daily News and local papers when performing around the country. Her newsletter and blog Lives In Progress provides resources and ideas for thriving in the networked world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, May 3, 2009

By 

J. M. G. (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed of Life (Paperback)

For those of you looking to move forward in your life [in an informed and creative way] this book is a must read. A perfect complement to our fresh political climate; Possible Futures challenges readers to reject the status quo and rebirth their creativity, spontaneity, connectedness and social awareness. Yes, the "speed of life" can, at times, be overwhelming. But, you are not alone. The author teaches us the importance of "putting the brakes" on destructive thinking and replacing them with positive personal and social action. So take a deep breath, pick up anchor, and set sail in the direction of your choice.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, Encouraging, Smart - Read This!, March 15, 2009

By 

Melissa Merline (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed of Life (Paperback)

While reading Possible Futures I was delighted to find myself familiar with many of the author's references, but even more delighted in seeing them presented in a new light. Pulling together ideas from Einstein to Csikszentmihalyi, weaving together concepts from physics to social and cognitive psychology with her own eloquent words and original thoughts, Jude Treder-Wolff creates a compelling summary of the crisis of human consciousness - and how to help it.

Possible Futures: Creative Thinking for the Speed of Life manages to capture a huge swath of human psychological upheaval between the industrial age and this technological age in the matter of a few pages. Our lives have become connected in innumerably dependent ways. Thanks to technology, we have access to more information than we could possibly comprehend in a lifetime, and yet socially our advancement is mired in outmoded, stagnant ways of thinking.

She puts it clearly in the first chapter; "The human cost of applying old ways of thinking to new and constantly evolving circumstances is a crisis of consciousness the stakes of which are nothing less than the soul of society." Looking at the familiar with new eyes is one of the underlying messages of this book. The author describes how applying the creative process in a variety of ways, role-playing, music therapy or problem solving, can help individuals take ownership of their paths through life.

Possible Futures reads like stream of consciousness, but this stream and conscious is clear and leads us to a distinct call - we must evolve our responses to the constantly changing world, and be creative in those responses. Readers who enjoy the narrative style of Malcolm Gladwell and Daniel Ariely, or the content of Rollo May and Victor Frankl will certainly appreciate this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wired vs Creative Worlds, August 29, 2009

By 

Harvee L. - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Possible Futures: Creative Thinking For The Speed of Life (Paperback)

I liked the premise of this book, "Possible Futures: Creative Thinking for the Speed of Life" by Jude Treder-Wolff and agreed to review it after reading a synopsis by the author/publicist. Those who wonder about the direction our wired society is taking us, will be challenged by the author's ideas that "technology overload" and "social media fatigue" should be balanced by creativity and "real life" social connectedness.

"Possible Futures" poses a serious and relevant question to the "Facebook generation" and answers it: Are we becoming too disconnected from real life and being driven at too fast a speed by new, fast-paced technology - communicating instantly, for instance, via computers, television, our cell phones, and other electronic devices? Are we ignoring our mental and physical well-being by the "consumer culture" that urges us to do nothing more than spend more and possess more? Why does all this matter? The author feels that our experiences can and do change and affect the brain and how it functions, and these changes affect us psychologically and emotionally. These arguments certainly made sense to me.

Treder-Wolff has a solution or an antidote for the fast pace of our modern times. Creativity counts! Her answer: " Our brains are designed for creative challenge. Our souls crave meaning. The human mind is juiced by experiences that combine novely/mystery with emotional involvement and a feedback loop of some kind, such as music, theater, comedy, dance/movement, play. Any kind of creative experience will do, whether it is scientific research or making an experimental papaya pizza or redesigning the baby's room to make better use of space, but the most direct route to the learning/expansion wellspring of feel-good brain chemicals is the artistic experience itself." (ch. 4, p. 59)

Jude Treder-Wolff is a licensed clinical social worker, creative arts therapist, and certified group psychotherapist. She also does play writing and acting. I was impressed by how well her work is researched and documented, supported by almost 18 pages of references. I think the book presents some serious challenges to our 21st century way of life and her conclusions are well worth examining.