Stress Free for Good: 10 Scientifically Proven Life Skills for Health and Happiness [Paperback]

Frederic Luskin (Author), Ken Pelletier (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 27, 2005

Ten Minutes to Learn One Minute to Practice Ten Seconds to Work

Imagine if you could . . .

• Radically reduce stress
• Increase your physical vitality
• Improve your quality of life

Now you can. We live in an age of stress. Each day at work and at home as we struggle to take care of the basics, constant stress significantly affects our ability to lead healthy and happy lives. We struggle with stomach pain, headaches, mood swings, fatigue, depression, high blood pressure, and even heart failure. Not only does stress damage our physical and emotional well-being, but our relationships and productivity suffer as well. What, if anything, can we do to stop this cycle?

There is a multitude of books, magazine features, TV programs, videotapes, meditation classes, and seminars, all aimed at stopping stress. But until now there has never been a scientifically based program that not only starts working within seconds but also creates a foundation to help remove stress and the symptoms associated with it from your life for good.

Dr. Fred Luskin and Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier spent years at the Stanford University School of Medicine developing ten proven skills for eliminating the stress, anxiety, and pain that occur in daily life. Delivering skills that have been honed and tested among a diverse group of Americans, Stress Free for Good is easy to use and starts working immediately. Offering more than just the promise of breaking even and eliminating daily stress, these ten skills provide a foundation for living a healthier and happier life. This is not only a practical and accessible guide to conquering the stress in our lives once and for all, it is also the last stress aid you will ever need.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Luskin and Pelletier offer us simple, commonsense, scientifically tested ways to reduce stress in the midst of our busy lives.” (—RACHEL NAOMI REMEN, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings )

“A major book to help us combat this problem once and for all.” (Richard Carlson, Ph.D. Bestselling author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and Easier Than You Think )

“The life skills presented so beautifully here can heal you and reawaken you to a life of joy and fun!” (Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom )

“Like a wise friend, it distills decades of research into ten practical and powerful stress management skills.” (Dean Ornish, M.D. author of Eat More, Weigh Less )

About the Author

Fred Luskin, Ph.D. is the author of Forgive for Good and one of the world's leading researchers and teachers on the subject of forgiveness. He is the director of the Stanford Forgiveness Project, a series of research projects that investigate forgiveness methods. He holds an appointment at the Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation as a senior fellow and is an associate professor at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. He lives in Palo Alto, California.

Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine and at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and a lecturer in family and community medicine at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco. Pelletier is the author of several books, including the international bestseller Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer; Sound Mind, Sound Body; and The Best Alternative Medicine. He is chairman of the American Health Association and is a vice president of Healthtrac.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; Reprint edition (December 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060832991
• ISBN-13: 978-0060832995
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.6 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Fred Luskin, Ph.D. is the author of Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love and one of the world's leading researchers and teachers on the subject of forgiveness. He is the director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects, a series of research projects that investigate his forgiveness methods. He holds an appointment as a Senior Consultant in Health Promotion at Stanford and is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. He lives in Palo Alto, California.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 93 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 10 great ways to reduce stress July 24, 2006

By Steve Burns TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Here are the ten ways to manage your stress in this book:

1). Calm down by concentrating on your breath.
2). Appreciate what you have in your life.
3). Tense and then relax different parts of your body.
4). Visualize success.
5). Slow down
6). Appreciate yourself
7). Practice smiling
8). Stop doing what does not work
9). Say no to people that try to over burden you.
10). Accept what you can not change
and live mentally in the present do not stress yourself out with the past or future.

Buy this book for more in depth discussion of the above, if you find this to be common sense, move on to another book.

55 of 62 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars End the problems of stress for good! February 15, 2005

By J. H.

Format:Hardcover

I've read lots of books and listened expensive tape programs on stress management. They helped some, but caused problems in that the excercises were too time comsuming, didn't always work, took too long to work, or was just to expensive. The techniques offered in Stress Free for Good are simple, quick (takes only 1 minute), and incredibly powerful. I've never felt so good in my life. I've never been so efficient in all my tasks and responsibilities either. The quality of my work has also improved. This is the only book you'll ever need on the topic!!

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book turns stress-management techniques into life-mastery skills April 25, 2006

By Christiane Holbrook

Format:Hardcover

As a former occupational therapist I know that reduction of stress and the speed of physical recovery is closely linked. Yet, the authors in this book prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. For years now I have been working with stressed and overwhelmed entrepreneurs helping them to grow their businesses while creating balance in their lives. This book, in combination with my own professional knowledge, allowed me to put together an instant-stress-busting audio course. Both authors speak with kindness and authority to a subject that not only affects the stressed and overwhelmed person but also everybody around them: employees, children, friends. I thank the authors for their courage to take stress-management to a level of life-mastery.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Basic strategies to reduce stress March 30, 2007

By KierkegaardFan

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an easy-to-read book that offers research-based stress-reduction strategies. All of the strategies are very basic, and you've probably heard them all before (no big eye-openers). However, research has proven that these strategies work, and the challenge lies with us to use and integrate them into our lives. Each chapter discusses strategies such deep breathing, stop doing what doesn't work, saying no, etc.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Strategies for Relaxation! February 21, 2009

By L. Jacobs VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

The instructions in this book are clear and concise and the advice is hopeful and uplifting. I was assigned this book for class, but I found myself enjoying every line of text and I applied the techniques to calm my own life and stress responses. We (as a society) are surprisingly uneducated on how to handle the common stressor's of the modern world and I don't know a single soul who wouldn't benefit from reading this book! The author writes with a joyous tone as he guides us toward an improved lifestyle. I highly recommend Stress Free for Good!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Stress Free for Good was a non-stressful read January 16, 2012

By angie bookclub

Format:Paperback

A quick and easy read, the authors of Stress Free for Good provides ten (fairly easy) strategies that can help you change how you react to stressful events. After finishing the book, I am pretty sure that most of the strategies Luskin and Pelletier describe probably work for reducing stress, but the key point of this book is that you have to actually practice the strategies for them to work. I think a lot of us who buy books about stress reduction or improving happiness just want something to happen by osmosis, but Stress Free for Good makes it clear that you have to work at reducing stress. Some of the strategies the authors provide include belly breathing, tensing muscles to relax, and practicing appreciation for yourself and others. The only caveat I would give is that the patient case studies also involve some level of therapy or interaction with the authors, which I do think would helpful in adopting the life skills discussed (the patient recoveries described seem pretty amazing considering the simplicity of the life skills they adopt). That said, if you are willing to give a few minutes a day to the tools described, I'm sure they would make life a little better. And even if you lack the commitment to learning and living the tools in the book, the explanation of the two types of stress and how Type 2 stress impacts our bodies, as well as some of the other insights in the book, are valuable reading. I didn't get much further than deep belly-breathing, but that's just me!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Mostly Common Sense November 13, 2007

By A. marrero

Format:Hardcover

But I most say that there are three suggestions that I found to be helpful- not a cure all but these three offered me a bit of peace of mind so I would say its worth the cash. Book is a quick read.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Share with the people you love.. July 15, 2006

By E. Grouell

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I liked this book so much, I read a chapter a week to my mom, dad, and sister after our Sunday night dinner together. I've posted the principles and read them when I brush my teeth in the morning. Once you've read the chapters, the titles alone can help you remember the techniques you practices. I continue to recommend the book to friends. I've had stressful moments at work and have used the skills to bring me back to center.