The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems [Paperback]

Ronald D. Siegel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2009

Mindfulness offers a path to well-being and tools for coping with life's inevitable hurdles. And though mindfulness may sound exotic, you can cultivate it--and reap its proven benefits--without special training or lots of spare time. Trusted therapist and mindfulness expert Dr. Ronald Siegel shows exactly how in this inviting guide. You'll get effective strategies to use while driving to work, walking the dog, or washing the dishes, plus tips on creating a formal practice routine in as little as 20 minutes a day. Flexible, step-by-step action plans will help you become more focused and efficient in daily life; cope with difficult feelings, such as anger and sadness; deepen your connection to your spouse or partner; feel more rested and less stressed; curb unhealthy habits; find relief from anxiety and depression; and resolve stress-related pain, insomnia, and other physical problems. Free audio downloads of the meditation exercises are available at the author's website: www.mindfulness-solution.com. Start living a more balanced life--today.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dr. Siegel offers us an abundance of exercises, transformative practices, and the skillful means to live a mindful life of conscious awareness and meaningful connection. I applaud and recommend his unique perspective, gleaned from a life of meditation and psychotherapeutic practice and research. This wonderful book is a real contribution to the field of happiness studies and spiritual development."--Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within

 

"Talk of 'mindfulness' brings up images of monks spending years on end doing something mysterious. But Dr. Siegel shows how to bring the simple wisdom of acceptance and mindfulness into the everyday actions of ordinary living. Gentle, genuine, and wise, this book coaxes, cajoles, and guides the reader into looking with clear eyes at how we humans get in our own way, and provides simple, powerful, step-by-step methods for learning how to live the kind of lives we want."--Steven C. Hayes, PhD, author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life

 

"Down-to-earth and helpful, Dr. Siegel offers genuinely practical training in the transformative art of mindfulness."--Jack Kornfield, PhD, author of The Wise Heart

 

"This clear and practical guide can help you discover your own potential to develop mindfulness. It offers guidance for building a formal meditation practice as well as tools for coping in everyday life."--Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness

"In your hands is a readily accessible book that can walk you step by step to a better life. Being present in the moment with acceptance is more than just a practice--it is a key research-proven strategy that promotes health in the body, in the mind, and in our relationships with one another. Now is the time--and here is the invitation--to step into a new way of being that can reduce anxiety, stress, and fear, and enhance joy, gratitude and well-being in your life."--Daniel J. Siegel, MD, author of Mindsight

"Mindfulness is an innate capacity that, when cultivated, can awaken us to true health and happiness. Dr. Siegel's book is a clear and comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to apply the power of mindful awareness to challenging emotions, physical pain, or relational difficulties. Filled with wisdom that is both practical and deep, this book is an invitation to live the real moments of our life with presence and heart."--Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance

"Both accessible and persuasive in showing how mindful awareness can help us take care of ourselves and stay centered as we navigate life's inevitable challenges."--Zindel V. Segal, PhD, coauthor of The Mindful Way through Depression

"The direct and readable style of The Mindfulness Solution quickly engaged me. The book has a manual-type format that may be followed by anyone wanting to teach themselves how to establish a mindfulness practice from first principles, along with plenty of new ideas and in-depth exploration to interest experienced practitioners....This wise book offers a fresh and helpful approach to both people who want to begin to practise mindfulness and to those with an already established practise."--Healthcare, Counselling, and Psychotherapy Journal

(Healthcare, Counselling, and Psychotherapy Journal 20091111)

"The style is engaging and chatty, and the author recounts some surprisingly personal anecdotes. This makes the book easy to read....The practical advice...is extremely thorough and clearly draws on the author's extensive personal and clinical experience of mindfulness practice. It is full of useful tips....Each chapter ends with advice on seeking further help, and with a menu of suggested practices....This thorough menu of practices for different circumstances is where the book will be most useful to clinicians; for clients, its highlight may be the accompanying website with audio versions of many of the practices."--The Psychologist

(The Psychologist 20091111)

"Offers strategies and practical solutions so that both formal and informal mindfulness practices can be integrated into a person's routine, customized for their particular set of circumstances. It is a self-help book that comes with a web link to downloadable audio recordings of Dr. Siegel guiding mindfulness practices....This is a friendly and useful resource for people interested in exploring the concept of mindfulness as a way to better their mental or physical health. I think it also has some valuable ideas for the therapist who is interested in integrating some of the explanations and exercises with his or her client....I had never thought before about how one could incorporate mindfulness practice as part of individual therapy. I appreciated the examples throughout the book to see how a therapist could work individually with a client by building a tailored toolkit for that client's preferences."--Mindfulness

(Mindfulness 20091111)

About the Author

Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught for over 25 years. He is a long-time student of mindfulness meditation and serves on the Board of Directors and faculty of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He teaches internationally about mindfulness and psychotherapy and mind-body treatment, has worked for many years in community mental health with inner-city children and families, and maintains a private clinical practice in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Dr. Siegel is coauthor of the self-treatment guide Back Sense, which integrates Western and Eastern approaches for treating chronic back pain, and coeditor of an acclaimed book for professionals, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. Dr. Siegel lives in Lincoln with his wife and daughters. He regularly uses the practices in this book to work with his own busy, unruly mind.

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 356 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press; 1 edition (November 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606232940
• ISBN-13: 978-1606232941
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.9 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,756 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Social Work
  • #85 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Alternative Medicine > Meditation
  • #94 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Behavioral Sciences > Cognitive Psychology

More About the Author

Ronald D. Siegel, Psy.D., is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, where he has taught for over 25 years. He is a longtime student of mindfulness meditation and serves on the Board of Directors and faculty of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He teaches internationally about mindfulness and psychotherapy and mind/body treatment, has worked for many years in community mental health with inner city children and families, and maintains a private clinical practice in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Dr. Siegel is coauthor of the self-treatment guide Back Sense, which integrates Western and Eastern approaches for treating chronic back pain, coeditor of the critically acclaimed book for professionals, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy, author of the recent step-by-step, comprehensive guide for general audiences, The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems, and coeditor of the new professional volume, Wisdom and Compassion in Psychotherapy: Deepening Mindfulness in Clinical Practice.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Just Wanna Learn How November 9, 2010

By 9 Sense

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you are not particularly interested in following the Buddhist Path and just want to learn to practice mindfulness in order to expand your awareness (with all of its benefits) then this is the book for you. Ron Siegel is an excellent teacher. He succeeds in the very difficult task of explaining how to practice mindfulness better than anyone I've read or heard speak. It's not just a book, it's a manual.

40 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Mindfulness Solution is Simply Phenomenal....... February 9, 2010

By John J. bosworth, LMHC

Format:Paperback

Although I am familiar with Ron Siegel's work from a professional standpoint, his new book "the mindfulness solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems" treks a cut above most self-help guides to mindfulness meditation. Siegel does an extraordinary job blending science, therapy and tradition in an easy-to-read enjoyable format. This is a must-read for anyone interested in incorporating mindfulness meditation into their daily lives and will certainly contribute to more effective therapy outcomes for those of us practicing in the mental health professions. The Mindfulness Solution offers a multitude of easy to use formal, as well as informal, meditation practices to help out with the everyday problems that we all face at times- to the more difficult emotional and/or physical roadblocks that contribute to our suffering. Ron Siegel presents the building blocks to a more mindful path with clarity, simplicity and a down-to-earth sense of humor that makes for an enjoyable, warm and transforming read. Do yourself a favor and check this out....and see for yourself!
John J. Bosworth, M.A., LMHC
Co-editor of " A Guidebook To Human Service Professions: Helping College Students Explore Opportunities in the Human Services Field"

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and practical February 28, 2010

By Tom Pedulla

Format:Paperback

With equal parts wisdom and humor, Dr. Siegel has created a comprehensive, practical guide to the application of mindfulness to a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems, including anxiety, depression, stress, relationship issues, addictions, illness, aging and death. Backed by the latest research and filled with detailed instructions on specific mindfulness techniques, this book is simple enough for the beginner and substantial enough for the more advanced practitioner. As a psychotherapist, I have already recommended it to several clients and have heard back from them that they found it immensely helpful.