Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America


Robert Whitaker - 2010
    What is going on? Anatomy of an Epidemic challenges readers to think through that question themselves. First, Whitaker investigates what is known today about the biological causes of mental disorders. Do psychiatric medications fix “chemical imbalances” in the brain, or do they, in fact, create them? Researchers spent decades studying that question, and by the late 1980s, they had their answer. Readers will be startled—and dismayed—to discover what was reported in the scientific journals. Then comes the scientific query at the heart of this book: During the past fifty years, when investigators looked at how psychiatric drugs affected long-term outcomes, what did they find? Did they discover that the drugs help people stay well? Function better? Enjoy good physical health? Or did they find that these medications, for some paradoxical reason, increase the likelihood that people will become chronically ill, less able to function well, more prone to physical illness?  This is the first book to look at the merits of psychiatric medications through the prism of long-term results. Are long-term recovery rates higher for medicated or unmedicated schizophrenia patients? Does taking an antidepressant decrease or increase the risk that a depressed person will become disabled by the disorder? Do bipolar patients fare better today than they did forty years ago, or much worse? When the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) studied the long-term outcomes of children with ADHD, did they determine that stimulants provide any benefit?  By the end of this review of the outcomes literature, readers are certain to have a haunting question of their own: Why have the results from these long-term studies—all of which point to the same startling conclusion—been kept from the public?  In this compelling history, Whitaker also tells the personal stories of children and adults swept up in this epidemic. Finally, he reports on innovative programs of psychiatric care in Europe and the United States that are producing good long-term outcomes. Our nation has been hit by an epidemic of disabling mental illness, and yet, as Anatomy of an Epidemic reveals, the medical blueprints for curbing that epidemic have already been drawn up.

The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder


Carol Stock Kranowitz - 1998
    This newly revised edition features additional information from recent research on vision and hearing deficits, motor skill problems, nutrition and picky eaters, ADHA, autism, and other related disorders.

You're Going to Love This Kid!: Teaching Children with Autism in the Inclusive Classroom


Paula Kluth - 2003
    Including first-person accounts that give readers insight into the experience of having autism, it shows educators how to adapt their classrooms to support student participation in classwork, school routines, and social activities. It combines relevant research with lessons learned from the author's teaching experience to give readers specific, creative ideas for: understanding the attitudes, values and actions hat support inclusive schooling; connecting, communicating, and collaborating effectively with families; enhancing literacy by adapting reading materials, using visuals, and tapping in to student interests; planning challenging, multidimensional lessons that encourage all students to participate and help students reach their individual goals; support student behaviour in sensitive, positive ways; fostering friendships and social relationships between students with and without autism; and adapting the physical environment for students with autism who may have heightened sensitivity to factors like temperature, sounds, and smells.

The Difficult Child


Stanley Turecki - 1985
    They often act defiant, stubborn, loud, aggressive, or hyperactive. They can also be clingy, shy, whiny, picky, and impossible at bedtime, mealtimes, and in public places. This landmark book has been completely revised to include the latest information on ADHD, medications, and a reassuring approach  to all aspects of childhood behavioral disorders.In this parenting classic, Dr. Stanley Turecki, one of the nation's most respected experts on children and discipline--and himself the father of a once difficult child--offers compassionate and practical advice to parents of hard-to-raise children. Based on his experience with thousands of families in the highly successful Difficult Children Program he developed for Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, his step-by-step approach shows you how to: Identify your child's temperament using a ten-point test to pinpoint specific difficulties Manage common--often "uncontrollable"--conflict situations expertly and gently Make discipline more effective and get better results with less punishment Get support from schools, doctors, professionals, and support groups Understand ADHD and other common diagnoses, and decide if medication is right for your child Make the most of the tremendous potential and creativity that many "difficult" children haveDrawing on his experience with thousands of families in his highly successful Difficult Child Program, Dr. Turecki shows parents how to:Identify their child's difficult temperament using a ten-point test to pinpoint specific difficultiesManage typical conflict situations expertly and kindlyMake discipline more effective and get better results with less punishmentGet support from schools, doctors, and others Understand ADHD and other common diagnoses, and decide whether medication is right for their childMake the most of the child's creativity and potential -->

The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money


Ron Lieber - 2015
    Children are hyper-aware of money, and they have scores of questions about its nuances. But when parents shy away from the topic, they lose a tremendous opportunity—not just to model the basic financial behaviors that are increasingly important for young adults but also to imprint lessons about what the family truly values.Written in a warm, accessible voice, grounded in real-world experience and stories from families with a range of incomes, The Opposite of Spoiled is both a practical guidebook and a values-based philosophy. The foundation of the book is a detailed blueprint for the best ways to handle the basics: the tooth fairy, allowance, chores, charity, saving, birthdays, holidays, cell phones, checking accounts, clothing, cars, part-time jobs, and college tuition. It identifies a set of traits and virtues that embody the opposite of spoiled, and shares how to embrace the topic of money to help parents raise kids who are more generous and less materialistic.But The Opposite of Spoiled is also a promise to our kids that we will make them better with money than we are. It is for all of the parents who know that honest conversations about money with their curious children can help them become more patient and prudent, but who don’t know how and when to start.

Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping


Paco Underhill - 1999
    Why We Buy is based on hard data gleaned from thousands of hours of field research–in shopping malls, department stores, and supermarkets across America. With his team of sleuths tracking our every move, Paco Underhill lays bare the struggle among merchants, marketers, and increasingly knowledgeable consumers for control.

Understanding the Borderline Mother


Christine Ann Lawson - 2000
    Recognizing her face, her voice, the meaning of her moods, and her facial expressions is crucial to survival. Dr. Christine Ann Lawson vividly describes how mothers who suffer from borderline personality disorder produce children who may flounder in life even as adults, futilely struggling to reach the safety of a parental harbor, unable to recognize that their borderline parent lacks a pier, or even a discernible shore. Four character profiles describe different symptom clusters that include the waif mother, the hermit mother, the queen mother, and the witch. Children of borderlines are at risk for developing this complex and devastating personality disorder themselves. Dr. Lawson's recommendations for prevention include empathic understanding of the borderline mother and early intervention with her children to ground them in reality and counteract the often dangerous effects of living with a "make-believe" mother. Some readers may recognize their mothers as well as themselves in this book. They will also find specific suggestions for creating healthier relationships. Addressing the adult children of borderlines and the therapists who work with them, Dr. Lawson shows how to care for the waif without rescuing her, to attend to the hermit without feeding her fear, to love the queen without becoming her subject, and to live with the witch without becoming her victim. A Jason Aronson Book

The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self


Alice Miller - 1979
    I simply meant all of us who have survived an abusive childhood thanks to an ability to adapt even to unspeakable cruelty by becoming numb.... Without this 'gift' offered us by nature, we would not have survived." But merely surviving is not enough. The Drama of the Gifted Child helps us to reclaim our life by discovering our own crucial needs and our own truth.

A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future


Daniel H. Pink - 2004
    A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and a provocative and necessary new way of thinking about a future that's already here.

Stop Talking, Start Influencing: 12 Insights From Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick


Jared Cooney Horvath - 2019
    If you’ve ever walked a colleague through a new program, you’re a teacher. If you’ve ever coached anyone on how to kick a football, you’re a teacher. If you’ve ever been a parent… enough said. The problem, however, is that very few of us have ever been taught how to teach!Drawing on Jared Cooney Horvath’s 15 years of experience conducting brain research at prominent universities, teaching students from 10 to 80 years of age, and working with organisations and schools across 4 continents, Stop Talking, Start Influencing outlines 12 scientific principles of how people learn. The result is a book that shows readers how to impart their knowledge to others in a manner that truly influences them. From the challenges of learning through a PowerPoint presentation to the debilitating ‘error alarm’ that can kick in when students make a mistake, the common barriers to learning are explained and tackled. Nearly every day we work to disseminate wisdom to others, so why not ensure that wisdom is retained?For every business leader sick of repeating themselves ad nauseam to colleagues and clients, for every coach tired of endlessly drilling athletes without seeing meaningful improvement, for every entrepreneur who’s had enough of pouring their heart into presentations only to see no lasting impact among the audience… it’s time to stop talking and start influencing!

Sincerely, Your Autistic Child: What People on the Autism Spectrum Wish Their Parents Knew About Growing Up, Acceptance, and Identity


Sharon daVanportMallory Cruz - 2021
    Furthermore, it is widely believed that many autistic girls and women are underdiagnosed, which has further limited the information available regarding the unique needs of girls and nonbinary people with autism.Sincerely, Your Autistic Child represents an authentic resource for parents and others who care about autism written by people who understand this experience most, autistic people themselves. From childhood and education to culture, gender identity, and sexuality, this anthology of autistic contributors tackles the everyday challenges of growing up while honestly addressing the emotional needs, sensitivity, and vibrancy of the autistic community with a special focus on autistic girls and nonbinary people. Written like letters to parents, the contributors reflect on what they have learned while growing up with autism and how parents can avoid common mistakes and overcome challenges while raising their child.Sincerely, Your Autistic Child calls parents to action by raising awareness and redefining "normal" in order to help parents make their child feel truly accepted, valued, and celebrated for who they are.Contributors: B. Martin Allen, B. Rankowski, K. Asasumasu, M. Baggs, L. Wiley-Mydske, H. Moss, L. XZ Brown, K. Rodriguez, A. Schaber, J. St. Jude, M. Sparrow, M. Cruz, A. Sequenzia, K. Lean, L. Soraya, K. Smith, A. Forshaw, H. Wangelin/HW, V.M. Rodríguez-Roldán, J. Strauss, O.M. Robinson, K. Levin, J. Winegardner, D. Lyubovskaya, E.P. Ballou, S. daVanport, and M. Giwa Onaiwu. Foreword and Afterword by J. Wilson and B. Ryan.

Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism


Jenny McCarthy - 2007
    She ran into her two-year-old son Evan's room and found him having a seizure. Doctor after doctor misdiagnosed Evan until after many harrowing, life-threatening episodes one good doctor discovered that Evan is autistic.With a foreword from Dr. David Feinberg, medical director of the Resnick Neuro-psychiatric Hospital at UCLA, and an introduction by Jerry J. Kartzinel, a top pediatric autism specialist, Louder Than Words follows Jenny as she discovered an intense combination of behavioral therapy, diet, and supplements that became the key to saving Evan from autism. Her story sheds much-needed light on autism through her own heartbreak, struggle, and ultimately hopeful example of how a parent can shape a child's life and happiness.

The ADHD Workbook for Kids: Helping Children Gain Self-Confidence, Social Skills, and Self-Control


Lawrence E. Shapiro - 2010
    The ADHD Workbook for Kids offers a simple way to help children with ADHD learn these critical skills in just ten minutes a day.This workbook includes more than forty activities for kids developed by child psychologist Lawrence Shapiro that can help your child with ADHD handle everyday tasks, make friends, and build self-esteem while he or she learns to overcome the most challenging aspects of the disorder. Alone or with your help, your child can complete one ten-minute activity each day to learn how to make good decisions and discover easy techniques for staying focused when it's time to pay attention.Includes activities to help your child:•Become a good listener and a good friend•Make school easier and more fun•Recognize his or her special gifts and build self-esteem•Practice planning ahead and learn responsibility

The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves


Dan Ariely - 2012
    From Washington to Wall Street, the classroom to the workplace, unethical behavior is everywhere. None of us is immune, whether it's the white lie to head off trouble or padding our expense reports. In The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, award-winning, bestselling author Dan Ariely turns his unique insight and innovative research to the question of dishonesty.Generally, we assume that cheating, like most other decisions, is based on a rational cost-benefit analysis. But Ariely argues, and then demonstrates, that it's actually the irrational forces that we don't take into account that often determine whether we behave ethically or not. For every Enron or political bribe, there are countless puffed résumés, hidden commissions, and knockoff purses. In The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, Ariely shows why some things are easier to lie about; how getting caught matters less than we think; and how business practices pave the way for unethical behavior, both intentionally and unintentionally. Ariely explores how unethical behavior works in the personal, professional, and political worlds, and how it affects all of us, even as we think of ourselves as having high moral standards.But all is not lost. Ariely also identifies what keeps us honest, pointing the way for achieving higher ethics in our everyday lives. With compelling personal and academic findings, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty will change the way we see ourselves, our actions, and others.

Thriving with ADHD Workbook for Kids: 60 Fun Activities to Help Children Self-Regulate, Focus, and Succeed


Kelli Miller - 2018
    Thriving with ADHD is a workbook specially designed to helps kids with ADHD develop essential skills for managing their ADHD symptoms, while also providing a powerful message of hope and encouragement for their future.In Thriving with ADHD family therapist Kelli Miller draws upon both her professional expertise, as well as her experience as the mother of two ADHD children, to help kids reframe the way they think about ADHD and discover that they have special talents that are unique to them. With fun activities that engage their busy minds, Thriving with ADHD offers kids a better understanding of themselves, their ADHD, and the simple things they can do to feel more confident and in control.Thriving with ADHD includes: An overview of ADHD that includes common symptoms, ADHD types, how ADHD can be an asset, and areas where kids could use additional support. Exercises that build helpful skills for dealing with anger, staying focused, controlling impulses, and making mindful decisions. Action-oriented lessons for daily life that teach practical tools such as creating a morning routine, making a homework chart, and expressing themselves when they’re upset. Techniques for self-regulation and organization that help kids handle any emotion or obstacle, so they can spend their energy having fun and just being kids! Though ADHD is very common, its symptoms can make life challenging for kids. Through the knowledgeable guidance and support in Thriving with ADHD kids will see that ADHD isn’t in charge of their lives—they are.