Tag: Psychology

Hamlet’s Mirror by Elma Linz Kanefield with Dianne Conjeaud

Posted on by Sonya Dalton

Cover image for Hamlet's MirrorAt her audition, a young woman walked on stage and prepared herself to sing, but when she opened her mouth there was no sound.

This story sounds like a nightmare, but for Elma Linz Kanefield it was very real and life changing.  She wanted to understand how and why this “stage fright” happens and what makes some performers succeed while others struggle.

Elma’s trauma inspired her to become one of the world’s only specialists in the psychology of the performing artist. This September, she will share how she empowers performers and restores their mental health in her new book Hamlet’s Mirror: Reaching Your Performance Potential Onstage and Off (September 2022, Original Trade Paperback, $15.99).

Elma defines Performance Potential as “being the best you can be and doing the best you can do based on what you know in the moment of performance.”   This is an internal state when you are emotionally and mentally able to balance the challenges, fears, and insecurities that can come with entertaining others.

In Hamlet’s Mirror, Elma explores the performer’s culture:  its challenges, the highs and the lows.  Then she delves into the four performing personality profiles she identified in her work:

  1. Problem-Ridden Performer
  2. Pugnacious Performer
  3. Promising Performer
  4. Potential-Realized Performer

Each section of the book is accompanied by fictionalized anecdotes of real performers who worked with Elma throughout four decades of having a New York City psychotherapy practice exclusive to performing artists.  Also included are questions and reflections for readers who will have an opportunity to identify what kind of performer they are.  Finally, Elma reveals how to reach your performance potential and adds examples to support her points.

Hamlet’s Mirror is for anyone considering a life in the performing arts from young people preparing to enter the “real world” of professional artists to seasoned performers who feel they are not realizing their performance potential.

Hamlet’s Mirror
by Elma Linz Kanefield, LCSW with Dianne Conjeaud
Publication Date: Sep 15, 2022
Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9862605-0-1
Price: $15.99
Page count: 212

In Hindsight by Sharon Bonanno and Lisa Scott

Posted on by Sonya Dalton

In Hindsight By Sharon Bonanno and Lisa Scott“This is our story.” 

On the outside, Sharon and Lisa appear to be two normal sisters living life in a quiet suburban neighborhood of New Jersey. Their parents divorce when they are young; every other weekend is spent at their dad’s house with his new wife, Janet, and their two children, who seem to dominate their father’s time and devotion. Their mother, on the other hand, works multiple jobs at a time to stay afloat and provide everything she possibly can for her beloved daughters.

“Mom had a way of finding out what we wanted and needed and made sure that it appeared.”

Like many sisters, Sharon and Lisa are competitive; they fight for their parents’ attention and call each other out when necessary. However, as they enter adulthood, life takes two very different turns for the women. Sharon moves into a career and starts a family, while Lisa finds herself tumbling down a dark path of addiction, deceit, and depression – a path only tough love and accountability can help pull her out of. But when Lisa’s drug addiction and constant deception lead to her inevitable breaking point, it’s no one other than Sharon who provides the wake-up call Lisa needs to finally seek professional help. 

“But when I looked at Mom, and then at Sharon, I could see how injured they were, and I knew that I’d done it to them. That realization shattered the shell inside my skin that I thought had been protecting me but really had been holding me captive.”

IN HINDSIGHT: The Story of Two Sisters Who Hurt, Hindered, and Healed Each Other (Advantage Publishing, ISBN: 978-1-64225-131-9, Original Trade Paperback) explores both the good and bad sides of Sharon and Lisa’s childhoods while also examining the differences between their personalities and perspectives. It authentically highlights the duo’s unbreakable bond that allows them to conquer hardships and challenge each other to be the best versions of themselves. This woven memoir acts as an incredible success story for those who have battled with their own inner demons, proving you too can turn your life around and even find success assisting those who struggle with the same issues you were once able to defeat. 

“I understand that we model behavior unconsciously. But I also know that it is possible to transcend your past, consider how your behavior affects others, and end abusive cycles.”

IN HINDSIGHT is a beautiful representation of the special bond sisters share and a true testament to all that can happen when you not only overcome your situation, but flourish into the successful person you were always meant to be.  

About the Authors: 

Sharon Bonanno is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She takes her relationships seriously and always makes them a priority. Sharon has been a teacher for 22+ years and is passionate about her job. Leading and guiding young people has been her specialty since 1994. Her goal every day is to continue to make people feel that there isn’t anything they can’t do and to help others be the best versions of themselves.

Lisa Scott is a wife, mother, and experienced entrepreneur. Driven by her passion for helping others, she is motivated by her belief that all people deserve second chances. Her number one goal is to show as many people as possible that they can achieve anything they want in life.  Lisa is forever optimistic and believes that life is always speaking to us; we just have to learn to listen.

IN HINDSIGHT: The Story of How Two Sisters Who Hurt, Hindered, and Healed Each Other
By Sharon Bonanno and Lisa Scott
Advantage Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-64225-131-9
Price: $19.99
Original Trade Paperback
165 pages

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The Baby Decision by Merle Bombardieri

Posted on by CMPR

The Baby Decision by Merle Bombardieri

Case Summary: Reissue of a book originally published in 1987 by an MSW with a private practice.

Goal: Brand Merle Bombardieri as a national expert regarding family planning and relationships.

Result Examples: Interviewed by Refinery29, New York Times, and was published on Time’s Motto Blog.  Book sales were steady, and her practice grew significantly.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Amazon: The Baby Decision: How to Make The Most Important Choice of Your Life

“An energetic book, full of advice, issues to consider, and exercises to help you discover your true feelings on the subject.”    — Kirkus Reviews

“Intelligent and Insightful” — Los Angeles Times

 

THE BABY DECISION

How to Make the Most Important Choice of Your Life

By Merle Bombardieri MSW, LICSW

A burning question for women of childbearing age is: “Do I want to be a parent?”  Despite a culture that often idolizes babies and extols motherhood, more women and couples are choosing to be childfree because of career or other commitments or because parenting doesn’t appeal to them.  Babies are wonderful, but come with sleepless nights, colic, couple stress and money problems.  So having a child only makes sense for those who look forward to nurturing a child. Well-meaning family, friends, and societal norms may pressure you one way or another, people need to make the decision that is best for them.

Merle Bombardieri, MSW, LICSW has helped her psychotherapy and coaching clients and workshop students face the baby question for the past thirty-five years. Her book THE BABY DECISION: How to Make the Most Important Choice of Your Life (Publisher; Pub Date; Price) is based on her work, and it will give decision-makers all of the tools they need to make a decision and deepen their relationships in the process.

In THE BABY DECISION, with the depth that only a seasoned therapist can provide, Bombardieri presents guidelines for making the decision while arming you with crucial knowledge about both parenting and childfree living.   You will learn a sample dialogue you can use to respond to pressure from loved ones, and how to broach the subject with your partner. .  Do you want a baby but your partner doesn’t?  THE BABY DECISION will open doors to creative compromises and possibilities that will be life-affirming, and increase intimacy between partners.

Bombardieri’s 5-step process in THE BABY DECISION will teach you how to:

  • Separate your own needs and preferences from society’s myths and expectations about parenting
  • Use “Secret Doors” exercises to uncover your hidden feelings and wisdom.
  • Give full consideration to the rewards and opportunities of living childfree
  • Manage work-life balance and keep your relationship strong if you decide to have a child
  • Learn about one-child families; single, LGBT, older parenting; and fertility and adoption options
  • Make the most of either choice, and even borrow some benefits from the path not selected

THE BABY DECISION is a comprehensive guide that cuts through tangles of pros and cons so that the right decision clearly emerges   Bombardieri also includes examples from her vast experience as a psychotherapist that will illustrate her points.  With a warm, conversational tone, THE BABY DECISION will be a comfort as much as it is a resource for the most life-changing readers will ever face.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Merle Bombardieri, MSW, LICSW is a clinical social worker in private practice in Lexington, MA. She has contributed to Our Bodies, Ourselves, 2005, The Boston Globe Magazine, Boston Magazine, Glamour, Self, and Brides. Learn more at http://www.thebabydecision.com/

THE BABY DECISION

How to Make the Most Important Choice of Your Life

By Merle Bombardieri MSW, LICSW

Publication Date: July 31st, 2016

ISBN: XX

Price: $9.99

Ebook

473 pages

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Do You Really Get Me? by Joseph Shrand, MD

Posted on by CMPR

Do You Really Get Me by Joseph Shrand, M.D.We all need communication and have the desire to be respected by others. What if there was a way to increase the value in ourselves by finding empathy in others?

DO YOU REALLY GET ME?: Finding Value in Yourself and Others through Empathy and Connection (Hazelden; September 29, 2015; $15.95; Original Trade Paperback) by Joseph Shrand, M.D., with Leigh Devine, provides the means and techniques to enhance connections with others, show greater respect for and have more trust in others, and raise esteem in ourselves. We are constantly evaluating how people perceive us, but once we begin to understand others, we can have a positive influence on family, friends, and the world around us.

Dr. Shrand developed the I-Maximum Approach (I-M Approach) “as a treatment approach, but it has become as much a philosophy to help people remind themselves and others that each of us has value.” Theory of Mind (ToM) allows us to “appreciate another person’s perspective.” Combined, these powerful tools give everyone the ability shape our lives for the better by discovering the value in ourselves and others, as well as influencing how people perceive you and how they think and feel about themselves.

In addition, this fascinating new book by Dr. Shrand covers the four domains: Biological, Home, Ic (I See), and Social. Each presents unique circumstances that change our reactions about ourselves and how others view us. Other topics include how Theory of Mind evolved and became the building block of all human interaction, the reasons people lie, how social groups are formed and what binds them together, and why we choose to either include people in our connections or to reject them.

DO YOU REALLY GET ME? explains to readers:
• The meaning of Theory of Mind and how it applies to having empathy for others
• What the I-M Approach is and how it helps to reach your potential
• The differences between a “white” lie and a “strategic” lie and why we tell them
• Why we feel the need to belong and to establish connections with others
• The various forms of alienation and how it affects us

In DO YOU REALLY GET ME?, Dr. Shrand explains how to use the I-M Approach and Theory of Mind to bring out the best in yourself and others while finding value through empathy.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Joseph Shrand, M.D., is an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He supervises psychiatry residents for Harvard South Shore and applies his I-M Approach as medical director of CASTLE (Clean and Sober Teens Living Empowered), part of High Point Treatment Center. He is the author of The Fear Reflex and Outsmarting Anger with Leigh Devine.

For more information on Dr. Shrand and his methodology, visit: http://www.drshrand.com/

Leigh Devine has a master of science from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and has written and produced many notable publications and documentary programs specializing in psychology, medicine, and science.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado and Texas, the Foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults.

Do You Really Get Me?: Finding Value in Yourself and Others through Empathy and Connection
By Joseph Shrand, M.D., with Leigh Devine
Hazelden Publishing
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1616495886
Original Trade Paperback
Price: $15.95
Pages: 200 pp.
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Rock the Boat by Resmaa Manakem

Posted on by CMPR

Rock the Boat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

A new book by Oprah and Dr. Phil guest Resmaa Menakem challenges the relationship status quo and says friction between partners is helpful rather than harmful. His revolutionary approach challenges couples to face issues head-on as he guides readers to use conflict as a way build a more mature union that will help partners grow as individuals and as a couple.

ROCK THE BOAT: How to Use Conflict to Heal and Deepen Your Relationship (Hazelden; April 2015; $15.95; Original Trade Paperback) by Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, is an honest look at how people navigate the relationships in their lives and how their past influences the now. It provides lessons and advice that helps create profound individual transformations that act as a catalyst to form deeper bonds with loved ones. Menakem is a licensed clinical social worker, a divorce and family mediator, and a certified Military Family Life Consultant who has worked with hundreds of couples, families, individuals and organizations for more than 24 years.

Most couples avoid conflict, but Menakem points out that this will only lead to increasing friction. The frustration that both partners feel is normal and every moment presents the potential for peril and pain, as well as the potential for growth and transformation. Difficult decisions must also be made, but the choice not to choose can be just as detrimental. Menakem also examines some of the most common perceived issues that cause conflicts in relationships: money, sexual intimacy, kids, and in-laws. Power and control also play roles in emotional stalemates as both are often misunderstood. Learning to care for yourself benefits you and your partner and contributes to more intimate, healthier relationships. Menakem also discusses how therapy really works, what couples should expect when going to therapy, and what they should learn from it.

ROCK THE BOAT teaches:

  • Aspects of conflict in relationships and how they affect partners
  • Real reasons that people get involved in romantic relationships
  • Differences between growth cycle and commonplace cruelty cycle
  • Ways that power and control are used in relationships
  • Five anchors that hinder self-confrontation

ROCK THE BOAT is the essential guide for partners who wish to strengthen their relationship, learn to retain integrity and mature as individuals while at the same time appreciating the others’ needs in a more caring way. The practical tools in this book, in addition to the real life examples and tips at the end of each chapter, will help readers to evolve together in harmony by rocking the boat without tipping it over.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in couples therapy and domestic violence prevention. He has served as the director of counseling services for Tubman Family Alliance, a domestic violence treatment center, and as the behavioral health director for African American Family Services in Minneapolis. He is a former radio talk-show host who has appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil as an expert on domestic violence and couples in conflict. From 2011 to 2013, Resmaa was a family counselor for civilian contractors in Afghanistan, managing the wellness and counseling services on fifty-three U.S. military bases.

ABOUT HAZELDEN:
The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation helps people reclaim their lives from the disease of addiction. It is the nation’s largest nonprofit treatment provider, with a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center. With 15 sites in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Texas, the Foundation offers prevention and recovery solutions nationwide and across the entire continuum of care for youth and adults. It includes the largest recovery publishing house in the country, a fully-accredited graduate school of addiction studies, an addiction research center, an education arm for medical professionals and a unique children’s program, and is the nation’s leader in advocacy and policy for treatment and recovery.