Synopses & Reviews
We humans tend to get in our own way time and time againwhether it comes to not speaking up for ourselves, going back to bad romantic partners, dieting for the umpteenth try, or acting on any of a range of bad habits we just cant seem to shake. In
Rewire, renowned psychotherapist Richard OConnor, PhD, reveals exactly why our bad habits die so hard. We have two brainsone a thoughtful, conscious, deliberative self, and the other an automatic self that makes most of our decisions without our attention. Using new research and knowledge about how the brain works, the book clears a path to lasting, effective change for behaviors that include:
- Procrastination
- Overeating
- Chronic disorganization
- Staying in bad situations
- Excessive worrying
- Risk taking
- Passive aggression
- Self-medication
Bringing together many different fields in psychology and brain science, Dr. OConnor gives you a road map to overcoming whatever self-destructive habits are plaguing you, with exercises throughout the book. We can rewire our brains to develop healthier circuitry, training the automatic self to make wiser decisions without having to think about it; ignore distractions; withstand temptations; see ourselves and the world more clearly; and interrupt our reflexive responses before they get us in trouble. Meanwhile, our conscious minds will be freed to view ourselves with compassion at the same time as we practice self-discipline. By learning valuable skills and habitsincluding mindfulness, self-control, confronting fear, and freeing yourself from mindless guiltwe can open ourselves to vastly more successful, productive, and happy lives. The book even demystifies how to overcome what Dr. OConnor calls the undertow” (the mysterious force that sabotages our best efforts when were just on the edge of victory) for long-lasting change. Offering a valuable science-based new paradigm for rewiring our brains,
Rewire is a refreshing guide to becoming a healthier, happier self.
Review
“
Rewire gives readers the tools to understand their bad habits and change their lives for the better. This highly practical book offers compelling and measured advice on how to change behaviors and improve lives.”—Jeffrey M. Schwartz, MD, author of
You Are Not Your Brain and
Brain Lock “Rewire is essential reading for people and clinicians trying to improve their own life and the lives of everyone around them. Fascinating and powerful advice on ending negative thoughts and behaviors and improving your brain."—Andrew Newberg, MD, author of Words Can Change Your Brain
Synopsis
The bestselling author of
Undoing Depression offers a brain-based guide to help us finally get rid of the bad habits that plague us
We humans tend to get in our own way time and time againwhether it comes to not speaking up for ourselves, going back to bad romantic partners, our umpteenth diet, or engaging in any of a range of bad habits we just cant seem to shake. In Rewire, renowned psychotherapist Richard OConnor, PhD, reveals why our bad habits die so hard. We have two brainsone a thoughtful, conscious, deliberative self, and the other an automatic self that does most of the work without our attention. Using new research and knowledge about how the brain works, the book clears a path to lasting, effective change for behaviors that include:
procrastination
overeating
chronic disorganization
staying in bad situations
excessive worrying
risk-taking
passive aggression
self-medication
and more
Bringing together many different fields in psychology and brain science, Rewire offers a refreshing, science-based new paradigm for readers of Charles Duhigg and Frank Lawlis.
Synopsis
The bestselling author of Undoing Depression offers a brain-based guide to permanently ending bad habits Richard OConnors bestselling book Undoing Depression has become a touchstone in the field, helping thousands of therapists and patients overcome depressive patterns. In Rewire, OConnor expands those ideas, showing how we actually have two brainsa conscious deliberate self and an automatic self that makes most of our decisionsand how we can train the latter to ignore distractions, withstand temptations, and interrupt reflexive, self-sabotaging responses. Rewire gives readers a roadmap to overcoming the most common self-destructive habits, including procrastination, excessive worrying, internet addiction, overeating, risk-taking, and self-medication, among others.
About the Author
Richard O'Connor, PhD, is the author of
Undoing Depression,
Undoing Perpetual Stress, and
Happy at Last. For many years he was executive director of the Northwest Center for Family Service and Mental Health, a private, nonprofit mental health clinic serving Litchfield County, Connecticut, overseeing the work of twenty mental health professionals in treating almost a thousand patients per year. He is a practicing psychotherapist with offices in Connecticut and New York, and lives in Lakeville, Connecticut.