Synopses & Reviews
On July 24th, 2004, author Graeme Cowan took pen to paper and said goodbye to his family. I just cant be a burden any longer,” he wrote. After four failed suicide attempts, and a five-year episode of depression that his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated, Cowan set out on a difficult journey back from the brink. Since then, he has dedicated his life to helping others struggling with depression and bipolar disorderand that is how this book came to be.
If you have severe depression or bipolar disorder, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Featuring interviews with people from of all walks of life, Back from the Brink is filled with real stories of hope and healing, information about treatment options and medication, and tools for putting what you've learned into practice. If you are ready to put one foot in front of the other and finally set out on the path to recovery, the powerful stories in this book will inform and inspire you to make lasting change.
If you have severe depression or bipolar disorder, you may find it difficult to take that first step toward recovery. You arent alone. In our society, many people with depression or bipolar disorder do not seek therapy or medical treatment due to the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Even people in progressive” communities may not want to admit that they are on antidepressants or mood-balancing medications. Isnt it time we changed the way we thought about these illnesses?
The book includes a special foreword by actress Glenn Close, and features in-depth interviews with former US Representative Patrick Kennedy; television talk-show host Trisha Goddard; director of public policy at Google, Bob Boorstin; former chief advisor to Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell; former tennis pro, Cliff Richey; former professional football player, Greg Montgomery; and many more.
Review
This is a brave book that will certainly help remove stigma, and provides real hope and practical help.”
Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Review
Depression is deeply personal and intense in a way that others may find difficult to comprehend. Thats why individual stories are crucial if we are to educate and combat public stigma.
Back from the Brink does just that.”
Geoffrey Gallop, DPhil, professor and director of the graduate school of Government at the University of Sydney and former Premier of Western Australia
Review
Depression and bipolar disorder are serious illnesses, but they can be safely and effectively treated. The incredible personal stories in Cowan's book show that people suffering from these illnesses are not alone, and that recovery is possible. The practical advice contained in this book will provide a path to recovery, as well as hope that a fulfilling life is within everyone's reach.”
C. Edward Coffey, MD, vice president of Henry Ford Health System; CEO of Behavioral Health Services; and Kathleen and Earl Ward Chair of Psychiatry, Henry Ford Hospital
Review
Back from the Brink is an extraordinary collection of interviews with famous and not-so-famous individuals who have lived through the experience of depression and bipolar disorder. It provides invaluable insights and practical advice. It also sends the message, You are not alone, to anyone struggling with mental illness, and reminds families and friends how much a difference their support can make in the journey toward recovery.”
Michael J. Fitzpatrick, MSW, executive director at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
Review
Too many books about depression and bipolar disorder share only one persons thoughts and journey in dealing with one of these disorders. But in
Back from the Brink, Graeme Cowan provides insightful and heartfelt interviews with eight others whove made the journey and come out the better for it. Cowans engaging interview style and thoughtful questions make it easy to take away inspiration and hope from the book. Friends, family, and anyone whos grappled with depression or bipolar disorder will appreciate the worth of Cowans valuable contribution.”
John M. Grohol, PsyD, founder of psychcentral.com, the leading online mental health network, and coauthor of Self-Help That Works
Review
Powerful personal testimonies from those of us who have experienced mental health problems can inspire as well as shift public perceptions. As we know from anti-stigma work at Time to Change, personal disclosure can dissolve stereotypes and support recovery. This amazing book really puts people in the driving seat of their own recovery and is helpful, hopeful, and empowering.”
Sue Baker, director of Time to Change
Review
Blake Taylor's book, ADHD and Me, is stereotype-busting from the outset. How can a whirlwind of a boy, now young man, like Blake, write such a lucid, disclosing, revealing, and, above all, insightful book? The book blends extremely personal descriptions of situations, binds, conflicts, and realities, some humorous and some deadly serious, with extremely useful practical information on how to cope with and overcome the often-devastating symptoms and impairments related to ADHD. Most of all, the book serves to humanize a label and a condition that are too frequently viewed with skepticism and even derision. This is a must-read for people of all ages who are concerned with ADHD, mental illness, treatment, coping, and stigma.
—Stephen P. Hinshaw, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley
Review
Taylor offers readers an inside look at how he gets along on a daily basis as well as a guide for people in the same situation … Students struggling with ADHD and their parents will benefit from the author’s insights.
—Library Journal, 15 November 2007
Review
Taylor speaks to fellow teens and their families with an authority few experts can muster.
—Publishers Weekly, 17 November 2007
Review
Grounded in ancient wisdom and the newest scientific evidence, this book provides a host of tools for those suffering from depression. Strosahl and Robinson invite us to take a wholly new view of what depression is, and how to deal skillfully with it through strategies born of acceptance and self-compassion. Their book shows the pathways into and out of depression and gives us a vital map to see clearly where genuine peace and freedom lie.
—Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology and Wellcome Principal Research Fellow at the University of Oxford
Synopsis
In Back from the Brink, author Graeme Cowanwho has suffered from severe depression himselfpresents candid and poignant interviews with people from all walks of life who have struggled with serious depression and bipolar disorder; such as Bob Boorstin, the director of public policy at Google, former tennis star Cliff Ritchey, and talk-show host Trisha Goddard. As these interviewees detail their treatment, their successes, and their setbacks, readers are offered real hope and real advice, as well as practical tools for recovering from their own depression. The book also explores various treatment options that readers can take away to begin healing.
Synopsis
If you have severe depression or bipolar disorder, you may find it difficult to take that first step toward recovery. You arent alone. In our society, many people with depression or bipolar disorder do not seek therapy or medical treatment due to the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Even people in progressive” communities may not want to admit that they are on antidepressants or mood-balancing medications. Isnt it time we changed the way we thought about these illnesses?
Centered on interviews with several people from of all walks of life, including Bob Boorstin, the director of public policy at Google, former tennis star Cliff Ritchey, and talk-show host Trisha Goddard, Back from the Brink offers people with depression and bipolar disorder real hope and real advice, as well as practical tools for putting what they've learned into practice in recovering from their symptoms. In addition to real interviews, the book also includes chapters that outline practical treatment and medication information that are based on recent research and a major global survey.
This book came about in part because the author, Graeme Cowan, went through a five-year episode of depression which his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated. This fueled Cowans desire to prevent others from going the same thing. Through this horrific experience, and his own extensive research, Cowan has guided, taught, and inspired countless people through his books.
If you are ready to put one foot in front of another and take that daunting first step toward getting better, the true stories and treatment strategies presented in this book will both inform you and inspire you to make a real change.
The book also Includes interviews with Patrick Kennedy, Alastair Campbell, Lora Inman, Jennifer Hentz Moyer, and Greg Montgomery.
Synopsis
From an attempt to hurl his infant sister off the edge of a table to being lashed down to a dining room chair by an irate babysitter, the stories from Blake Taylor's life with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at times hilarious, tragic, and instructive. This eminently readable memoir sheds light on what it's like for a young person to grow up with, suffer from, and ultimately learn to live with this common condition.
Synopsis
Blake Taylor's mother first suspected he had ADHD when he, at only three years of age, tried to push his infant sister in her carrier off the kitchen table. As time went by, Blake developed a reputation for being hyperactive and impulsive. He launched rockets (accidentally) into neighbor's swimming pools and set off alarms in museums. Blake was diagnosed formally with ADHD when he was five years old. In ADHD and Me, he tells about the next twelve years as he learns to live with both the good and bad sides of life with ADHD.
Blake's memoir offers, for the first time, a young person's account of what it's like to live and grow up with this common condition. Join Blake as he foils bullies, confronts unfair teachers, struggles with distraction and disorganization on exams, and goes sailing out-of-bounds and ends up with a boatload of spiders. It will be an inspiration and companion to the thousands of others like him who must find a way to thrive with a different perspective than many of us. The book features an introduction by psychologist Lara Honos-Webb, author of The Gift of ADHD, and a leading advocate for kids with ADHD.
Synopsis
From Kirk Strosahl, cofounder of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Depression develops the revolutionary techniques of this new approach into a clear, step-by-step strategy you can use to live a rich and meaningful life with depression. Includes a CD.
Synopsis
There are hundreds of books that will try to help you overcome or put an end to depression. But what if you could use your depression to change your life for the better? Your symptoms may be signals that something in your life needs to change. Learning to understand and interpret these signals is much more important than ignoring or avoiding them-approaches that only make the situation worse. This workbook uses techniques from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to offer a new treatment plan for depression that will help you live a productive life by accepting your feelings instead of fruitlessly trying to avoid them.
The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Depression will show you, step-by-step, how to stop this cycle, feel more energized, and involve yourself in pleasurable and fulfilling activities that will help you work through, rather than avoid, aspects of your life that are depressing you. Use the techniques in this book to evaluate your own depression and create a personalized treatment plan. You'll enrich your total life experience by focusing your energy not on fighting depression, but on living the life you want.
Includes a CD.
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
About the Author
Graeme Cowan lived through a five-year episode of depression that his psychiatrist described as the worst he had ever treated. This fueled his desire to prevent others from going through the same thing. Through this horrific experience, and his own extensive research, he has guided, taught, and inspired countless people through his books, keynote presentations, and media appearances.
�Allen Doederlein is president of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), the nation's largest consumer-led mental health organization focusing on mood disorders, and a proud member of the advocacy committee of the International Society of Bipolar Disorders.Glenn Close is an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony Award-winning actress who made her feature film debut in The World According to Garp. Her performance earned Close her first Academy Award nomination. She was subsequently Oscar-nominated for her performances in The Big Chill, The Natural, Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, and most recently, Albert Nobbs, which she also cowrote and produced. Among her television credits is the highly-acclaimed TV legal drama, Damages, for which she has won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe as Best Actress.
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In 2009, Close participated in the launch of Bring Change 2 Mind, a non-profit organization working to end the stigma, misunderstanding, and discrimination surrounding mental illness. The idea for this movement evolved out of her first-hand observation of battles with mental illness within her family. Her sister, Jessie, lives with bipolar disorder and Jessie's son, Calen, is living with schizoaffective disorder.
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