Compulsive buying is a serious, often secretive affliction, with profound emotional, social, occupational, and financial consequences. As many as a quarter of us have problems with buying, and studies suggest that between one and six percent of the population are full-fledged compulsive buyers. I Shop, Therefore I Am: Compulsive Buying and the Search for Self brings together, for the first time, the most important thinking about this disorder. As more and more therapists encounter compulsive buying (whether as a presenting problem or revealed in the course of ongoing therapy), the need for an in-depth clinical understanding of the disorder has grown. Dr. Benson has responded admirably to that need with a practical, comprehensive, and wonderfully readable work. While the book focuses a wide-angled lens on the many aspects of compulsive buying, it emphasizes understanding the disorder as a desperate search for self in people whose identity is not securely established. It defines the syndrome of compulsive consumption, examines the range and variations within it, discusses assessment and associated disorders, and delineates successful treatment modalities. Offering insights from a broad spectrum of therapies psychopharmacology, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral treatment, couples and group therapy, self-help, and financial counseling this book is an indispensable toolbox for the increasing number of therapists who see patients with shopping, buying, or debting problems. A Jason Aronson Book"

In her latest book, Dr. Louise Kaplan, author of the groundbreaking "Female Perversions, "explores the fetishism strategy, a psychological defense that aims to tame, subdue, and if necessary, murder human vitalities. Through an exploration of such cultural phenomena as footbinding, reality television, and the construction of robots, Kaplan demonstrates how, in a technology-driven world, an understanding of the fetishism strategy can help to preserve the human dialogue that is the basis of all human relationships. Kaplan writes from the heart as well as from the intellect.

What did it mean to be mad in seventeenth-century England? This book uses autobiographical accounts of mental disorder to explore the ways madness was identified and experienced from the inside. Looking at contemporary ideas about mental illness alongside a range of spiritual autobiographies from the period, it asks how certain people came to be defined as insane, and what we can learn from the accounts they wrote. These narratives, with their vivid and immediate descriptions of anxieties, delusions and desires, illuminate not only madness in early modern culture, but also sanity, and demonstrate the fragility of the boundary between the two.

Problem gambling is a perennial issue frequently reported in the media. This book is a comprehensive and up-to-date resource on problem gambling research. It describes the state of the art of the subject and presents the latest developments such as computer modelling of gambling behaviour and risk profiles of gambling products.

Contributors to this unique book explain and compare major theories drawn from several academic fields to uncover the root causes of deviance. In this unparalleled exploration of antisocial and aberrant behavior, criminologists and other experts examine the theoretical perspectives of 15 classical psychological, political science, and economics scholars to shed light on the impetus for deviant behaviors. Murder, mayhem, robbery, sexual assault, and sexual activity with minor children are among the degenerate behaviors cited. Each chapter focuses on the effectiveness of a specific theory, and considers conundrums such as "Does the Darwinian approach explain sexual assault as a drive to procreate?" "Can B.F. Skinner's theoretical perspective explain pedophilia?" and "Can an individual be incompetent at the time of an offense and competent at the time of the trial?" The book reveals how the major psychological, social, and environmental doctrines can explain the behaviors and patterns of a nonconforming mindset. The work addresses the theories of well-known thinkers like Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, Travis Hirschi, and Sigmund Freud, among others. Addresses classical theory in relationship to deviance Interprets, integrates, and synthesizes classical theory regarding deviance from different disciplines Examines the etiology of pedophilia Discusses competency and culpability

Person-Centered Techniques put You Back in Control of Your Destiny
Metapsychology is the science of human nature and experience as viewed by you--the one who experiences--from the inside out, not by an outside "expert" trying to look in. The methods of "Applied Metapsychology" recognize you as the authority at the center of your world of experience, and provide tools to enable you to improve personal relationships, increase personal power, and fashion your world into the loving, fascinating, and fulfilling place you always wanted it to be.
Readers of this book will learn...
The principles and methodology of Applied Metapsychology, a truly effective method for understanding yourself, your own mind, and your world of experience. The principles of Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR), a technique for resolving the traumatic incidents that build upon each other to produce a network of distress that can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) . Specific other techniques to help you address the issues which concern you most--relationships, job satisfaction, and unwanted emotions such as grief and anger. A systematic method of case-planning for designing coherent and effective strategies for achieving these ends in a relatively short period of time.
Acclaim for Beyond Psychology
"Beyond Psychology deserves to be widely known, studied and applied. A new synthesis is now possible."
-- Lewis H. Gann, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
"Metapsychology represents a new and effective way of 'viewing' ourselves, our worlds, and our relationships with each other."
-- Jerry S. Davis, Ed.D., Vice President for Research, Lumina Foundation for Education (retired)
"Not in 30+ years of clinical practice have I found a more straight-to-the-core and consistently successful approach."
-- Robert H. Moore, Ph.D., former Director Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy Clearwater, Florida
"Stimulating and helpful... especially the section on Traumatic Incident Reduction... will contribute a great deal to change for the better."
-- Robert A Harper, Ph.D., Book Review Editor "Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy"
For more information please visit www.TIRBook.com
From Applied Metapsychology International Press
PHI010000 Philosophy: Movements - Humanism
PSY022040 Psychology: Psychopathology - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
SEL031000 Self-Help: Personal Growth

An average of 1400 people call the South African Depression and Anxiety Suicide Helpline every day. And those are just the people who know it exists and are able to reach out for help, either for themselves or for a loved one.

Journalist Marion Scher has spent years speaking to people suffering from depression or some other form of mental illness and felt compelled to share some of these stories in Surfacing. Each chapter tells a different and very personal story, from a Springbok rugby player faced overnight with mental illness to a successful businessman who attempted suicide three times in one day. A new mother whose horrific real experiences didn’t match the Instagram photos of blissful motherhood she had expected, and a mother’s heartbreaking story of surviving the loss of her teenage daughter to suicide. The common thread that runs through the stories is how each person learnt to deal with their illness, conquer their personal mountains and go on to lead healthy, fulfilled lives – more than they’d ever hoped for.

Most stories of mental illness go untold, hidden away, for fear of the stigma that mental illness holds. Marion hopes this book will inspire you to reach out for help for yourself or to offer encouragement to people you know who are battling secret demons.

AUDIBLE EDITOR'S PICK A paradigm-shifting study of neurodivergent women-those with ADHD, autism, synesthesia, high sensitivity, and sensory processing disorder-exploring why these traits are overlooked in women and how society benefits from allowing their unique strengths to flourish. As a successful Harvard and Berkeley-educated writer, entrepreneur, and devoted mother, Jenara Nerenberg was shocked to discover that her "symptoms"--only ever labeled as anxiety-- were considered autistic and ADHD. Being a journalist, she dove into the research and uncovered neurodiversity-a framework that moves away from pathologizing "abnormal" versus "normal" brains and instead recognizes the vast diversity of our mental makeups. When it comes to women, sensory processing differences are often overlooked, masked, or mistaken for something else entirely. Between a flawed system that focuses on diagnosing younger, male populations, and the fact that girls are conditioned from a young age to blend in and conform to gender expectations, women often don't learn about their neurological differences until they are adults, if at all. As a result, potentially millions live with undiagnosed or misdiagnosed neurodivergences, and the misidentification leads to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and shame. Meanwhile, we all miss out on the gifts their neurodivergent minds have to offer. Divergent Mind is a long-overdue, much-needed answer for women who have a deep sense that they are "different." Sharing real stories from women with high sensitivity, ADHD, autism, misophonia, dyslexia, SPD and more, Nerenberg explores how these brain variances present differently in women and dispels widely-held misconceptions (for example, it's not that autistic people lack sensitivity and empathy, they have an overwhelming excess of it). Nerenberg also offers us a path forward, describing practical changes in how we communicate, how we design our surroundings, and how we can better support divergent minds. When we allow our wide variety of brain makeups to flourish, we create a better tomorrow for us all.

On any given night, there are over 643,000 homeless peopleresiding in shelters and on the streets across America. What can we do to help?
"Levy crafts stories of characters who sear the memory: OldMan Ray, the World War II veteran who resents the VA system andregards himself as the de facto night watchman at Port Authority;Ben who claims to be a prophet disowned in his own country, crucifiedby the government and enslaved by poverty finds a bridge tothe mainstream services and a path to housing through the commonlanguage of religious metaphors, including redemption andforgiveness; and Andrew who has been 'mentally murdered' ishelped to understand his own situation and gain disability benefitsthrough the language of trauma; among others.
These stories are deftly interwoven with theory and practice as Levy constructshis developmental model of the engagement and pretreatment process. The outreachworker strives to understand the language and the culture of each homeless individual, builds a bridge to the mainstream services, and helps those providers to understandthe special circumstances of these vulnerable people. Levy bears witness to thecourage of these pilgrims who wander the streets of our cities, and his poignant bookis a testament to the healing power of trusting and enduring relationships."
--Jim O'Connell, MD - President and Street Physician forBoston Health Care for the Homeless Program
The reader will...
Experience moving real life stories that demystify homeless outreach and its centralobjectives and challenges.Learn about effective strategies of outreach & engagement with under-servedpopulations.Understand and be able to utilize the stages of common language construction inyour own practice.Learn about pretreatment principles and their applications with persons experiencinguntreated major mental illness, addiction, and medical issues.Discover new interventions via outreach counseling, advocacy and case managementwith people experiencing long-term or chronic homelessness.Understand how to better integrate policy, programs (e.g. Housing First), and supervisionwith homeless outreach initiatives.
About the Author
Jay S. Levy, LICSW has spent the last 20 years working withindividuals who experience homelessness. He has developed newprograms and provided clinical staff supervision. Jay is one ofthe architects to the Regional Engagement and Assessment forChronically Homeless Housing program (REACH). This wasadopted by the Western Massachusetts Regional Network as aninnovative approach toward reducing chronic homelessness.
Learn more at www.JaySLevy.com
From the New Horizons in Therapy Series at Loving Healing Press www.LovingHealing.com
SOC025000 Social Science: Social Work
PSY010000 Psychology: Psychotherapy - Counseling
POL002000 Political Science: Public Policy - City Planning & Urban Dev.

The terms interactive and dynamic would never have been associated with psychological and psychoeducational assessment a generation ago. They have currency now because of widespread dissatisfaction with the normative, standardized testing model, criticism of theoretical concepts of intelligence, recognition of abuses of standardized intelligence testing, and frustration with prediction and classification as primary goals of assessment. It is almost certainly true that public policy concerns propel scientific activity far more often than science propels public policy In the case of psychological assessment, public policy concerns have arisen in the last 20 years primarily around issues of possible "discrimination" against members of ethnic minorities. At the same time, there has been a re surgence of dedication to "excellence in education" goals. These concerns have led to such extreme measures as prohibition of the use of standard ized intelligence tests to determine school placement decisions, especially for minority children. They have led also to a search for alternatives to standardized, normative testing. The chapters in this volume represent a variety of answers to this need."

Toward the end of the twentieth century, the solution to mental illness seemed to be found. It lay in biological solutions, focusing on mental illness as a problem of the brain, to be managed or improved through drugs. We entered the "Prozac Age" and believed we had moved far beyond the time of frontal lobotomies to an age of good and successful mental healthcare. Biological psychiatry had triumphed.

Except maybe it hadn't. Starting with surprising evidence from the World Health Organization that suggests that people recover better from mental illness in a developing country than in the first world, Doctoring the Mind asks the question: how good are our mental healthcare services, really? Richard P. Bentall picks apart the science that underlies our current psychiatric practice. He puts the patient back at the heart of treatment for mental illness, making the case that a good relationship between patients and their doctors is the most important indicator of whether someone will recover.

Arguing passionately for a future of mental health treatment that focuses as much on patients as individuals as on the brain itself, this is a book set to redefine our understanding of the treatment of madness in the twenty-first century.