• Counterclockwise

  • Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility
  • By: Ellen J. Langer
  • Narrated by: Sandra Burr
  • Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (150 ratings)

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Counterclockwise  By  cover art

Counterclockwise

By: Ellen J. Langer
Narrated by: Sandra Burr
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Publisher's summary

If we could turn back the clock psychologically, could we also turn it back physically? For more than 30 years, award-winning social psychologist Ellen Langer has studied this provocative question, and now has a conclusive answer: opening our minds to what's possible, instead of clinging to accepted notions about what's not, can lead to better health at any age.

Drawing on her own body of colorful experiments - including the first detailed discussion of her landmark 1979 "counterclockwise" study in which elderly men lived for a week as though it was 1959 and seemed to grow younger - and important works by other researchers, Langer proves that the magic lies in being aware of the ways we mindlessly react to cultural cues.

Counterclockwise shows how we can actively challenge these ingrained behaviors by making subtle changes in our everyday lives. Langer describes ways to reorient our attitudes and language in order to achieve better health: she shows us the ways in which our belief in physical limits constrains us; and she demonstrates how our desire for certainty in medical diagnosis and treatment often prevents us from fully exploiting the power of uncertainty.

Scientifically riveting and practically empowering, Counterclockwise holds enormously exciting implications for our general health - including vision, old age, cancer, weight, and heart health - as well as for our fundamental happiness.

©2009 Ellen J. Langer (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Counterclockwise

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly disappointing

Dr. Langer is a skilled and talented psychologist with an excellent reputation and has made significant contributions to psychology. This makes it all the more surprising that I found the book to seem more like an informercial for 'natural cures'. Her premise that you can 'turn back the clock' and fight off the ravages of aging by practicing mindfulness. She bases this approach on a study done where a group of elderly people lived in a 1959 environment for 1 week and supposedly had physical improvements in hearing, seeing and other categories. She does not provide much detail on this study so it's hard to actually judge how much you should believe it. For instance, how many people in the study; the actual changes in these characteristics; if the improvements were permanent; if it was really the 1959 environment or would any well organized, fun retreat (eg a cruise) yield the same result? Nonetheless, this study serves as her spring board into the use of mindfulness to mediate the effects of aging. Her logic is demonstrated whe she states that if she found one monkey that said one word, she would take that as a sign that all monkeys could speak under the right conditions. It is an odd presentation and belief for someone so accomplished in her field. Her achievement in the 80's and 90's were very meaningful but that those accomplishments don't make this approach more believable. Although there may be something to her beliefs, they were not presented in a convincing manner to me. Please leave room in my criticism for the fact that I am a 'traditional' scientist who likes to see studies clearly, and unambiguosly answer a hypothesis. I hope to live a long time anyway...

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Required reading for anyone over the age of 50

Don't let the negative reviews keep you from reading this book. Readers with an open mind will be able to see the wisdom in these pages.
The key points I took away: our medical system does not have all the answers (though many inside it believe they do) and our society leads us to believe in things that will adversely affect our health.
But please do not judge the book on these bullets. The background information contained in this work provides enough information for the thinking person to seriously reconsider long held beliefs. While my headline indicates the book should be read by the middle aged and up, I encourage all adults to expose themselves to the ideas presented in Counterclockwise.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Mindful Health

Expectations and beliefs are the center piece of Ellen Langer's "Counter Clockwise." In the process she gives us a clear, thorough understanding of the self-fulfilling prophecy in action. Extremely practical, Langer brings research and professional insight into many critical aspects of our lives and how our mental models influence our health, well being, and life benefits.

In this book Langer introduces the mind/body relation in a particularly intersting way. The various chapters contain redundancy and repetiion, but every few lines she provides helpful insight worth the wait. The writing is clear and easy to follow and the reading of Sandra Burr is excellent.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

More of the same

This book is very similar to her other book titled Mindfulness, in that some of the same studies are in both books. This book discusses the virtues of being mindful. A topic that if practiced on a daily basis would reduce much strife in the world. If you like the author and the narrator, get the book, otherwise find an alternative author and narrator.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Essential information about aging

If you haven't been exposed to this information before, this is a must listen. If you have, it is still interesting and entertaining.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Turning back the clock

Fascinating story by a researcher who was able to show just how much power our concept of reality effects our lives, for better of for worse. Best of all her research indicated that by changing our environment we can change who we are.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Very boring. I listened for a while. I’ve heard the same information too many times. It’s not wrong. It’s not new or different.

The information is the same as the online presentations that I’ve listened to. That’s why I purchased several of the author’s books. The reader sounds bored. I couldn’t take it any longer. I felt extremely uncomfortable waiting to be inspired by new information. I will start borrowing audio books. Bought too many dry books from Audible. Audible is making it more difficult to return mistakes. So I will be more discerning when purchasing books. I don’t like wasting money. If this is the first time you’ve listened to this author, the information may be very valuable.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Made a difference

Helped me be aware of approach and attitude towards my own aging…a must read.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Research presented as a story

This book makes a lot of research digestible, such that it puts it into a story. Langer’s insights about the geriatric population were interesting and thought-provoking.
My critique is that she doesn’t seem to really believe in the concept of learning from mistakes, and also seems to forget that heuristics even exist.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

At times regions, but enlightening and inspiring

A+ reading, in sound quality, intonation and speech nuances. Could be much shorter, but length allows for useful reflection and personal applicability.

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