Mindsight

By: Daniel J. Siegel

Narrated by: Daniel J. Siegel

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

From everyday stress to severe trauma, many obstacles to a full life can be overcome by developing what Dr. Daniel J. Siegel calls "mindsight," our ability to perceive the mind and literally redirect the flow of energy and information within our brains. Through this powerful capacity for insight and empathy, we can "rewire" crucial connections, create dynamic linkages, and open ourselves to relationships in a new way.

Based on thirty years of work with patients and on research drawn from nearly a dozen scientific fields, Mindsight brings these concepts alive through vivid case histories that show what happens when mindsight is missing, and how it can be strengthened in nine essential areas. Listeners of My Stroke of Insight or The Brain that Changes Itself will discover new ideas about memory, emotion, trauma and brain-mind integration - plus a richer sense of their own humanity.

©2010 Daniel J. Siegel (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!

Even if you hated your college psych classes, you will love this book. Siegel brilliantly shows--through case histories with his own patients--the connection between what we experienced as children and the physical responses our brains had to those experiences. And how it all adds up to how we act as adults.

With all the talk about right brain/left brain going on these days, this books shows how we become more one than the other. And how you can change that if you need to.

I especially love how he uses mindfulness meditation (nah, don't be scared) to help his patients get in touch with their inner workings. And what revelations come from it!

This book is touching, funny, incisive, and truly beautiful.

105 people found this helpful

Best psychological model I've heard of..

Essentially illuminating inner conversations which form personality traits and actions, Daniel's self-awareness meditation based therapy empowers clients to dissect their inner motivation for abnormal behavior. I've never heard someone get more clearly to the root of the problem. Grounded in reality and respectively fact, his case studies are relevant to the point that I have suggested this book to friends with exact same issues.

36 people found this helpful

Lots of information, perhaps too much.

While it's clear to me that the author is quite knowledgable when it comes to the psychotherapeutic and physiological aspects of the topic, my overall experience was one where I found my attention wondering amidst a sea of rationale, stories, descriptions, and advice. The information appears to be solid and Mr. Segel seems like a genuine, caring person with lots of experience and a great degree of knowledge. What was lacking, for me, was a clear description of the PRACTICE of "Mindsight." This book does a good job of making the argument for mindsight, talking about the many benefits, recalling stories having to do with various subject matter, etc., but when I was done listening to it, I didn't feel like he showed me how to use the information. This is more of a description of how the author thinks of and used Mindsight principles with his own clients, as opposed to helping the listener create a practice for actually personally transforming through the application of his methods. I found the use of 'story' and detailed descriptions of how the brain works overly complex and unnecessary. Still, the information is solid and holds promise as an integrated self-care practice. Perhaps a volume II will describe more fully how to actually practice Mindsight.

64 people found this helpful

Good Insight into the Brain

I've been practicing something like what Siegel talks about for the past 4 months. People that know me well say that I'm a very different person; more relaxed and more focused. I'm surprised when friends will tell me this out of the blue.
Listening to this book has helped put it all into context. Having practiced this, I'd have to agree that the author knows what he is talking about.
Great book. Very insightful.

43 people found this helpful

Excellent Book, with one small exception

I would have given this book 5 stars except that I found author's voice so distracting. He has a gravelly voice (think Rod Serling) and I kept wanting to clear my (his) throat and therefore found it a bit difficult to concentrate on the content of what he was saying. That said, it was an excellent book for those who enjoy case studies and want to know how Mindfulness is practiced. Other readers found the explanations of various brain functions to be a bit heavy-going. I felt it answered exactly those questions I had been wondering about. I look forward to more from Dr. Siegel, but hope next time he opts for a professional reader.

45 people found this helpful

Great book, must read

Truly enjoyed this book. Not one to read unless you can give your undivided attention but definitely worth your time. Looking forward to listening to it again! Fascinating theories of the mind and great neurological explanations for why we react the way we do. Made me want to read more of Siegel's work!

24 people found this helpful

Great book a little to much detail.

This is a great book about why we feel things and how to understand them. I found a little too much detail in the naming parts of the brain. I would have given it 5 stars, but for the mono tone voice of the reader. Daniel is no doubt a very good clinician and his voice would be very calm in that context but not for keeping the listeners interest. I will however be listening to this book several time to get the most out of it.

32 people found this helpful

Fantastic!!!

This is a well written and insightful book which is full of practical information. Mr. Siegel does a wonderful job narrating, as well. I'm very glad that I listened to it. You should too!!!

13 people found this helpful

Provokes thought long after...q

Truly wonderful and useful! Don't let the Latin names of brain structures deter you from surfing the fascinating arc of this book, and the richness of observation that fertilizes our understanding of the Human Animal. The implications of the human brain's capacity for adaptive, structural change are radical for our lives. The implications for society and humankind are beyond staggering.

38 people found this helpful

Excellent combination...

of sociology, psychology and neurology to help us understand how the neuroplasticity of the brain is influenced by and also influences all of our daily interactions and how we can take advantage of neuroplasticity to enrich our lives and those of others. That this book was endorsed by Daniel Goleman (Social Intelligence--Emotional Intelligence) was a big factor for me going in. Siegel extends Goleman's work, forging further ahead into the neurological realms to show us how our biology works in conjunction with our most intimate, and most casual interpersonal and social encounters--and what we can do to better them. I had just finished Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself before beginning this book, and I recommend that they be taken together, in whichever order. Also helpful would be Sapolsky and Vishton's Great Courses lectures on the brain, also available on Audible.

10 people found this helpful

Great insight into the mind

If you could sum up Mindsight in three words, what would they be?

Moving, life-changing, fascinating

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mindsight?

The fact we all see different things when we look at the same object based on our past experience.

What about Daniel J. Siegel’s performance did you like?

Good balance of science and anecdote. the case studies really help to illustrate the points. The description of the brain is fascinating and easy to understand.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

What is the mind?

Any additional comments?

Great book for helping you think through your past and that of your significat other and how it has made you what you are and more importantly that you can change if you want to.

6 people found this helpful

Effective personal development.

Brilliant audio book, it’s read by the author and it felt like having my own wise therapist telling me all the good stuff I needed to hear. If you’re interested in the way the brain works and also interested in the way your particular brain works then this is for you. He is clued up on the latest research and suggests wise things to do like mindfulness meditation and taking exercise. It isn’t escapist listening so maybe not the best thing in the car if you’re already stressed about life. I’m ready to listen to it all again and I’ve also bought the book as a reference.

6 people found this helpful

'Read' it 5 times!

Masterful! Perfect for a beginner like me in understanding the Mind! Daniel presents a clear and precise discussion on the interrelated manner in which the brain and the mind are inextricably connected. The first section is brilliantly simple in its explanation of how the mind and the brain work. The application of the theory discusses in section one interlocks completely! Awesome read!

2 people found this helpful

Informative and easy to listen to

This was a really impressive book and Daniel Siegel reads it very well. Couldn't recommend this more highly.

1 person found this helpful

Brilliant !!

I love Siegel’s work!! He’s insightful, empathic and extremely knowledgeable! It’s a joy to listen to & I recommend this to anyone in this profession, from beginner to advanced ...

1 person found this helpful

powerfully relatable and fascinating

I loved this book. Dr Siegel supplements scientific research and his own methods and techniques for coping with mental health issues, with really good case studies and great stories of people's journeys to health, discovery and personal development.
I have pages of notes from insights gleaned and will listen again for sure! it is very technical at times but always accessible, and lots of complex neuroscience is revisited throughout the chapters in different contexts and stories so it really makes sense.
Enlightening!

1 person found this helpful

Great content - difficult hoarse voice reading

What did you like best about Mindsight? What did you like least?

Novel way of looking at brain, mind, soul, body.

Would you be willing to try another one of Daniel J. Siegel’s performances?

I am not sure if I will finish completely this audiobook without returning it. The reader is for me very difficult to listen to. The author has a hoarse voice which distracts me from proper concentration on the content. I wish, a professional narrator would perform the reading.

4 people found this helpful

life changing book, must read.

this book is a must read/listened it helped me understand a lot about myself

Superb insights and applicable to all of us

Took a while to get through it and will want to revisit. Very helpful and the audio narration helps understanding.

Mindfulness + psychotherapy

This book is about solving psychological issues by becoming aware about your own mental processes and brain quirks.The cases presented are really interesting. Even if you "don't need therapy", a part of you can probably identify with the problems, traits and troubles of the patients described.
I wasn't too impressed by the theoretical framework and the couple of acronyms that the author offers, but the exploration of real cases was very interesting.