Mindsight

The New Science of Personal Transformation

By: Daniel J. Siegel

Narrated by: Daniel J. Siegel

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

From a pioneer in the field of mental health comes a groundbreaking book on the healing power of "mindsight", the potent skill that allows you to make positive changes in your brain - and in your life.

Foreword by Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

• Is there a memory that torments you, or an irrational fear you can't shake?
• Do you sometimes become unreasonably angry or upset and find it hard to calm down?
• Do you ever wonder why you can't stop behaving the way you do, no matter how hard you try?
• Are you and your child (or parent, partner, or boss) locked in a seemingly inevitable pattern of conflict?

What if you could escape traps like these and live a fuller, richer, happier life? This isn't mere speculation but the result of twenty-five years of careful hands-on clinical work by Daniel J. Siegel, MD. A Harvard-trained physician, Dr. Siegel is one of the revolutionary global innovators in the integration of brain science into the practice of psychotherapy. Using case histories from his practice, he shows how, by following the proper steps, nearly everyone can learn how to focus their attention on the internal world of the mind in a way that will literally change the wiring and architecture of their brain. 

Through his synthesis of a broad range of scientific research with applications to everyday life, Dr. Siegel has developed novel approaches that have helped hundreds of patients. And now he has written the first book that will help all of us understand the potential we have to create our own lives. Showing us mindsight in action, Dr. Siegel describes:

• a sixteen-year-old boy with bipolar disorder who uses meditation and other techniques instead of drugs to calm the emotional storms that made him suicidal
• a woman paralyzed by anxiety, who uses mindsight to discover, in an unconscious memory of a childhood accident, the source of her dread
• a physician - the author himself - who pays attention to his intuition, which he experiences as a "vague, uneasy feeling in my belly, a gnawing restlessness in my heart and my gut", and tracks down a patient who could have gone deaf because of an inaccurately written prescription for an ear infection
• a twelve-year-old girl with OCD who learns a meditation that is "like watching myself from outside myself" and, using a form of internal dialogue, is able to stop the compulsive behaviors that have been tormenting her

These and many other extraordinary stories illustrate how mindsight can help us master our emotions, heal our relationships, and reach our fullest potential.

©2010 by Mind Your Brain, Inc. (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. Recorded by arrangement with Bantam Books, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!!!

Good Story, Bad Voice

Fascinating information. The voice of the reader was robotic and had a distracting reverberation and made it distracting and hard to focus on the material.

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.

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.

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!

'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!

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.

life changing book, must read.

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

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.

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 ...

most indigo insightful

words won't do justice to credits deserved..
just read it..
thank you D.J. Siegel for your brilliance..

Must Read - for All.

Siegel shares stories in relation to mindfulness practices with neuroscience and at the same time you can hear and feel him exercising it as he writes/reads along. I love the connection I feel from the words/the voice. The facts are extra bonus.