The Mindful Therapist

A Clinician's Guide to Mindsight and Neural Integration

By: Daniel J. Siegel M.D.

Narrated by: Daniel J. Siegel

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Research suggests that the presence of the therapist, and how the therapist truly forges a connection with the client in therapy, are the most crucial factors affecting the client’s healing process. An engaged, committed, caring therapist who is mindful of his or her own self - and how that self relates to the client - is the key determinant of how well that client will respond to therapy. The Mindful Therapist is a deep exploration of what it means to be mindful and how to cultivate mindfulness in the therapeutic relationship. Building on Siegel’s influential work, The Mindful Brain, this book is written in a unique, relational style in which the author speaks directly to the reader as a fellow professional - an informal yet in-depth conceptual discussion about the mind, brain, and human relations.

Because creating positive outcomes in psychotherapy hinges on the presence of the clinician as a person, here Siegel explores the underlying science beneath this assertion and offers experiential strategies to cultivate mindful presence in the therapist’s own life. Exercises offered throughout the book promote the development of “mindsight” - our ability to sense and shape the flow of energy and information within and between each of us. Mindsight promotes integration, a mindful presence, and the nurturing of empathic relationships - all of which are key to effective therapy.

The Mindful Therapist helps clinicians, both new and experienced in the healing arts, to dive deeply into how the mind interacts with the brain, and how disorder and rigidity can be transformed into integration and harmony.

©2011 Daniel J. Siegel (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

remove the meditation pauses.

What did you like best about The Mindful Therapist? What did you like least?

the subject is great, the information is great the audiobook overall was fine....but

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have a version for those who are actively driving or working out...meaning remove the pauses!! One is not neditating usually while listening to an audiobook. I think the 5 and 10 minute log meditative pauses have no place in an audiobook. its consuming to have to constantly fast forward through and not to mention the extra space the file takes up with the pauses.

Was The Mindful Therapist worth the listening time?

not entirely..see above

Any additional comments?

perhaps you can provide another version of audiobooks when there are long or many pauses involved. I would have appreciated the non meditative pause version

The Egotistical Psychiatrist

This is at most -- at most -- about 1.5 hours of interesting mediation/self-exploratory exercises. The remaining 11 hours are this psychiatrist reminding us, over and over and over and over, how smart he is and how he really should be a brain surgeon. I doubt there is more medical jargon in an advanced neurological text book. It is really laughable after about 3 hours. Okay, okay Dr. Seigle, you are a real doctor, not "just" a psychiatrist. When he is not explaining in minute detail how the brain works, in dense medical jargon, he is telling us of the important and smart people who don't just know him, but beg him to work with them. He agrees, and their finding? The Eneagram -- a hundreds-year-old personality model that Seigle says a psychiatrist, like him of course, discovered in the 1950s -- is the best thing going. I kid you not. If you wonder why psychiatry is a considered a joke, take a listen.

Ehhhh, dissapointed, smart guy but not great

I was excited but dissapointed. It's repetitive and too much jargon that does not enhance meaning

Insane to Listen to

What disappointed you about The Mindful Therapist?

This book was very hard to follow as an audiobook. I think as a printed book, reading it visually, it would be somewhat easier to follow and understand his points. I also got the sense there were small but crucial diagrams in the printed book that were not available in the audio version. As a visual person, I found I really needed those. Perhaps later in the book this is not an issue .... I don't know as I wasn't able to get that far. It was impenetrable for me on audio.

What was most disappointing about Daniel J. Siegel’s story?

Overly complicated and very repetitive!

How could the performance have been better?

Have a professional voice actor/audiobook performance artist do it. Some authors can read their own stuff great, others no so much.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I'm sure it does since this book was recommended to me by someone whose judgement and knowledge I trust and admire, but I couldn't get far enough into the audiobook personally to find them.

#1 book on Being a Therapist

Complete & full of wisdom and profound insights for Therapist at any level of experience. With clarity and brilliant dashes of kindness and compassion Daniel Siegel walks the reader through an experiential understanding of the important dimensions of being a mindful Therapist. At this point in a long career as a Therapist, this has become the number one book for me to read, digest, reflect & meditate on again and again.

Good blend of academic and practical

Dan's voice is wonderful to listen to as he weaves new research about the brain, attachment, and case studies about psychotherapy. He has a gentle approach which would have allowed him to gain the trust of children and skittish patients. I think his sense of the importance of attunement with a client cannot be overstated.

Great content, would prefer abridged version

As other reviewers mentioned, the pauses are a little too long. Would prefer an abridged version. Excellent content.

Therapist Must Read

Really enjoy Dan Seigal's writing and delivery of immensely important information. Perfect balance of didactic and practical.

More scientific terminology

In this book, I was looking for more practical ways to increase my mindfulness as a therapist and therefore assist my clients. This book possessed a lot of know from a scientific perspective which made it hard to follow and left me feeling disinterested.

brilliant

took me forever to finish but not for the usual reasons. so many experiential and reflective exercises that require so much time to complete adequately. so thought provoking I can only listen to small portions at a time. plus packed with so much educational material and research. very very helpful. only criticism is delivery is a little dull....

This book is an amazing tool

I think this is one of the most forthcoming books I have ever had the pleasure of reading not sure about all the acronyms but they do come useful . I believe that mindful practice and mindfulness in all workplaces and mindfulness when teaching children or when you are with clients is a must even if you do not believe in Buddhism or any such things . mindfulness skills is a great way of being able to breve stress and keeping yourself aware of the current situation D j . Siegel is a phenomenal man who seems to have a way of explaining things about his manner

An interesting read.

An admirable and well put together holistic theory of consciousness, identity, mental processes and relationships, and how this firm of mindfulness practice might help personal integration and social functioning. Could be plainer English in places.

Dull listening

How many acronyms can one person list? Also would have preferred him to clear his throat occasionally.

Very good overview of mindfulness.

Good to find a mindfulness overview suitable for therapist's. Also good to find a little more technical info to back up previous insights.

Amazing

Love his work. And his voice is so soothing it makes listening a warm and nurturing experience.