This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Alex Korb PhD author of The Upward Spiral Workbook: A Practical Neuroscience Program for Reversing the Course of Depression

About the book:

Positive life changes lead to positive brain changes. Drawing on the huge success of his groundbreaking book, The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb offers actionable, step-by-step skills to help you reshape your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life.

Depression is defined by a collection of symptoms. You feel crappy most of the time. Nothing seems interesting, and everything seems overwhelming. You have trouble with sleep. You feel guilty and anxious and have thoughts that life isn’t worth living. Each symptom reinforces and inspires new symptoms, and this is a sign that your brain circuits are caught in the downward spiral of depression. So, how can you reverse it?

In his first book, The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystified the intricate brain processes that cause depression and outlined a practical and effective approach for getting better. Based on the latest research, this evidence-based workbook takes the theory behind Korb’s breakthrough book and distills it into concrete, actionable exercises and skills.

Just as one small trigger can drag you down, an effective intervention can start enough momentum to carry you back up. Exercise, attention to breathing, gratitude, sleep hygiene, and positive social interactions are just some of the offerings in this workbook that can help alter activity in specific neural circuits, setting you on the path toward an upward spiral to happiness and well-being.

About the author:

Alex Korb, PhD, is a neuroscientist who has studied the brain and mental health for over fifteen years, starting with an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Brown University. He received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he wrote his dissertation and numerous scientific articles on depression. He is author of The Upward Spiral, and is currently adjunct assistant professor at UCLA in the department of psychiatry. Outside of the lab, he is a scientific consultant for the biotech industry, and is head coach of the UCLA Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team. He has a wealth of experience in yoga and mindfulness, physical fitness, and even stand-up comedy.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce authors of Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible

About the book:

No matter how cushy their lives, dogs live on our terms. They compromise their freedom and instinctual pleasure, as well as their innate strategies for coping with stress and anxiety, in exchange for the love, comfort, and care they get from us. But it is possible to let dogs be dogs without wreaking havoc on our lives, as biologist Marc Bekoff and bioethicist Jessica Pierce show in this fascinating book. They begin by illuminating the true nature of dogs and helping us “walk in their paws.” They reveal what smell, taste, touch, sight, and hearing mean to dogs and then guide readers through everyday ways of enhancing dogs’ freedom in safe, mutually happy ways. The rewards, they show, are great for dog and human alike.

About the authors:

The author or editor of thirty books, Marc Bekoff, PhD, is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a former Guggenheim fellow. The author of ten books and hundreds of articles, Jessica Pierce, PhD, is faculty affiliate at the University of Colorado Center for Bioethics and Humanities.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Rachel Howard author of The Risk of Us

About the book:

A poignant, dazzling debut novel about a woman who longs to be a mother and the captivating yet troubled child she and her husband take in.

What is the cost of motherhood? When The Risk of Us opens, we meet a forty-something woman who deeply wants to become a mother. The path that opens up to her and her husband takes them through the foster care system, with the goal of adoption. And when seven-year-old Maresa—with inch-deep dimples and a voice that can beam to the moon--comes into their lives, their hearts fill with love. But her rages and troubles threaten to crack open their marriage. Over the course of a year, as Maresa approaches the age at which children become nearly impossible to place, the couple must decide if they can be the parents this child needs, and finalize the adoption—or, almost unthinkably, give her up.

For fans of Jenny Offill and Rachel Cusk, The Risk of Us deftly explores the inevitable tests children bring to a marriage, the uncertainties of family life, and the ways true empathy obliterates our defenses.

About the author:

RACHEL HOWARD earned her MFA in fiction from Warren Wilson College and is the author of a memoir, The Lost Night. She is the recipient of a MacDowell Colony fellowship, and her fiction, essays, and dance criticism have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Lee Harris author of Energy Speaks: Messages from Spirit on Living, Loving and Awakening

About the book:

A powerful new voice providing clear and direct guidance for personal transformation

Energy Speaks gives us a clear blueprint for growth and change. It provides practical guidance and inspiration on the things that matter most to us — including love, sex, money, personal power, self-expression and purpose, emotional healing and well-being, and how to have peace with our families — as well as more esoteric topics, such as how to invoke the help of our spirit guides and angels.

This empowering book is the work of a great emerging spiritual teacher. It is filled with tools that you can use to break free of limitations and transform your life.

About the author:

Lee Harris is an internationally acclaimed speaker, transformational leader, intuitive medium, musician, and visual artist. In 2004, he began holding channeling sessions and readings in his home, and today his work and videos reach hundreds of thousands every month. A native of England, he is now based in California.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Thomas Roberts author of The Mindfulness Workbook: A Beginner's Guide to Overcoming Fear and Embracing Compassion

About the book:

Mindfulness is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety and panic, chronic pain, depression, obsessive thinking, out-of-control emotions, and many other physical and mental health conditions. This ancient Buddhist technique can help anyone who struggles with fears, worries, and distractions refocus on the present moment and live happily, here and now.

The Mindfulness Workbook is a step-by-step instruction book that guides you through simple practices that enable you to experience mindfulness not as a distant experience or concept, but as an attainable state of being in the world. You will discover the effectiveness of breath work, mindful eating, and thought-watching, and begin reaping the benefits of mindfulness right away. Over time, you will begin to notice that these small changes can bring about a bigger transformation, enhancing your sense of fulfillment and calm.

About the author (in his words):

I have a clinical psychotherapy practice in Onalaska, Wisconsin. I work with people who are determined to embrace their healing journey. I embrace and respect the mind-body connection and use mind-body therapies such as imagery, hypnotherapy, sounds, music and the like. I enjoy being in the presence of people on their healing journey! The people who have shared their journey with me have been my greatest teachers!

> I also have a passion for teaching and conducting retreats. At this time in my life, I have come to realize that it is time to give back. All that I have been taught, learned, and come to understand, is now to be shared with others. Being able to share the mindfulness and healing journey with people is part of my own journey. I have taught hundreds of workshops and retreats around the country and have been enriched by the people I have had the privilege of meeting along the way. They too have been my teachers.

> I am a practicing Buddhist and have been for 30+ years. Many teachers have helped me along the way. Yet at this point I have returned to my cushion and local Sangha as the true journey is the one to be embraced as you move through the flow of your own personal experience. I spent many years following teachers only to return to the true teacher: my life as it unfolds. This teacher has always been there, and I have realized there is really nowhere else to look. My book reflects this. So, i hope you enjoy.

Visit my web site: www.thomasrobertsllc.com

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Diane Kirschner author of Love in 90 Days: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Own True Love

About the book:

Bestseller Love in 90 Days is even better in this expanded, updated version. It’s fun, savvy and based on the latest research as well as renowned psychologist Dr. Diana’s experience coaching tens of thousands of single women all over the world through her coaching team. Loaded with easy step-by-step instructions and assignments, this revolutionary love book has been called the dating coach’s secret weapon.

Most singles unconsciously make the same mistakes over and over again in love, regardless of age, work success, or the type of man they are dating. Using her unique approach, Dr. Diana pulls no punches. She outlines a program that gets women on the path to smash through their self-sabotage and forge a healthy love relationship.

About the author:

Psychologist Dr. Diana Kirschner appeared regularly on the Today Show and starred in a PBS Special on finding love, based on her bestseller, Love in 90 Days. Dr. Diana successfully ran the 90 Day Love Challenge on the Fox Morning Show and her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Through her books and acclaimed Love Mentor® Coaching team, Dr. Diana has helped tens of thousands of women all over the world to create greater self-love and lasting passionate soulmate relationships. Her website is Lovein90Days.com, a leading source of dating and relationship advice. Dr. Diana has been happily married and in love with her husband for over 35 years.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Bill Philipps author of Signs from the Other Side: Opening to the Spirit World

About the book:

With stories and insightful suggestions, beloved psychic medium Bill Philipps demonstrates that our loved ones on the other side are available to us. He promises that, with an open heart and mind ready to receive, anyone can recognize the signs that spirits of the departed may be trying to send. Signs from the Other Side offers an in-depth explanation of how Bill does what he does, as well as practical advice on how to receive and interpret signs when they appear. By tapping into our intuition, we can experience deep connections that lead to forgiveness, reassurance, or simply one last moment with a loved one. The book also includes more than twenty inspiring examples of how others experienced comfort through such communications.

About the author:

Bill Philipps is a psychic medium who offers individual, small-group, and large-audience readings throughout the United States and the world. Bill’s fresh, upbeat, and direct approach perfectly reflects his warm and relatable demeanor, captivating audiences in person and as a guest on popular television and radio broadcasts. He lives in Southern California.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Marc Lesser author of Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen

About the book:

Today’s leaders are grappling with the pace and complexity of change, the challenge of supporting healthy collaboration and alignment among teams, and the resulting stress and burnout. The practice of mindful leadership may be one of the most important competencies in business today if leaders are to move beyond fear, anxiety, nagging self-doubt, and the feeling of constant overwhelm.

Marc Lesser has taught his proven seven-step method to leaders at Google, Genentech, SAP, Facebook, and dozens of other Fortune 500 companies for over twenty years and has distilled a lifetime of mindfulness and business experience into these chapters. This incredibly practical yet accessible book draws on Marc’s experience as a CEO of three companies, as cofounder of the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google, and as a longtime Zen practitioner.

The principles in this book can be applied to leadership at any level, providing readers with the tools they need to shift awareness, enhance communication, build trust, eliminate fear and self-doubt, and minimize unnecessary workplace drama.

Embracing any one of the seven practices alone can be life-changing. When used together, they support a path of well-being, productivity, and positive influence.

Practicing mindful leadership will allow you to achieve results — with more energy, clarity, meaning, and connection. Your intentions and actions will be more aligned. You will accomplish more with less wasted effort.

After reading this book, you’ll understand why some of the world’s most successful companies routinely incorporate the Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader, integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy to create great corporate cultures, and even a better world.

About the author:

Marc Lesser is a CEO, Zen teacher, and author who offers trainings and talks worldwide. He has led mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs at many of the world’s leading businesses and organizations, including Google, SAP, Genentech, and Twitter.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Melissa Glaser author of Healing a Community: Lessons for Recovery After A Large Scale Trauma

About the book: After the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, local caregivers, civic leaders, and first responders had the daunting task of navigating emotional and physical trauma as they stitched their community back together. The recovery process takes years, and as the coordinator of the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team, Melissa Glaser managed the town’s response. She developed a unique set of therapeutic and transferable best practices that other communities can learn from. The impact of an intense media presence and the long-term financial needs of recovery work are also included in Healing a Community. Through heartbreaking insights, Glaser conveys the importance of meeting traumatized individuals where they are at in the process. Lessons learned in Newtown can be used to create a universal community mental health disaster plan so leaders, therapists, and families know what to do the next time tragedy occurs.

About the author: Melissa Glaser, MS, LPC is a licensed professional counselor and community response leader who ran the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team after the Sandy Hook School shooting. Previous to that, she served as clinical and behavioral health director for several non-profit institutions. Currently, she is in private practice delivering outcome-oriented psychotherapy to individuals, families, and couples, and actively consults organizations and communities on mental health services.

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Carly Pollack author of Feed Your Soul: Nutritional Wisdom To Lose Weight Permanently and Live Fulfilled

About the book: Countless diets, cleanses, and thirty-day challenges are geared to help people lose weight, heal their digestion, and have more energy. Yet these temporary protocols fall short when it comes to true transformation. Nutritionist Carly Pollack lived a vicious cycle of weight ups and downs until trial and error, and over a decade of formal study in health and healing, led her to the insights she has since shared with thousands. In Feed Your Soul, she presents her unique understanding of body science, brain wiring, and spiritual principles to facilitate real, lasting change. Carly helps you reframe your thinking to, for example, see comfort foods as the numbing toxins they truly are and focus on long-term goals rather than immediate gratification. This no-nonsense guide will show you how feeding your soul can change your life, your health, and your body.

About the author: Carly Pollack is the founder of Nutritional Wisdom, a thriving private practice based in Austin, Texas. A certified clinical nutritionist with a master’s degree in holistic nutrition, Carly has been awarded Best Nutritionist in Austin five years running and has helped more than fifteen thousand people achieve their health and happiness goals