Evolution and Cognition Series

Harriet Lerner

The Dance of Fear: Rising Above the Anxiety, Fear, and Shame to Be Your Best and Bravest Self

Unhappiness, says bestselling author Harriet Lerner, is fueled by three key emotions: anxiety, fear, and shame. They are the uninvited guests in our lives. When tragedy or hardship hits, they may become our constant companions.Anxiety can wash over us like a tidal wave or operate as a silent thrum under the surface of our daily lives. With stories that are sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking, Lerner takes us from "fear lite" to the most difficult lessons the universe sends us. We learn: how a man was "cured in a day" of the fear of rejection -- and what we can learn from his storyhow the author overcame her dread of public speaking when her worst fears were realizedhow to deal with the fear of not being good enough, and with the shame of feeling essentially flawed and inadequatehow to stay calm and clear in an anxious, crazy workplacehow to manage fear and despair when life sends a crash course in illness, vulnerability, and losshow "positive thinking" helps -- and harmshow to be our best and bravest selves, even when we are terrified and have internalized the shaming messages of othersNo one signs up for anxiety, fear, and shame, but we can't avoid them either. As we ...

James F., M.D. Masterson

Search for the Real Self: Unmasking the Personality Disorders of Our Age

From the authoritative expert in personality disorders, Search for the Real Self is a thorough dissection of how one's real self is developed, how it relates to the outer world, and how personality disorders are understood and treated in our modern society. Personality disorders--borderline, narcissistic, and schizoid--have become the classic psychological disorders of our age. Outwardly successful, charming and powerful, personality-disordered individuals have long confounded their colleagues, family, lovers and employees--as well as mental health professionals. The author helps the reader understand them. After describing how the healthy real self develops and functions, he explains what can go wrong. Drawing on case histories, he shows how the false self behaves in relationships and on the job, and then delineates appropriate treatments, offering real hope for cure.

Wendy Lustbader

Counting on Kindness: The Dilemmas of Dependency