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A solid text with an introduction, epilogue, index, endnotes, and acknowledgments, this book of seven sections and twenty-three chapters teaches readers how to eliminate mental pressure and personal stress, using psychological truths to remove barriers and increase abilities. The stated goal is for all to augment their self-power by learning how to face reality and harness their greatest forces, including the flow of certainty and uncertainty. Readers learn about the role of belonging as well as about their basic loyalties. Additionally, the text gives guidance on how to enhance relationships and communicate effectively. It also discusses the best stance for success, how to overcome such negative emotions as guilt, remorse, and depression, and the importance of self-acceptance.
Comprehensive in scope and depth yet still accessible and readable, the narrative effectively folds in the language of "tough street-wise" patients as observed by a therapist, drawing on the authority of many years' experience. Anyone who has been in therapy will find anecdotes with which it is easy to identify and that make incisive, reflective points. The book is also useful for the practitioner. For instance, those who work with battered women or other abuse survivors will find ways to reframe thoughts to empower clients as well. For example, the author writes, when discussing someone caught in self-destructive behaviors, "We depart from logic and probability, acting as if there is no other possibility than the one we must have." Such a statement offers clear insight and shines the light on a clear way forward. Wallace is to be commended for this contribution to improving the human plight.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review