Month: August 2019

Secrets You Keep from Yourself

By Dan Neuharth, PhD (2005)

From Amazon.com: “This insightful guide is an exploration of how and why people undermine their happiness and lose touch with their “best” selves. Counterproductive self-deception, a universal behavior, is a habit that can be broken. People keep themselves from having what they want, a phenomenon known as “self-handicapping.”

Offering poignant examples, innovative tools, and a compassionate perspective, Dan Neuharth reveals how to vanquish self-imposed roadblocks and avoid unnecessary losses in order to embrace and share the best in oneself.”

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters

By Joan Ryan (2018) From Amazon.com: “WITH A NEW FOREWORD BY FORMER OLYMPIC GYMNAST JAMIE DANTZSCHER

Welcome to the world of women’s gymnastics and figure skating–the realworld that happens away from the cameras, at the training camps and in the private lives of these talented teenage competitors. From starvation diets and debilitating injuries to the brutal tactics of tyrannical gymnastics guru Béla Károlyi, LITTLE GIRLS IN PRETTY BOXES portrays the horrors endured by girls at the hands of their coaches and sometimes their own families–and is now updated with a new introduction and foreword that address the sexual abuse scandal perpetrated by USA Gymnastics national team doctor, Larry Nassar. This groundbreaking book shows how a longstanding culture of abuse made young gymnasts perfect targets for a sexual predator, and continues to plead for sanity, safety, and an end to our national obsession: winning at any cost.”

Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything

By Aly Raisman (2017) From Amazon.com: “The New York Times bestseller!

Discover Aly Raisman’s inspiring story of dedication, perseverance, and learning to think positive even in the toughest times on her path to gold medal success in two Olympic Games–and beyond.

Aly Raisman first stepped onto a gymnastics mat as a toddler in a “mommy & me” gymnastics class. No one could have predicted then that sixteen years later, she’d be standing on an Olympic podium, having achieved her dreams.

Aly’s road to success was full of hard work, perseverance, and victories, but not without its hardships. Aly faced many obstacles, from naysayers who said she’d never make it in gymnastics to classmates who shamed her for her athletic body to a devastating betrayal of trust. Through it all, Aly surrounded herself with supportive family, friends, and teammates and found the inner strength to remain positive and believe in herself. Now, in her own words, Aly shows what it takes to be a champion on and off the floor, and takes readers on a behind-the-scenes journey before, during, and after her remarkable achievements in two Olympic Games–through her highest highs, lowest lows, and all the moments in between. 

Honest and heartfelt, frank and funny, Aly’s story is enhanced with never-before-published photos, excerpts from the personal journals she’s kept since childhood that chronicle memorable moments with her teammates, and hard-won advice for readers striving to rise above challenges, learn to love themselves, and make their own dreams come true.”

Chalked Up: My Life in Elite Gymnastics

By Jennifer Sey (2009)

From Amazon.com: “Fanciful dreams of gold-medal glory led Jennifer Sey to the local gymnastics club in 1976. A natural aptitude and a willingness to endure punishing hard work took her to the elite ranks by the time she was eleven years old. Jennifer traveled the country and the world competing for the U.S. National team, but the higher she set her sights—the world championships, the 1988 Olympics—the more she began to ignore her physical and mental well-being. Jennifer suffered devastating injuries, developed an eating disorder, and lived far from family and friends, all for the sake of winning. When her parents and coaches lost sight of her best interests, Jennifer had no choice but to redefine her path into adulthood. She had to save herself.Chalked Up delivers an unforgettable coming-of-age story that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt not good enough and has finally come to accept who they were meant to be.”

If You Had Controlling Parents: How to Make Peace with Your Past and Take Your Place in the World

By Dan Neuharth, PhD (1999)

From Amazon.com: “Do you sometimes feel as if you are living your life to please others? Do you give other people the benefit of the doubt but second-guess yourself? Do you struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, lack of confidence, emotional emptiness, or eating disorders? In your intimate relationships, have you found it difficult to get close without losing your sense of self?

If so, you may be among the fifteen million adults in the United States who were raised with unhealthy parental control. In this groundbreaking bestseller by accomplished family therapist Dan Neuharth, Ph.D., you’ll discover whether your parents controlled eating, appearance, speech, decisions, feelings, social life, and other aspects of your childhood—and whether that control may underlie problems you still struggle with in adulthood. Packed with inspiring case studies and dozens of practical suggestions, this book shows you how to leave home emotionally so you can improve assertiveness, boundaries, and confidence, quiet you “inner critics,” and bring more balance to your moods and relationships. Offering compassion, not blame, Dr. Neuharth helps you make peace with your past and avoid overcontrolling your children and other loved ones.”

Human Development and Trauma: How Childhood Shapes Us into Who We Are as Adults

By Darius Cikanavicius (Author), Jacqueline Peressini (Editor), Daniel Mackler (Foreword) (2018)

From Amazin.com: “From the About the Book section: The focus of this book is human psychological development. The book’s goal is to explore how our early emotional and social environment influences us and what problems and advantages we develop as adults as the result of it. … This book is intended for people interested in the subjects of childrearing, childhood trauma, and the consequences of childhood adversity. It is for all who wish to better understand themselves and their society.

From the Foreword: What makes this book special is that it is healthy. Darius Cikanavicius offers the reader a compassionate and trauma-informed study of childhood from the perspective of the child, and not, as is the case with the far majority of psychology books, from the perspective of the parent. This is key, because any book that addresses childhood trauma and is really worth its weight must sensitively yet determinedly take the child’s side. … For this reason I consider anyone who gets their hands on this book fortunate indeed. 
— Daniel Mackler, LCSW”