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The Brain Mechanic: A Quick and Easy Way to Tune Up the Mind and Maximize Emotional Health
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Everyone!
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the incredible power to change the way we think, perceive, and react to stress—for the better. And as an alternative method to mood-enhancing drugs, CBT has only become more popular. But until recently, access to CBT was only available through professional therapy. Now with The Brain Mechanic , Spencer Lord delivers a concise, humorous, and easy-to-use handbook that demystifies cognitive behavioral therapy for the lay user. With simple exercises, clear explanations, and helpful insight, Lord makes it easy for people to fit this technique into their daily lives, improve their mood, broaden their communication skills, and enrich their relationships.
• Spencer Lord breaks down the science of cognitive behavioral therapy and turns it into actionable techniques that work immediately, including introducing "emotional algebra" for solving behavior issues in minutes
• Provides practical techniques which can simply and effectively combat anxiety, anger, and a number of other emotional problems
• Suggests customizable mental exercises for people of every age, background, and pace of lifestyle
"Spending one night with The Brain Mechanic can change your life." —Lori Legal Chair, Human Genome Project; Ethical Chair, Kent Law
"Concise, accessible, and indescribably powerful." —David Co-Founder, DreamWorks SKG
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the incredible power to change the way we think, perceive, and react to stress—for the better. And as an alternative method to mood-enhancing drugs, CBT has only become more popular. But until recently, access to CBT was only available through professional therapy. Now with The Brain Mechanic , Spencer Lord delivers a concise, humorous, and easy-to-use handbook that demystifies cognitive behavioral therapy for the lay user. With simple exercises, clear explanations, and helpful insight, Lord makes it easy for people to fit this technique into their daily lives, improve their mood, broaden their communication skills, and enrich their relationships.
• Spencer Lord breaks down the science of cognitive behavioral therapy and turns it into actionable techniques that work immediately, including introducing "emotional algebra" for solving behavior issues in minutes
• Provides practical techniques which can simply and effectively combat anxiety, anger, and a number of other emotional problems
• Suggests customizable mental exercises for people of every age, background, and pace of lifestyle
"Spending one night with The Brain Mechanic can change your life." —Lori Legal Chair, Human Genome Project; Ethical Chair, Kent Law
"Concise, accessible, and indescribably powerful." —David Co-Founder, DreamWorks SKG
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 13, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 19, 2020
This handbook may as well have been written and narrated by Spock, after studying human emotion for hundreds of years. Yet amidst the deadpan writing style and monotone narration are some seriously awesome bits of info and a very playful and joyous take on metacognitive life, and I would gladly thrust a copy into the arms of every struggling Kyle and Karen I meet.
April 22, 2012
This book would be good for my clients to read. It's basic cbt translated for the layperson. Very short and easy read.
February 19, 2023
“The Brain Mechanic” might be written for a certain audience, but the data set itself is good. As you read it, you might observe what you resist for further insight. It did feel a little “simply be happy,” to me.
But if you think about rehab for your physical body, the exercises are simplistic. They need to be worked daily, even in their simplicity, in order to be ready at a moments notice to perform. And small muscles, tendons and joints are the most important for the larger levers and muscles to work in their best fashion.
In a similar way, monitoring, emotional, thinking and action states need daily practice.
Throughout the book, I also heard many constructs from other spiritual traditions and meditative practices that I have studied. “The Brain Mechanic” takes that language and makes it mainstream, bridging the gap between multiple disciplines.
I did notice for myself that I resisted the idea of making and changing my list of 20 pet peeves. But I’m gonna try to do it just out of curiosity.
But if you think about rehab for your physical body, the exercises are simplistic. They need to be worked daily, even in their simplicity, in order to be ready at a moments notice to perform. And small muscles, tendons and joints are the most important for the larger levers and muscles to work in their best fashion.
In a similar way, monitoring, emotional, thinking and action states need daily practice.
Throughout the book, I also heard many constructs from other spiritual traditions and meditative practices that I have studied. “The Brain Mechanic” takes that language and makes it mainstream, bridging the gap between multiple disciplines.
I did notice for myself that I resisted the idea of making and changing my list of 20 pet peeves. But I’m gonna try to do it just out of curiosity.
July 23, 2023
I thought the book gave an accessible, concise model on brain algebra. It had some humor, points where you could connect with the author, and lots of good information.
February 20, 2013
This book was a disappointment. The content was thin; after finishing it, I felt the author didn't say much of anything at all. He really only brings up two concepts: the idea of cognitive algebra and the theory of cognitive behavioral therapy. Furthermore, he doesn't say much about either of these concepts- although they are pivotal to his discussion. As a last note on content- the examples discussed and the exercises proposed are weak. He gives the impression that, in order to achieve emotional stability, a person has to be delusional. Having a background in psychology, I understand his main point (that a person must learn to conquer his or her irrational thought processes) but his examples were extreme and sometimes irrelevant. For example- he proposes a person should try to convince themselves that they could be on a reality television show when they are stranded in a long line at the grocery store. Such an exercise only replaces one irrational thought with another.
Aside from the book's lack of substance, there were other issues as well. The writing and the author's attempts at humor are weak. One big issue- which surfaces almost immediately within the book- is how the author relies on Wikipedia to explain cognitive behavioral therapy. I generally have no issue with Wikipedia but I take issue with its use (and the use of any other sources) as one's main means of describing a main idea. Quotes from external sources should only be used if the author cannot make the point as effectively using his or her own words. A quote should only be used when summarizing or restating its content does not do the quote and its meaning proper justice. Furthermore, when he attempts to simplify the quotes content he does so with feeble results. His use of Wikipedia quotes made me yawn, his lack of content made me feel as if I had learned nothing by the time I reached the book's end, and his poor writing style made me cringe.
Overall, the scientific content is sparse, the writing is poor, and the real world applications proposed are weak. I would not recommend this book. There are other books that address the same topic that do so much more effectively.
Aside from the book's lack of substance, there were other issues as well. The writing and the author's attempts at humor are weak. One big issue- which surfaces almost immediately within the book- is how the author relies on Wikipedia to explain cognitive behavioral therapy. I generally have no issue with Wikipedia but I take issue with its use (and the use of any other sources) as one's main means of describing a main idea. Quotes from external sources should only be used if the author cannot make the point as effectively using his or her own words. A quote should only be used when summarizing or restating its content does not do the quote and its meaning proper justice. Furthermore, when he attempts to simplify the quotes content he does so with feeble results. His use of Wikipedia quotes made me yawn, his lack of content made me feel as if I had learned nothing by the time I reached the book's end, and his poor writing style made me cringe.
Overall, the scientific content is sparse, the writing is poor, and the real world applications proposed are weak. I would not recommend this book. There are other books that address the same topic that do so much more effectively.
March 24, 2013
It is truly a QUICK guide to an "easy way to tune up the mind and maximize emotional health"...it is SO accurately named that I think that it would "bypass" the stigma of mental illness and those who may not research psychology to detect and identify themselves as "needing mental health care" may read this QUICK (too short for me, hope Lord writes a sequel) guide for EVERYONE who wants to "be emotionally healthy"...I love this book...looking forward to reading more writing by Spencer Lord.
A MUST READ for everyone. Buy a copy for a graduate from high school or give as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah gift. It is NEVER TOO YOUNG to begin to become more aware of our mental and emotional health.
A MUST READ for everyone. Buy a copy for a graduate from high school or give as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah gift. It is NEVER TOO YOUNG to begin to become more aware of our mental and emotional health.
August 1, 2013
This book seems to "borrow" a lot of information from the book by Claire Weeks, Hope and Help for Your Nerves. I highly recommend Weeks' book, but this one seems like a re-hashing.
August 2, 2014
Spencer Lord puts concepts in simple terms which shows that he is a highly intelligent man. From my perspective ..Big words and confusing concepts only impresses a small few.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews