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Changing Behavior: Immediately Transform Your Relationships with Easy-to-Learn, Proven Communication Skills

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FREE CHAPTER DOWNLOAD at www.changingbehavior.org FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD with Kindle Prime The communication model featured in Changing Behavior is currently the subject of two pilot studies, funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/MI Dept of Human Health. A 2015-16 registered clinical trial study has been approved and will be funded by multiple national healthcare organizations. AWARD WINNER 2013 International Book Awards AWARD WINNER 2012 Indie Book Awards --- AWARD WINNER 2012 USA Best Book Awards --- AWARDED - 5 STARS ForeWord Clarion KIRKUS REVIEW - “Recommended...top-tier... [a] strikingly original case for the transformative power of receptiveness." --- MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW - "Changing Behavior is a choice pick for community library psychology and self-help collections." --- James O. Prochaska, PhD, author of "Changing for Good", and renowned expert and researcher on behavior change, "The model of Behavioral Engagement has the potential to transform relationships that are suffering or struggling to ones that are thriving!" --- Beth Borg, RN, MHA, Clinical Operations Administrator for the Mayo Clinic, had this to say in her ForeWord comments on this unique, color illustrated guidebook for transforming any relationship through easy to learn, proven communication skills. Ground breaking, hospital tested research is engagingly presented in this beautifully illustrated large size book that explores our behaviors and relationships, including the most important relationship of all - the one we have with ourselves. "Whether you are looking to bring your personal relationships to a whole new level of intimacy and fulfillment or if you desire to transform your professional communication skills, Changing Behavior provides the knowledge and tools to create lasting change for all types of relationships."

142 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
2 reviews
October 2, 2012
Dr. Donadio is the only healthcare professional I have heard say, "No one heals or fixes anyone. Only we heal ourselves" (pg. 34). So many times while reading this I got a sense of deep-rooted peace, as if something inside of me was saying, "Yes... yes, this is right. That's exactly what I want," especially when she talks about the essential needs of human beings. It seems so simple when Dr. Donadio puts it into writing, yet few of us acknowledge these basic needs: autonomy, respect, appreciation, a feeling of belonging, and a sense of rightness.

Dr. Donadio goes beyond health statistics and gets to the root cause of eating disorders, binge drinking, domestic violence, etc. I never realized how many of our negative behaviors were an attempt at survival...and I ate up the pages where she explains the brain chemistry behind this. For someone like myself with no background in science, she made it easy to understand and utterly enrapturing. I have it firmly in my mind now about how much we are driven by the pain-pleasure principle.

But Dr. Donadio stresses the fact that human beings have control over their behavior and the ability to change - to be in full charge of their actions and the course of their life. After presenting the disastrous statistics of our society, and the high chances for abused people to repeat abuse, or to suffer from health conditions after an unloving childhood, she reassures the reader in the ability to truly reverse this pattern through experiencing Pure Presence.

This was my absolute favorite part of the book. Pure Presence is the "state of being fully and wholly present to another person" (pg. 42), with love, respect, and nonjudgment. It is healing to be the recipient of this, but Dr. Donadio also implies that we can enjoy its effects by putting it into practice on our own - going by the Golden Rule, essentially, treating others as we wish to be treated.

My favorite component of Pure Presence was the "non-trace camping" principle. I dog-eared several delightful pages that related to this, such as: "It can be tempting to advise others, to share our own experience about a similar situation. When we do this, however, we are leaving our debris at the campsite, forgetting to leave no trace of our being there. When we provide this same respectfulness, and avoid interjecting ourselves into the other person's story or process, we are giving them the gift our Pure Presence" (pg. 62).

My main fear in relationships with another human beings has always been creating a false sense of dependency on the other, so I almost jumped out of my seat when Dr. Donadio wrote on pg. 64 (another dog-ear!) that it as possible to create a "nondependent environment" in which to establish intimacy. Following Pure Presence is a sure way to secure this.

This is a beautiful book and I highly recommend it. It put into words things I always felt but never expressed, and also challenged me to look at situations in a new light. It also made me realize that at certain parts of my teenagerhood, I had been a recipient of Pure Presence by some key individuals in my life - and now I have a name for why I got through the rough patches more easily.

There is so much in this book with which to enhance one's relationships. It is spirituality and top-notch science fused. I highly recommend it!
1 review1 follower
April 1, 2012
I love books. I have an affinity with words and ideas and an expansion of my own knowledge base. I tend to gravitate towards books that offer ways for improving self and how I view the world at large. With that said, I don't always finish every book that I begin to read--Changing Behavior is definitely an exception to the rule. From the moment I began reading Dr. Donadio's work, I found myself very intrigued by the concepts that she laid out; they were very easy to understand and follow and offered a different perspective on how to approach the many relationships that we may have in our lives.


Being purely present, remaining open, respectful and mindfully listening without interjecting our own thoughts and feelings--while someone is trying to express what they are feeling--can vastly improve the way we communicate and connect with others. I firmly believe that if any individual were to read this book and apply the techniques that are outlined in the Behavioral Engagement model, that it can vastly improve their relationships, whether professional or personal.


Personally, I cannot wait for the opportunity to apply this process in my own life; I really connected with the material and plan on using what I have learned and sharing these concepts with friends and colleagues. A million and one thanks to Dr. Donadio for sharing her research with the world and writing such an intriguing and thought provoking manuscript.
Profile Image for Rebekah.
41 reviews
January 12, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Changing Behavior. This book discusses information related to why mankind behaves as we do and science based evidence about how practicing to be Purely Present can profoundly change relationships in your personal and professional lives. I found it oddly amusing to delve into the mind of mankind, myself. Since reading this book, I strive to be purely present for others and see how, almost magically, people look, speak, and respond to me differently. The statistics provided are eye opening into the epidemic in this culture of having a void to fill. Although the statistics are not current, I do not think there have been significant changes and feel that the information is pertinent and remains applicable. I can only imagine what the numbers are today and what the predictions are for the next five years or even in the next decade. Overall, I hope to utilize Behavioral Engagement skills throughout my life to improve and enhance my relationships and overall well being.
Profile Image for Margaret Moore.
Author 2 books6 followers
May 28, 2012
Those of us who believe that unconditional and nourishing relationships are central to our thriving and success as human beings will find a treasure trove in the new book Changing Behavior, authored by Georgianna Donadio, founder of the National Institute of Whole Health. I don't recall a description of the presence of a coach, in coaching literature, teachings, and related theories, that comes close to as rich, comprehensive, and evocative as Georgianna's concept of Pure Presence. The book brings fully to life the precious "energetic field" that unleashes the forces of positive change and transformation. Now Changing Behavior will help many tap into the possibility of Pure Presence in all personal and professional relationships. Bravo!
1 review
June 17, 2012
This book is very well written, loaded with research and references to support the information in the book. I really appreciate that. I also appreciate and enjoyed the style, tone and accessibility of the content. I applied the 12 Steps of Pure Presence with my wife not long after reading it and was surprised that it actually enhanced the connection. We were more relaxed and willing to discuss a particular financial issue that had been on the table for a while. I will keep applying these steps with the folks I work with and my family and see what happens. I am cautiously optomistic that this book will make a difference.

1 review
July 3, 2012
"Changing Behavior" is the type of book that provokes questions, but also provides insight and wisdom to address the problems so common in our relationships. The questions, "Why didn't it work out this time? What am I doing wrong?" are things we have all asked ourselves. This book helps to answer those questions and also provides ways of changing how we "do" our relationship communications.

The author appears to have spent many years researching and sifting through the rubble of relationship-communication debris. This is obvious in the book's content and in her prose. Definitely a good guide for improving communications in relationships.
1 review
August 4, 2012
As a publishing and editing professional, I am greatly impressed by Georgianna Donadio's eye opening book. A unique combination of beautiful illustrations, clear and concise prose, thorough and fascinating research and above all, a truly revolutionary approach to improve and enrich all types and forms of communication. This timely book should be read by one and all. It has the potential to facilitate a cultural shift in how we communicate and interact with one another. Highly recommended reading!
1 review1 follower
September 9, 2012
What I really enjoyed about this book was the straight forward style as well as the content. As I do not like to slog through long winded explanations when something can be presented more succinctly, this book was a pleasure to read not only for the helpful information about making better relationships but also for the ease of reading. This book I recommend!
Profile Image for Brandon.
9 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2012
A book about how to have empathetic conversation. The ideas inside were developed for health care industry, but also seemed to be mostly relevant to personal relationships.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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