Five best: Books on the brain
By Melanie Greenberg (2016) 1. Stress is a natural part of life. Unfortunately, many people don’t know how to deal with it or appreciate the toll it can take.
In “The Stress-Proof Brain," Melanie Greenberg, a clinical psychologist, shows us how to handle stress with grace and resilience using a combination of neuroscience, mindfulness and positive psychology. “By harnessing the power of your prefrontal cortex," she writes, “you can calm down your amygdala so that you can respond more mindfully and effectively to stress." One technique is to write about a stressful event, noting how the situation made you feel and how your response affected you and others. As an example, Ms.
Greenberg cites Ted, who was paralyzed by the fear of losing his job. After reflecting on his situation, he was able to control his stress response and more effectively handle the situation. “You can’t avoid your stresses," Ms.
Greenberg writes, “but you can learn to see them as challenges that help you grow and become the best version of yourself!" By Chris Niebauer (2019) 2. At some point, everyone ponders the meaning of self. In “No Self, No Problem," Chris Niebauer examines the question through the lens of neuropsychology and Buddhist philosophy.
Neuropsychology studies the relationship between emotion, behavior and cognition, on the one hand, and brain function, on the other. “The self is more like a verb than a noun," Mr. Niebauer writes.
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