The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force

by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, Sharon Begley

The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force Overview

           Schwartz's undergraduate major was philosophy, and that interest as well as Buddhism has broadened his outlook and makes this book potentially attractive to more readers than those habitually interested in "brain science." Psychiatrist Schwartz pioneered the use of positron-emission tomography in studying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The behaviorists' therapeutic use of the often-harsh exposure and prevention method with OCD struck Schwartz as brutal and unproductive. Searching for a new approach, he gradually developed the four-step method that he and science writer Begley thoroughly describe here. Employing the Buddhist idea of willful mindfulness, Schwartz and his colleagues enjoyed considerable research and clinical success. A long, informal collaboration with physicist Henry Stapp enabled Schwartz to overcome the problem of free will and moral action, and one of his major achievements was proving the neuroplasticity of the adult brain, thanks to which the formation of new transmission routes coincides with that of new neurons. Schwartz and Begley bring to life the thinking and work of many original investigators in a book that thoughtful readers will enjoy. William Beatty

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The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force Review

          Definitely one of the best reads for anyone interested in the question of the juncture of mind and brain. Jeff Schwartz builds a powerful case for the agency of free will in humans. Very readable, full of information. He provides a more humane therapy for OCD than exposure therapy. Being a biology major before I turned to psychotherapy, I was fascinated by his explanation of how quantum physics, of all places, could provide the answer of how the human soul can "animate" or cause action in the body, the mind-body connection. One of my favorite books.

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*** Product Information and Review : Oct 1, 2011