POETRY RX:
How 50 Inspirational Poems Can Heal and Bring Joy to Your Life
By Dr Norman Rosenthal

Dr Rosenthal is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine and is best known for pioneering the use of light therapy for seasonal affective disorder. He also believes that in a year of crisis and turmoil, poetry can be a great source of comfort and healing. “Poetry opens up spaces in the mind that other things can enter, whether it’s just seeing good in the world or finding someone who understands,” he told me. said this year. “I prescribe medication when needed. I prescribe therapy, empathy, exercise and meditation and light in the winter. I prescribe a lot of things. And yes, I also prescribe poetry.

THE NEW STANDARD:
A roadmap for resilience in the era of the pandemic
By Dr Jennifer Ashton (with Sarah Toland)

Dr Ashton, obstetrician-gynecologist and chief medical correspondent for ABC News, explores the psychological toll of the pandemic and shows us how thinking like a doctor can help us build our resilience and overall health. “The approach I have taken to covering this pandemic has been to see the country as one big patient, and the first step in curing or recovering from any disease is to come to terms with the current situation,” said Dr Ashton. “When you stop looking back and start focusing on the present and the future, you can have incredible healing and recovery. “

WHEN ARE YOU LEAVING ?
Downward mobility adventures
By Annabelle Gurwitch

In this surprisingly optimistic memoir, Annabelle Gurwitch writes about the financial curveballs that can hit you in your midlife. For Ms Gurwitch, it’s a series of unfortunate events – loss of insurance, divorce, the death of her parents, a child in rehab and being abandoned by her tennis teacher for lack of progress. – which made him take into account the fact that despite years of hard work, life had taken a wrong turn. Anyone facing financial insecurity, rising healthcare costs, aging parents or the “gray cap” at work will realize this. In a way, Mrs. Gurwitch manages to find humor in these setbacks. Ultimately, it’s a story about harnessing resilience and learning how life’s disappointments can teach you the things that matter most. “There is no benefit to downward financial mobility,” she writes, “But it helps to reassess priorities. “

RELAX ANXIETY:
New science shows how to break cycles of worry and fear to heal your mind
By Dr Judson Brewer

Dr Brewer, Director of Research and Innovation at Brown’s Mindfulness Center, is my go-to source for information on anxiety and stress because he always has simple, scientific tips to help calm the mind. . When you feel anxiety rising, for example, take a moment and focus on your feet, wiggling your toes and feeling the ground under your soles and heels. It’s a simple way to ground yourself. Dr Brewer’s innovative approach in his new book is to view anxiety as a habit that can be broken – or at least interrupted, and he offers a step-by-step plan on how to do it. “This has been essential in helping my patients understand and manage their own anxiety,” he says.