It's Your Mind: Own It! - Paperback

by Nicole Jon Sievers (Author), Norene Gonsiewski (Author), Jesse Van Mouwerik (Illustrator)

WINNER! National Indie Excellence Award! . . . Adolescence isn't easy. But the youth-friendly "It's Your Mind: Own It!" can help every teen have an awesome life. Written by veteran therapists Nicole Jon Sievers and Norene Gonsiewski, "It's Your Mind: Own It!" is a treasure chest of neuroscience-based information to help youth 1) understand why they're thinking what they're thinking and why they're feeling what they're feeling, 2) learn to exterminate automatic negative thoughts (ANTs), and 3) master strategies for dealing with setbacks and for embracing challenges. This innovative manual for teaching teens to take control of their roller coaster of feelings is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Theory and delightfully illustrated with some of life's pests such as "Inner Critic," "Inner Rebel," "Mother of All Criticism," and the ANTs of "Should," "Taking Things Personally," and "Jumping to Conclusions." Featured topics include understanding the brain, coping with anger, managing anxiety, dealing with depression, getting motivated, finding success in failure, practicing compassion, maintaining balance in life, managing stress, and living with gratitude. Time-tested exercises supplement each of the 12 chapters, reinforcing the concepts for the reader. Youth, for example, are encouraged to practice "labeling" their ANTs and "rewriting their stories" with realistic, balanced thoughts. Ultimately, the authors challenge youth to own their minds, by which they can find their inner power and create a life they love. ADVANCE REVIEWS "The ultimate road map for a teenager. . . . Information that will help teenagers and young adults find their inner power, their sense of 'can do, ' their strength and courage to seek out their own success." BILLY MORRISON -- Artist, actor, and guitarist for Billy Idol and Royal Machines "If you're a teen, or have one, you owe it to yourself to read this book. . . . Illuminates the patterns that trap us in cycles of self-doubt and loathing, and gives us constructive ways out of the circle. . . [to cope] with the tricks our minds play on us in dealing with the world around us." ADAM WALDMAN -- Co-owner and creative director of the creative agency The Refinery "I challenge all pediatricians to hand out this book during well-teen check-ups! The neuroscience-based tools shared in the book can help young people develop the skills they need to thrive." KATHY MASARIE, MD -- Pediatrician and author of Face to Face: Cultivating Kids' Social Lives in Today's Digital World "All the simple and easy knowledge youth need to find their own perfect rhythm amidst the cacophony of modern life." TOBY BARRAUD - Co-owner and executive producer of Eastern.tv and the wildly popular "Love & Hip Hop" "A unique guide with an innovative program for teaching teens to deal with adolescent angst and anxiety. . . . A perfect tool for teens (and for adults) to shift a difficult paradigm. . . ." CHARLES R. CROSS -- Rock historian, music critic, and NY Times bestselling author of Heavier Than Heaven and Room Full of Mirrors