Book - Practical Optimism: The Art, Science & Practice of Exceptional Well-Being

Hardback, 325 pages, published 2024. By Sue Varma, MD. Excellent used condition. This copy has the slightest of scuff-marks on the dust cover but is otherwise like new. "As the first medical director and attending psychiatrist at the World Trade Center Mental Health Program, Dr. Varma worked directly with civilian and first-responder survivors in the aftermath of 9/11. There, she met people at every point of the stress and trauma continuum. She saw devastation and stagnancy as much as she saw amazing resilience and growth. She asked herself: how do some people survive, even thrive, despite profound challenges? And how can we optimize the things we have control over, while buffering ourselves from stress? Through combining philosophy, clinical work, her own personal experience, and a review of the latest research in psychology, psychiatry, medicine, and neuroscience, Dr. Varma discovered that the answer lies in cultivating an optimistic mindset that stays tethered to the real world and helps us make sound and reasonable decisions. Dr. Varma’s powerful program can help us experience meaning and self-acceptance, to create lives filled with joy and purpose. This book isn’t about magical thinking. Practical optimists are resourceful, realistic, and thoughtful problem solvers who possess something of rare value: the inner resources to cope during crisis and to use as fuel to flourish." 🌻💖