Susan Bögels and Kathleen Restifo: Mindful Parenting: A Guide for Mental Health Practitioners. Springer, New York, 2014, 328 pp

Excerpt

While raising a child has been said to be one of the most rewarding and pleasurable experiences of life, when faced with daily stress, many parents find themselves overwhelmed, angry, and perhaps physically and emotionally exhausted. Psychological and behavior problems in both parent and child, recent and remote histories of trauma, and issues with attachment and bonding further complicate the crucial parent–child relationship. Humanity is and always has been subject to large forces that influence our lives; however, we are also capable of making purposeful choices about how we are going to respond to the environment and moment in which we find ourselves. In their book, Mindful Parenting: A Guide for Mental Health Practitioners, Susan Bögels and Kathleen Restifo present a treatment based on ancient traditions to cultivate equanimity in the face of the unpredictable cacophony of modern life with children. Drawing upon the work of Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn's Everyday Blessings and Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, this new treatment manual integrates knowledge of mindfulness meditation practices with neuroscience and psychology in a way that is useful and practical. Rooted in evidence-based practices and a solid research base, this book will guide therapists to help parents bring full awareness to raising children with compassion and wisdom. …