Poetry. Art. Essays. African & African American Studies. Women's Studies. In an era of highly curated personas and unrealistic self-expectation, Kellie Richardson offers readers a stunningly honest account of her struggles with identity, relationships, mental health and self-love. THE ART OF NAMING MY PAIN collects Richardson's poetry, essays and art as she navigates what it is for a Black, queer, broken woman to seek joy in a world that says she doesn't deserve it. This book is an unfolding of her journey, bearing witness to the possibility of life after self-loathing. Richardson's voice is refreshingly candid in this sophomore collection, shedding light on issues we all face, though few have the courage to own in the public sphere.

"Expressing painful emotions is hard--yet it can actually improve our mental and physical health. Distinguished psychologist James W. Pennebaker has spent decades studying what happens when people take just a few minutes to write about deeply felt personal experiences or problems. This lucid, compassionate book has introduced tens of thousands of readers to an easy to use self help technique that has been proven to heal old emotional wounds, promote a sense of well being, decrease stress, improve relationships, and boost the immune system. Updated with findings from hundreds of new studies, the significantly revised second edition now contains practical exercises to help readers try out expressive writing. It features extensive new information on specific health benefits, as well as when the approach may not be helpful"--

What is persistent pain? How do we communicate pain, not only in words but in visual images and gesture? How do we respond to the pain of another, and can we do it better? Can explaining how pain works help us handle it? This unique compilation of voices addresses these and bigger questions. Defined as having lasted over three months, persistent pain changes the brain and nervous system so pain no longer warns of danger: it seems to be a fault in the system. It is a major cause of disability globally, but it remains difficult to communicate, a problem both to those with pain and those who try to help. Language struggles to bridge the gap, and it raises ethical challenges in its management unlike those of other common conditions. Encountering Pain shares leading research into the potential value of visual images and non-verbal forms of communication as means of improving clinician–patient interaction. It is divided into four sections: hearing, seeing, speaking, and a final series of contributions on the future for persistent pain. The chapters are accompanied by vivid photographs co-created with those who live with pain. The volume integrates the voices of leading scientists, academics and contemporary artists with poetry and poignant personal testimonies to provide a manual for understanding the meanings of pain, for healthcare professionals, pain patients, students, academics and artists. The voices and experiences of those living with pain are central, providing tools for discussion and future research, shifting register between creative, academic and personal contributions from diverse cultures and weaving them together to offer new understanding, knowledge and hope.

An exploration of why people all over the world love to engage in pain on purpose--from dominatrices, religious ascetics, and ultramarathoners to ballerinas, icy ocean bathers, and sideshow performers Masochism is sexy, human, reviled, worshipped, and can be delightfully bizarre. Deliberate and consensual pain has been with us for millennia, encompassing everyone from Black Plague flagellants to ballerinas dancing on broken bones to competitive eaters choking down hot peppers while they cry. Masochism is a part of us. It lives inside workaholics, tattoo enthusiasts, and all manner of garden variety pain-seekers. At its core, masochism is about feeling bad, then better—a phenomenon that is long overdue for a heartfelt and hilarious investigation. And Leigh Cowart would know: they are not just a researcher and science writer—they’re an inveterate, high-sensation seeking masochist. And they have a few questions: Why do people engage in masochism? What are the benefits and the costs? And what does masochism have to say about the human experience? By participating in many of these activities themselves, and through conversations with psychologists, fellow scientists, and people who seek pain for pleasure, Cowart unveils how our minds and bodies find meaning and relief in pain—a quirk in our programming that drives discipline and innovation even as it threatens to swallow us whole.

'Clear and concise, Dr Samet has offered a book that can create real emotional change for seekers once and for all. Dr Samet's approach to full wellness starts with the emotional terrain we all find ourselves in; patterns of old thinking that do not serve us currently and that also threaten to interfere with living our best and brightest lives. Emotional Repatterning is courageous as it tackles the obstacles to being fully alive and present in our lives. It provides a step-by-step approach to anyone who is looking to heal at a deeper level, beyond where supplements, eating well and exercising can touch. This book provides a valuable solution that every person could benefit from; change your beliefs and your biology will follow. An easy and enticing read that I could not put down.' Dr. Mary Shackelton, MPH, ND We have access to many tools to help us deal with the rising tide of anxiety and depression: psychotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), medication, meditation, positive affirmations. These methodologies are increasingly popular and have been able to bring some relief to many. But in terms of permanent, deep change, these options are sorely limited because they work solely with the conscious mind rather than with the underlying subconscious beliefs that drive our behavior. Recent research on the brain has revealed that we are only aware of 5% of our brain activity, while the other 95% is subconscious. So, unless we work with both our conscious mind as well as our subconscious mind, we may find some decrease in our pain, but we will continue to struggle. Emotional Repatterning: Healing Emotional Pain by Rewiring the Brain provides insights, stories and examples from Lisa Samet's life and the lives of her patients, as well as practical tools to uncover the subconscious beliefs that are holding us back. It deepens the reader's understanding of their own mind – the patterns of thinking and deep-seated beliefs that keep them feeling stuck and unhappy – and teaches skills to change both their thinking at the conscious level and their beliefs at the subconscious level.

Texts by Brian Hurwitz & Charles Pither,Perceptions of Pain is a moving and startling,collection of images that explores the interface,between doctor and patient, photographer and,subject, maker and viewer, science and art.,Additional texts by Professor Brian Hurwitz,Doctor Charles Pither and Deborah Padfield examine,cultural and medical aspects of pain from multiple,perspectives, questioning our assumptions about,the pain experience and its place within the,medical setting. Features 66 full-colour photos.

A visual pep talk of charts and essays on feeling better about not feeling better. Maybe This Will Help is one part the funny and relatable graphs that fans of Am I Overthinking This? and of Michelle Rial know and love, and one part the honest stories behind what makes those graphs so poignant. Michelle Rial brings to light her struggles with chronic pain, grief, and creative uncertainty in a way that reflects the universality of dealing with the unthinkable. Equal parts funny and moving, this book delves into the more serious side of things, finding levity and collective experience in the invisible difficulties that so many of us face. Through humorous charts and intimate peeks into the author's life, it explores the big things that can feel unmanageable and the everyday humor that keeps us moving forward. SELF-HELP WITH HUMOR: This book brings levity and laughter to serious topics without undermining the important message and relatability that makes it resonate. BELOVED AUTHOR: Michelle Rial's first book was beloved by her tens of thousands of fans as well as by the media, including Wired, Vulture, Book Riot—and the New Yorker even published her chart-based article on "Book Publishing by the Numbers." JUST THE RIGHT TONE: This book perfectly captures trying to figure out the "magic pill" that will fix things, struggling to find peace in how things are, and the humor in even the hardest times. It makes an ideal gift for someone struggling with physical or mental pain when you want to help but aren't sure how to. Perfect for: Fans of Michelle Rial's Instagram and first book, Am I Overthinking This?; people in their 20s and 30s grappling with big life changes or chronic illness