Finding Your Voice: a Woman's Guide to Using Self-talk for Fulfilling Relationships, Work, and Life 1st edition

Jacket Description/Flap: A successful career . . . a happy marriage . . . a fit body . . . a picture-perfect family-these idealized images of today's woman confront us on all sides. We believe they should be attainable-because we enjoy greater opportunities, freedom, and resources than ever before. And yet, the notion that any woman with a little determination really can have it all traps us in a new oppression. The fact is that external obstacles, societal attitudes, old parental messages, and other internal barriers still stand in our way-leaving us unsettled about our choices and dissatisfied with our accomplishments, sometimes making us our own worst enemies. Now, in Finding Your Voice, a team of highly credentialed and experienced women psychologists have written a groundbreaking book that helps you uncover what you want and need in order to create a more fulfilling, happier life. Finding Your Voice shows you how to use self-talk to identify your own true voice, feel more confident and capable, believe in yourself, and make decisions based on the real you. The authors explore the popularly promoted image of the modern woman and tackle all the issues that challenge us today: family, friendships, work, money, self-esteem, child-rearing, and marriage. Through real-life profiles based on women they have counseled, the authors reveal how such idealized expectations so often lead to feelings of malaise, anxiety, and discontent. By reading this book, you will see how to combat those defeating emotions, get unstuck, and move forward. You will learn to: Identify the messages that are guiding your actions Stop doing what you don't want to do but think you shouldEnvision better ways to deal with the "old stuff" in your lifeAdopt new behaviors that allow you to reach for new achievementsAccept and applaud your unique strengthsA remarkable journey of self-discovery, Finding Your Voice will help you realize your true desires-and live the life you were meant to live. Biographical Note: DOROTHY CANTOR, Psy. D., a past president of the American Psychological Association, is the coauthor of What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up? and was interviewed on the Today show. CAROL GOODHEART, Ed. D., SANDRA HABER, Ph. D., and KAREN ZAGER, Ph. D., are past presidents of Psychologists in Independent Practice. ELLEN McGRATH, Ph. D., and ALICE RUBENSTEIN, Ed. D., are past presidents of the American Psychological Association Division of Psychotherapy. LENORE WALKER, Ed. D., executive director of the Domestic Violence Institute, is a past president of the American Psychological Association Division of Media Psychology and the author of Terrifying Love. ANDREA THOMPSON is a former McCall's articles editor and a professional writer. As a group, these seven psychologists, all of whom are in private practice, have formed the Women to Women Psychology Group, W2W. Each has served as president of a national psychological organization with a total of ten presidencies among them. Together they have received fifty-eight awards and honors, have authored twenty-eight books and more than eighty-five articles and book chapters, and have been quoted in many national magazines and newspapers, including Time, Newsweek, Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, Ladies Home Journal, Working Woman, Family Circle, Parenting, Woman's Day, Psychology Today, YM, and Working Mother. They have counseled more than 50,000 clients. Visit their Web site at www.finding-your-voice.com. Jacket Description/Back: ""This unique and powerful book is a must-read for any woman on a path of self-discovery and personal empowerment. Authored by seven leading female psychologists, Finding Your Voice is full of inspiring wisdom and practical tools and will give the reader thousands of dollars worth of therapy for the price of one book!""-Barbara De Angelis, Ph. D.author of Are You the One for Me?Recognize and realize your true desiresIs your life what you want it to be? For most women, the answer is not really. Too often, we listen to everyone but ourselves when it comes to determining how our lives should be proceeding-and this prevents us from living the lives we really desire. In this remarkable new book, a team of highly credentialed psychologists shows you how to overcome unproductive, blameful thoughts and unrealistic expectations-the things you tell yourself about how marriages, friendships, children, and careers should be. Each chapter lays out widely promoted images of a modern woman-the mother raising a perfect child and loving every minute of it, the top-of-her-game career woman, the woman who loves her body just as it is-then reveals how women more often beat themselves up with these ideals than achieve them. Finding Your Voice shows you how to use self-talk to sort through expectations, isolate your own voice, and take the necessary steps to meet your unique needs. You'll be happier and more confident, and you will live a more fulfilled life-the one you're entitled to. Table of Contents: Preface. Acknowledgments.1. Introducing Self-Talk.2. The Friendship Expectation: "I've Always Got My Girlfriends."3. The Dating Expectation: "I Can Find the Perfect Partner (but If I Don't, I'll Be Just Fine without One)."4. The Sex Expectation: "I'm Healthily, Happily, Wildly Sexual."5. The Marriage Expectation: "I Can Achieve the Marriage I Want (but If I Don't, I'll Just End the Marriage)."6. The Child-Rearing Expectation: "I'm Raising a Perfect Child, and Loving Every Minute of It."7. The Work Expectation: "I'm Happy with My Career (or Happy without One)."8. The Money Expectation: "I Have My Financial Life Well in Hand."9. The Balancing Act Expectation: "I'm Running My Life, It's Not Running Me."10. The Appearance Expectation: "I Love My Body Just as It Is."11. The Self-Esteem Expectation: "I Believe in Myself."12. Self-Talk among Friends: Beginning the Conversation. Index. Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Publisher Marketing: ""This unique and powerful book is a must-read for any woman on a path of self-discovery and personal empowerment. Authored by seven leading female psychologists, Finding Your Voice is full of inspiring wisdom and practical tools and will give the reader thousands of dollars worth of therapy for the price of one book!""-Barbara De Angelis, Ph. D.author of Are You the One for Me?Recognize and realize your true desiresIs your life what you want it to be? For most women, the answer is not really. Too often, we listen to everyone but ourselves when it comes to determining how our lives should be proceeding-and this prevents us from living the lives we really desire. In this remarkable new book, a team of highly credentialed psychologists shows you how to overcome unproductive, blameful thoughts and unrealistic expectations-the things you tell yourself about how marriages, friendships, children, and careers should be. Each chapter lays out widely promoted images of a modern woman-the mother raising a perfect child and loving every minute of it, the top-of-her-game career woman, the woman who loves her body just as it is-then reveals how women more often beat themselves up with these ideals than achieve them. Finding Your Voice shows you how to use self-talk to sort through expectations, isolate your own voice, and take the necessary steps to meet your unique needs. You'll be happier and more confident, and you will live a more fulfilled life-the one you're entitled to.

Contributor Bio:  Cantor, Dorothy DOROTHY CANTOR, Psy. D., a past president of the American Psychological Association, is the coauthor of What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up? and was interviewed on the Today show. CAROL GOODHEART, Ed. D., SANDRA HABER, Ph. D., and KAREN ZAGER, Ph. D., are past presidents of Psychologists in Independent Practice. ELLEN McGRATH, Ph. D., and ALICE RUBENSTEIN, Ed. D., are past presidents of the American Psychological Association Division of Psychotherapy. LENORE WALKER, Ed. D., executive director of the Domestic Violence Institute, is a past president of the American Psychological Association Division of Media Psychology and the author of Terrifying Love. ANDREA THOMPSON is a former McCall's articles editor and a professional writer. As a group, these seven psychologists, all of whom are in private practice, have formed the Women to Women Psychology Group, W2W. Each has served as president of a national psychological organization with a total of ten presidencies among them. Together they have received fifty-eight awards and honors, have authored twenty-eight books and more than eighty-five articles and book chapters, and have been quoted in many national magazines and newspapers, including Time, Newsweek, Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, Ladies Home Journal, Working Woman, Family Circle, Parenting, Woman's Day, Psychology Today, YM, and Working Mother. They have counseled more than 50,000 clients. Visit their Web site at www.finding-your-voice.com. Contributor Bio:  Goodheart, Carol D Goodheart has a private practice in Princeton, New Jersey. Contributor Bio:  McGrath, Ellen McGrath is one of the most respected practitioners in her field. She is a clinical psychology with 24 years of experience teaching individual and group psychotherapy. Contributor Bio:  Rubenstein, Alice Rubenstein is a psychologist in private practice in upstate New York and the mother of two girls. She is founder and partner in the Monroe Psychotherapy and Consultation Center. Contributor Bio:  Walker, Lenore Lenore E. A. Walker, EdD, is a Professor at Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies and Coordinator of the Clinical Forensic Psychology Concentration for doctoral students training to be clinical psychologists. She is also in the Independent Practice of Forensic Psychology and is Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Institute with affiliate centers around the world. Dr. Walker specializes in work with victims of interpersonal violence particularly battered women & abused children. Her expert witness testimony opposed to the numerous challenges to Roe v Wade dealing with notification or consent laws helped established judicial by-pass procedures, especially needed when teens come from homes where there is domestic violence. Walker earned her undergraduate degree in 1962 from CUNY Hunter College, her Masters of Science in 1967 from CUNY City College and her EdD in psychology from Rutgers, the State University in NJ. In 2004 she received a Post Doctoral Masters Degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology at NSU. She has worked on high publicity cases such as with battered women who kill their abusive partners in self defense and testifies on behalf of protective mothers who are being challenged for custody by abusive dads. She lectures and does training workshops all over the world about prevention, psychotherapy, legal cases, and public policy initiatives for abused women and children. Dr. Walker has authored numerous professional articles and 15 books including "The Battered Woman" (1979), "The Battered Woman Syndrome" (1984, second edition 2000, Springer Publishing Company), "Terrifying Love: Why Battered Women Kill & How Society Responds" (1989), "Abused Women & Survivor Therapy" (1994) and co-author with David Shapiro of "Introduction to Forensic Psychology" (2004) and with William Dorfman of "A First Responders Guide to Abnormal Psychology" (2007). Contributor Bio:  Zager, Karen Zager is a psychologist in private practice in New York, specializing in adolescence, parenting, and relationship issues. Contributor Bio:  Thompson, Andrea Julie Tupler, R. N., is a certified personal trainer, fitness instructor, and childbirth educator (she is pictured on the front cover). She is the creator of Maternal Fitness, a labor-preparation program that features the Tupler Technique, exercises that are unique to her pregnancy workout. ANDREA THOMPSON is a freelance writer and editor who has contributed to numerous magazines. Both authors live in New York City. Contributor Bio:  Thompson, Andrea Andrea Thompson is a poet and spoken word artist currently living in Toronto. Over the past twelve years, she has performed her work at festivals and events across North America. Andrea re-creates mythological themes in a contemporary milieu, offering her audience an invitation to return to the roots of the oral tradition through the elevation of spoken word to its ancient role as public ritual.