Outsmarting Yourself: Catching Your Past Invading the Present and What to Do About It

by Karl Lehman

"Outsmarting Yourself" is about uncovering your brain's strategies for navigating the world - strategies which sometimes help...and sometimes don't! Dr. Lehman presents evidence from scientific research, case studies, and personal experience that will convince you of the reality of "invisible" memory and your Verbal Logical Explainer (VLE), and then help you maximize their strengths while minimizing the havoc they can cause. Dr. Lehman teaches you how to leverage the things you can choose to do something about in order to overcome the problems you can't choose to change directly. "Outsmarting Yourself" will enable you to understand the people in your world, including yourself, and give you realistic, psychologically sound, and Christ-centered tools for becoming a joyful, life-giving person with thriving relationships. - from Back Cover

Genres: Nonfiction

356 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever had a really strong reaction to a conflict, and the next day wondered why you reacted with a 9-level intensity to a 3-level situation? Dr. Karl Lehman walks you through the concepts and procedure of healthful navigating painful situations in the present, as well as healing unresolved situations from your past that “bleed” into your perceptions in the present.

Beyond this helpful breakdown, Dr. Lehman gives useful tools and strategies to heal and resolve conflicts past and present, while having a realistic respect for the messiness that inevitably pervades human community.

The book sometimes errs on the side of being repetitive, but I found it helpful rather than a detractor, as many of the concepts and tools described are technical, employ a lot of jargon (which is defined, but sometimes difficult to keep track of), and are complex.

I have read many of the Immanuel Lifestyle books, and found the information in them incredibly interesting, accurate, and effective. The hope of those training this particular ecosystem of brain science/emotional healing and growth/self-stewardship how-tos is for thriving relationships, healthy communities, and a unified, relational church. With such a worthy outcome as a goal, why not give the tools and strategies outlined in this book a try? I have, and it has made a huge difference.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a beast to read and extremely fascinating at the same time. I learned a lot about what triggers me into non-relational mode (when the problem is more important than the person) and how to get back into relational mode (the person is more important than the problem) with relatively easy exercises. My biggest takeaway is that it’s possible to heal, even early childhood trauma, with connection and Attunement. It takes time to build capacity for both of these, however. Our brains and bodies can heal and that is very good news.

[Katie Axelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good resource book. It’s not a light read but the content is stuff I will continue to reference.

[Jesús · Rating 4 out of 5]

Información interesante, pero libro farragoso y excesivamente largo

[Denesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has helped me IMMENSELY in understanding my own painful triggers and recognizing when my loved ones are triggered.... which helps me not to react to them.... which helps diffuse lots of situations that would have escalated into arguments in the past. The "what to do about it" part is really helpful! It's full of data points for the scientists out there (and psychology geeks like myself) and stories that really help explain all the technical talk. :) I highly recommend this book to others, and actually have now purchased 5 extra copies that I can give to friends when the need arises.

[Tonya Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been incredibly insightful for me. Karl Lehman takes what could be complicated or difficult concepts and explains them simply.
I am looking forward to applying the concepts of working through past trauma and triggers in my life to grow healthier relationships.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at the way our minds work. Being aware of the things that trigger us and the things that calm us can really help with our relationships with others.