A Path through the Jungle: Psychological Health and Wellbeing Programme to Develop Robustness and Resilience

by Steve Peters

All of us face challenges, rough patches and struggles in life. During these times we are often our own worst enemy, experiencing unwelcome emotions, thinking and behaviours. The one thing that has stood out to Professor Steve Peters in his years of supporting people as a Consultant Psychiatrist is that no matter what you may be facing in life, if you have the skills to be in a good place emotionally then you can cope, thrive and present the real you to the world. Now, bestselling author of The Chimp Paradox, has created a structured, practical self-development programme to help you attain psychological health and wellbeing. Professor Peters explains complex neuroscience in straightforward terms with his Chimp Management Mind Model. The 8 stages of the book will help you to focus on yourself, empower you and leads you along a path to robustness and resilience. If we could have perfect management of our mind, and be robust and resilient, life would be so much easier; so why can't we? This book * Explain why and how to manage the struggle within the mind * Help to put you into a good place within yourself * Take you along a path leading to robustness and resilience * Offer you a practical structured programme * Demonstrate how to acquire the skill of mind management. Areas covered * Improved relationships * Emotional management * Self-confidence * Peace of mind * Happiness * Managing stress. Professor "I sincerely hope that you will find the book helpful, and that the jungle of life will become much more manageable, as you find your own inner strength."

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Audiobook, Health

432 pages, Paperback

Published October 19, 2021

About the author

Professor Steve Peters is a consultant psychiatrist and has worked in the clinical field of psychiatry for over 20 years. He specialises in optimising the functioning of the mind and also holds degrees in mathematics and medicine. Prof Peters is Undergraduate Dean at Sheffield University Medical School and resident psychiatrist with Sky ProCycling. He is also the consultant psychiatrist for Liverpool FC and, from May 2014, for the England football team. Steven Gerrard, Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Victoria Pendleton and Craig Bellamy have all spoken publicly about how Prof Peters' unique model has helped them improve their performance.

Outside of elite sport, Prof Peters works with CEOs, senior executives, students, hospital staff and patients, helping them to understand why they think and act as they do and how to manage their minds to optimise their performance at work and in their personal lives.

Reviews

[Tariq Mahmood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the detailed version of the 'Chimp way'. The book is super interesting for non-medical brain enthusiasts like me as it explains the working of the mind with the Chimp-Human-Computer analogy. It covers all aspects of our non-repeatable journey through the jungle of life. Basically, we rely on the Chimp to keep us alive, it reacts to any new noise in the jungle, any danger or opportunity, day and even in the night, it never switches off. The Human is kinda like our coach/mentor part which rationalises all events faced by the Chimp and tries to guide it in the Chimps own language, and the Computer is used by both the Chimp and the Human minds to help respond to these events.

This is the best book I have read so far which explains the working of our minds in a most profund and relateable manner.

[Diane Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting concepts. Lots to take in.

It was written as a course, which I didn't do, and I would have probably got more out of it if I did. Lots of examples and anecdotes.

Audible

[Victoria White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of this was very interesting but some of it was very long!! I really liked his chapters on sleep and on stress. The chimp, human and computer is a great metaphor but most of the strategies and ideas are ones we already know.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really helpful as, as it said in the most recent Stephen King book "Fairy Tale", "You never know where the trapdoors are in your life, do you?".

This book is a follow on to Steve Peters well known book "The Chimp Paradox" and further develops the ideas in that book. It is about how our minds are made up of three parts - the Chimp, the Human and the Computer. The Chimp part is the part that we share with chimpanzees and is what triggers our first reaction and it needs regulated by routines programmed into the computer that put the human back into control.

The book is about developing robustness and resilience.

Being robust means being prepared and ready and having a plan.
You need a plan to manage your own mind and whatever happens in your life.

Resilience is being able to bounce back to the plan and manage the challenges of life.

This is a very thorough book with detailed instructions and exercises following each chapter which give practical examples of the subject matter. It is also full of diagrams of stick men (humans), monkeys (chimps), computers and brains. Some of the scientific parts can be quite complex but they are worth persevering with and all are shaded green so you can easily see them and skip them if they become too much.

Parts that I really found useful were:

The chimp expects the world to be fair and gets upset when it isn't.
Whereas successful people accept whatever the world presents and make a plan to make the best of it.
They use the human rather than the chimp and they respond rather than react.

The chimp wants everyone to like it.
The human does not try to do that and learns to like itself and what it's core values are and that you can only do the best that you can.
The book also talks about the "one in five rule" - four out of five people will be on our side and reasonable but one in five will criticise us whoever we are and whatever we are and be caustic, unpleasant and unkind. We need to be able to ignore these people and not give them your time, energy or happiness.

You can't get rid of the chimp but you can manage it.
Sometimes you need to exercise the chimp and let off steam first.
If the chimp is taking over, you can use your "troop" (close friends and family members that you trust) to help you settle the chimp.

There is also a really helpful Steven Bartlett podcast with Steve Peters discussing some of the concepts in the book which is well worth a listen even though it lasts just over 2 hours:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6G7i...

[Rob Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of us face challenges, rough patches and struggles in life.

During these times we are often our own worst enemy, experiencing unwelcome emotions, thinking and behaviours. The one thing that has stood out to Professor Steve Peters in his years of supporting people as a Consultant Psychiatrist is that no matter what you may be facing in life, if you have the skills to be in a good place emotionally then you can cope, thrive and present the real you to the world. Now, bestselling author of The Chimp Paradox, has created a structured, practical self-development programme to help you attain psychological health and wellbeing.

The 8 stages of the book will help you to focus on yourself, empower you and leads you along a path to robustness and resilience. If we could have perfect management of our mind, and be robust and resilient, life would be so much easier; so why can't we? This book will:
* Explain why and how to manage the struggle within the mind
* Help to put you into a good place within yourself
* Take you along a path leading to robustness and resilience
* Offer you a practical structured programme
* Demonstrate how to acquire the skill of mind management.

Areas covered include:
* Improved relationships
* Emotional management
* Self-confidence
* Peace of mind
* Happiness
* Managing stress.

Professor Peters explains complex neuroscience in straightforward terms with his Chimp Management Mind Model. This is one of the most important books I have ever read. I will be using the lessons from it for years to come.

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[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I can’t rate this highly enough. I read The Chimp Paradox a few years ago and loved it. This is even better. I listened to it but had to get a hard copy too as this book is actually a course and to get the most out of it you need to take time and do the exercises. There are practical suggestions for how to handle many difficult life events, habit change, navigating relationships and recognising things about yourself that drive you mad but don’t know why.
The model he’s created is phenomenal. He deserves a knighthood in my opinion. I only wish more people would take the time to do the work themselves.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. I listened to this on Audible and was forever pausing to make notes. Super useful for everyone. The world would be a nicer place to live in if more people understood these concepts and put Prof Peters' strategies into practice.

The best self-help, mind management, well being, resilience book I've read and all backed up by research. Reading or listening to this book with an open mind and commitment to reflect and grow will genuinely make your life a happier and more content one.

Can't recommend it enough.

[Gabriella Lantos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still reflecting about the whole book and I will read it again and again and again before I edit this review.
But now, I can say that is a treasure guide for people who want to be a better person in life and enjoy it consciously.

[James Heffernan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very complex read explaining how the brain functions- a great read if you like that kind of stuff

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Peters’s A Path Through the Jungle is a unique and valuable guide to self-understanding and self-regulation. The book is presented in seven “Stages,” each of which is comprised of “Units” that build on each other sequentially. The core set of ideas is what Peters calls the “Chimp Model,” summarized in this image from Unit One:



Throughout the book, Peters consistently sticks to the components of his model, demonstrating how they function in a variety of circumstances ranging from purely internal experiences to interactions with others. The most attention is given to the relationship between Chimp and Human, with many strategies for how to remain in “Human mode” during challenging moments and manage the Chimp in a healthy and respectful fashion. Peters also provides advice on optimal ways to program the Computer, including how to identify, remove, or work with Gremlins/Goblins (i.e. cognitive distortions), as well as how to consistently install helpful Autopilots. Crucially, Peters argues that the Human needs to intentionally program (or reprogram) the Computer in the wake of a significant event; this process drives learning, growth, and self-improvement.

One potential downside of the Chimp Model is that it’s a gross oversimplification of how the mind actually works. This is true, but it’s also true of every other model of the mind. The relevant question, therefore, is whether the Chimp Model is (1) a fair representation of how the mind works, and (2) a useful and healthy way of thinking about what it means to be a human. I don’t know enough about modern neuroscience to say definitively that the Chimp Model is a fair representation, but Peters includes many “Scientific Points” boxes that explain his ideas using the language and concepts of neuroscience. The book also includes nearly 500 citations, giving confidence that Peters has done his homework.

Regarding the question of whether the Chimp Model is a useful and healthy one, I feel confident that it is, with perhaps a few minor caveats that I’ll share below. If I had to sum up this book in a single word, it would be “practical.” Peters makes a laudable effort to ground his model in the problems of everyday life, to the point where a significant portion of the text is devoted to examples that show how the model can influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in real-world scenarios. His recommended Autopilots and rules for the “Stone of Life” put an appropriate emphasis on articulating our core values and then identifying specific attitudes and actions that can help us live in alignment with those values.

There were also several great terminological takeaways that I’m sure will stick with me. I enjoyed Peters’s description of the relationship between “commitment” and “motivation” and how committing to something keeps us invested even in moments when motivation is low. Another good one was the distinction between “reasonable” and “realistic” expectations, where developing realistic expectations based on facts is usually better than expecting the world to meet our definition of “reasonableness.” I also appreciated Peters’s explanation of how emotional “suppression” differs from “repression,” with suppression being a conscious and healthy way of tabling emotions in moments when dealing with them isn’t appropriate, and repression being an unconscious and unhealthy way of denying the existence of unpleasant or unwanted emotions.

Additionally, there are many passages showing how we can utilize basic mindfulness skills to not immediately identify with intense emotions and stay in Human mode. As Peters says: “Respond to situations; don’t react to them” (385). I give him credit for clearly stating that we don’t have to engage with or validate all emotions that arise for us––not always a popular opinion among psychologists these days. I’ve personally come to believe that cultivating the ability to reject certain emotions at certain times is a very useful and healthy skill. But it can be overused so needs to be complemented by other emotionally intelligent self-regulation strategies.

In general, the Chimp Model lines up with what I’ve learned about mental health since I decided to become a therapist about five years ago. Even though Peters is working with his own self-created terms and concepts, the model resonates with core ideas from many of my favorite therapeutic modalities, including Existential Therapy, Humanistic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and parts work.

That said, there are a few critiques I’d like to mention. One quick note is that readers who don’t like images or bullet lists will probably want to avoid this book. I found the format lively and refreshing, but it’s certainly not your typical nonfiction chapter book.

My other concerns are mainly based on ways that I anticipate readers misinterpreting the model rather than problems that are inherent to the model itself. For instance, a superficial examination of Peters’s work might lead someone to believe that he is “anti-emotion” and his model is all about caging the Chimp and preventing it from having any power within our internal systems. On the contrary, Peters consistently shows immense respect for the Chimp and goes out of his way to acknowledge its crucial role in alerting us to danger and keeping us in touch with our emotions. Much of the book is devoted to helping the Human learn how to compassionately listen to the Chimp and meet its needs.

Another possible misinterpretation would be to paint Peters as being against negative or unpleasant emotions. It’s fair to say that he does focus a lot on minimizing negative emotionality and eliminating it when possible, but I don’t think Peters takes this too far. Some elements of his model do conflict with frameworks that promote acceptance of negative emotions (e.g. ACT) rather than treating them as a problem to be solved. While Peters does fall more into the “problem to be solved” camp, he also regularly points out that acceptance of things we cannot change is a cornerstone of mental health. Practically, I’ve found that both of these approaches can be useful. Some people benefit from attempting to reduce or remove negative emotions from their lives, and others flourish via the path of acceptance. Many people, including me, use both methods. As with most aspects of mental health, it’s just a matter of experimenting and discovering what works best for each person.

A Path Through the Jungle delivers on its promise to help readers understand their own minds and develop tools to manage their internal and interpersonal lives. Peters’s model is genuinely novel, empirically-sound, accessible, compassionate, and fun! It’s hard for me to imagine someone engaging with this book and not taking away at least a few fresh ways to improve themselves, and for some readers it will offer transformational potential.

This review was originally published on my blog, Words&Dirt.

[Lena Huins · Rating 5 out of 5]

See review for The Chimp Paradox: ditto.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prof. Steve Peters (2021) A PATH THROUGH THE JUNGLE: A PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROGRAMME TO DEVELOP ROBUSTNESS AND RESILIENCE (AUDIOBOOK)
Audible - Audible, Ltd.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars

Audible writes, "The new self-development programme from the author of the smash best seller The Chimp Paradox. All of us face challenges, rough patches and struggles in life. And during these times we are often our own worst enemies, experiencing unwelcome emotions, thoughts and behaviours. The one thing that has stood out to Professor Peters in his years of supporting people as a Consultant Psychiatrist is that no matter what you may be facing in life, if you have the right mental toolkit in place then you will be able to cope - and even thrive. Now, the best-selling author of The Chimp Paradox, has created a structured, practical self-development programme to help you attain psychological health and wellbeing. Professor Peters explains complex neuroscience in straightforward terms with his Chimp Mind Model. The eight stages of the book will help you to focus, empower yourself and lead you along a path to robustness and resilience."
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Extremely good. Really tangible metaphors that really enable the making of sense. One to hold on to and listen to more than once.
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#ProfStevePeters #APathThroughTheJungle #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #Audible

[Rose15 · Rating 5 out of 5]

using the understanding of neuro science, we learn how different parts of our brain run the show; THE CHIMP; the emotional reactions we have towards Life, our seat of intuition, and protection from fear or any other annoyance Life gives...the chimp acts like a 3 year old child..and we cannot get rid of it nor suppress it, but learn to manage it says Prof Steve Peters, a neuroscientist. We manage it with the logical part of our brain, THE HUMAN...If the chimp gets upset about Life dealing us an unfortunate situation...the COMPUTER the other part of the machine, located in our brain will help. The chimp listens to the computer and its positive beliefs but also to the negative belief systems and habits, we all have gathered thru our Life time.
It is our job as human to tidy up the computer, the author likes to say, meaning to programm it with good beliefs and behaviors and let go of the old negative ones.
. The book is a practical guide and in each chapter cartoons, key points, summaries and exercises help us to understand and manage THE MACHINEI. This puts you in the driver seat of your emotional set up, gives you power to manage your reactionary cycle and change your beliefs system and habits which no longer serve you. All information is scientifically based and all sources are listed.

[Gerard Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for those seeking to understand our behaviours and mind from a highly experienced and qualified expert Prof Steve Peters

The book is very well illustrated and breaks complex issues down into simplified terminology and diagrams which is consistent throughout the book.

The mind is broken down into 3 simple components

- The Chimp - responsible for emotions, feelings etc
- Human - responsible for plans/logic and facts
- The Computer - which stores beliefs, experiences and values

The interaction between these components is the theme of this book which gives it a great consistency.

Real life examples are given all the time to back up what is being explained.

Another nice touch in the book is the detailed science is separated in a green background throughout the text and can be skipped if needed without losing the core ideas in the text.

My only critisism is there is a lot of material covered in this book which may put off the ordinary reader however unit 26 gives a good summary of the key concepts from the book.

[Triin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the Chimp Paradox.
I listened to the book from audible but I feel like I also need to give it a read to grasp more info and details. It also comes with little tasks that would be easier to keep up with when reading.

His explanation of how mind works has never let me down and has cleared up a lot of things.

It’s a book I would recommend to people who are interested in managing their own mind and behaviour. For people who have caught themselves doing something that “wasn’t like them at all” and feeling confused where the behaviour came from. It’s great for people who have caught themselves reacting to other’s bad or nonsensical behaviour.

[Jack Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took my time working through this book, bit by bit, as there was a lot to get my head around and establish before moving on to the next part.

Over all I love the concept of the chimp mind management model and this book goes in to great detail with this.

I actually preferred this book compared to the first book, as it was less heavy on the science part and contained more practical examples that were relatable.

A recommended read for sure, just not one that can be rushed through if you want to get the most out of it. I can see me revisiting sections of this book in the months and years to come.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. So much so that I got both the physical book and the audio version. In terms of narration quality, it's a little slow for my taste but obviously with audible you can speed it up so not a big deal. Other than that the pronunciation is clear and easy to follow.

In terms of the theory put forward, I really resonated with it. I also found the examples given to be clear and realistic.

The only thing I wasn't keen on was the stuff around sleep. But that's because for me it wouldn't work and didn't feel like a reasonable expection. However I feel that way about most modern sleep advise.

[Littlepalm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book 3 years ago and I sporadically come back to it throughout each year and will continue to do so. It forces you to undertake a large amount of reflection through somewhat each page and thoroughly explains all the neuroscience in digestible, lay terms on why we do what we do and why it is only ourselves that can change anything.

There are a myriad of books attempting to explain the same topic/notion, however you will find one that wholly resonates with you. For me it was this and I believe the elements of practicality and empowerment that Professor Peters denotes throughout.....that I say give it read, no matter which stage of life you're in.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the chimp paradox maybe 5 years ago and have shared the knowledge with my children by reading the book with them and purchasing the My hidden chimp. This book builds on the concept of the chimp paradox with complex neuroscience into a clear and simple model. The book provides practical ways to use the model to get the best out of ourselves and deal with life. Since reading the chimp paradox I have accepted and lived understanding the human, the computer and the chimp this book helps build on your stone of life and program the computer. Absolutely fantastic

[Luca Nicoletti · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting follow-up to "The Chimp Paradox" that extends on the concepts explained in that book. I like how the author explains concepts, and this book is no exception.
The book is a structured mental health and wellbeing program designed to build robustness (the ability to endure hardship) and resilience (the ability to recover from it).
You can't eliminate emotional chaos, but you can understand, manage, and work with it. Master your mind, especially your inner Chimp, and you'll develop the robustness and resilience to thrive in modern life.

[Muskan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to gift young minds

I think as the author says ,this is definitely the book you can recommend somebody on your deathbed on how to live your life consciously . But ,now that I've realised how important this book is, one day when i'll have a child, this would be the first one to gift him . Actually I would also love it, if our Indian education system makes it mandatory to read . So that it doesn't get late, to know about our minds (simplistically).

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a comprehensive view of the subconscious's control over our choices. What I am finding most helpful is that it also shares strategies of how to manage our subconscious on our way to the life we want.
This is not light reading! The effort has already enabled several insights on my part.

[Brij Makwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS THE FIRST SELF HELP BOOK EVERYBODY SHOULD START FROM...TOTALLY RELATABLE AND LOT TO DIGEST FROM AND ALSO IT SUPPORTS MANY OF MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS TOO....IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE TO SEPRATE YOUR TRUE SELF FROM THE EGO...GOOD BLEND OF SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS....MUST READ...APPRECIATE STEVE PETERS FOR THIS WONDERFUL BOOK

[Ana Stanciu-Dumitrache · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cartile profesorului Steve Peters sunt, dupa parerea mea, cel mai bun inceput in calatoria de dezvoltare personala. Explica cum functioneaza creierul intr-un mod atat de clar si amuzant, da scenarii si solutii, exercitii practice si incurajari. As recomanda din suflet mai ales adolescentilor, mi se pare ca multa informatie valoroasa e pusa intr-un limbaj accesibil.

[Enda Hackett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chimp, chimp, chimp, chimp. How many times does the author mention chimp. It really started to grate on me towards the end. Other than thatvghe book is a big pile of nothingness. Is it a coures, is it a guide. I dont know. But the content is poor.

[Brian Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's like a user manual for how to be a human.

After initially finding the analogy and framework used to describe the functioning of the human brain didn't quite chime with me as I listened on I found the content quite compelling.

[Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book taught me a lot. I recommended it to a couple of friends and they found it educational too. Peters unpicks some tricky psychological concepts and simplifies them in a way that I found helpful.

[Michael Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best work from all 4 books.( Read the other 3)
It is a model that the professor has developed over a very very very long period of time.
If you want to work with your mind and be resilient plus other skills then yes it's a really well researched book!

[Fran Cormack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Steve Peters. And probably the last. I just can’t get onboard with the “chimp” metaphor. Used constantly throughout his books it takes my mind away from what I’m reading. It sounds odd. Childish even.

[Radostina Tsvetkova · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read on emotional intelligence and instilling useful beliefs!