Retraining the Brain: A 45-Day Plan to Conquer Stress and Anxiety

by Frank Lawlis

Learn how to manage stress and anxiety by retraining your brain with this book from the New York Times bestselling author of The ADD Answer and the chief content advisor for the Dr. Phil show.

With his bestselling books, Frank Lawlis has brought psychological relief to millions. Now, he addresses one of the most common challenges of everyday life—dealing with stress and anxiety.

In Retraining the Brain , Dr. Lawlis clearly explains the neurological factors that make stress so traumatizing and lays out a powerful plan for changing our brains to improve the way we cope. The secret is to take advantage of our brain plasticity, our ability to essentially reprogram the way we think simply by following this forty-five-day program to change our behavior. Drawing on his work at his renowned clinic, Dr. Lawlis takes us through the different types of stressors and shows how we can apply the principles of brain plasticity to hardwire new, healthier response patterns. With its simple but effective exercises, Retraining the Brain offers an exciting new method for reducing stress and increasing our overall happiness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2009

About the author

Dr. Lawlis has focused on clinical and research methods of the mind-body relationship since 1968 when he received his Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in medical psychology and rehabilitation. He was awarded the Diplomate (A.B.P.P.) in both Counseling Psychology and Clinical Psychology. He also received the status of Fellow from the American Psychological Association for his scientific contributions to the field of clinical psychology and behavioral medicine, as well as other awards for his pioneering research in this field.
Most recently Dr. Lawlis has taken on the exciting project to update the alcohol and drug dependency treatment with applications for brain plasticity. He has been assigned this task by Origins Recovery Center in South Padre Island, Texas, as Director of Psychology and Brain Plasticity. Based on consistent research which shows that addicts get better the longer they stay in treatment, regardless of what treatment they receive, lays support that the brain healing time is critical, so his focus is on increasing the healing potential of the healing through such opportunities as hyperbaric chambers, vitamin and anti-inflammatory approaches, breathing patterns, neuron-biofeedback, imagery, exercises, and sonic stimulation with music. He has already produced several CDs of sonic rhythms consistent with his work in PTSD that are available specific to this regard, along with applications from biofeedback, specific brain stimulation and musical stimulations. These models have been discussed in his book, Retrainng the Brain.

Having served on five prestigious medical school faculties in the Departments of Psychiatry, Orthopedic Surgery, and Rehabilitation Medicine and five graduate psychology faculties, he has blazed new studies and approaches in the care of patients with chronic and acute pain, cancer and psychosomatic problems. The Medical Schools he served were New York Medical Center (1967-68), Texas Tech Medical School (1973-75), Universities of Texas Health Center (UTHC) at San Antonio (1975-76), UTHC at Dallas (1979-89) and Stanford Medical School (1991-93).

Dr. Lawlis has authored and co-authored more than 100 articles and chapters as well as four textbooks; Imagery and Disease (IPAT: Champaign, Ill., 1984), Bridges of the Bodymind (IPAT, 1980), Transpersonal Medicine (Shambhala Publ., Boston, 1996), The Mosby Textbook on Alternative Medicine (Mosby, 2001), The ADD Answer, The IQ Answer, Mending The Broken Bond, The Stress Answer, The Brain Power Cookbook, The Autism Answer and PTSD Breakthroughs.

In addition to his literature, Dr. Lawlis has published audio works available at MindBodySeries. Dr. Lawlis has developed programs for Anxiety, PTSD, Depression, Sleep, ADD/ADHD and Creativity and demonstrated them on the Dr. Phil Show.

Dr. Frank Lawlis cofounded the Lawlis and Peavey PsychoNeuroPlasticity Center in Lewisville Texas as a new innovation for psychological assessment wherein an individual would have a thorough medical-psychological-neurological-sociological-family dynamics evaluations during the same week. With the intensive focus approach, the multilayers of interactions can be addressed quickly and with less frustration and discouragement. Moreover, there would be a specific plan to redevelop brain functions and coordinate their sequencing such that even major challenges could be overcome within a quicker time frame. Through this process great steps have been taken to understand an individual's problems and to address all the issues during a finite time period.

Presently, Dr. Lawlis is serving a projectr called "Camp Better America" as an adviser and instructor. The mission of the program is to serve soldiers and their families as they reenter society from war and help in adjustment issues. The program has been supported by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Department of Defense.

Dr. Frank Lawlis has been Chief Content and Oversite Adviser as well as Chairman of the Dr. Phil

Reviews

[Veryvera · Rating 3 out of 5]

saw him on dr. phil and was interested. concepts are understandable but not all chapters apply

[Valerie Altom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been condensed to an article. He keeps repeating the same information over and over in different ways and different contexts. Good information, just not really enough to make reading a book worthwhile.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Advise.

I read this book with pen in hand and took detailed notes. As a counselor, I recognized how and why the exercises work. It takes discipline to stay with his plan, but you'll benefit greatly from it.

[Rachel Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd probably give this book 3.5 stars if I could. I found it to be 90% about why people feel stress (most of it boils down to trauma) and 10% about what to do about it. I felt like I could have done a google search and come up with just as useful information.

I did like the case stories he used in his book to illustrate his points.

The real problem I had with this book is the problem I have with many non-fiction books; they are very repetitive. The same points are reiterated so many times, it becomes exhausting and I only want to skim through most of the middle and end of the book because I feel like I've read it all previously in the book. That's why it took me 9 months to get through it. The last 20 pages were very helpful, but I'm not sure why those weren't mentioned earlier in the book - given the title.

I did glean some useful tools for dealing with stress - like retraining neuropathways, etc. But I felt the book was more about trauma and PTSD (which I have), relabeled as "stress".

[JessicaPJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good examples, great exercises to work.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incorrect data in this book. For example, motor function occurs in frontal lobe (specifically pre central gyrus - primary motor cortex), not parietal lobe.
Okay book if you are unfamiliar with anxiety, depression etc. If you are more than familiar with your symptoms and possible solutions, this book doesn't offer much new.
Also, too broad. It addresses disorders ranging from anxiety to depression and from ADHD to obsessive compulsive. Although there is co-morbidity between these disorders, not everyone would be diagnosable with more than one. The 45 day plan gives daily activities but some activities are tailored to a specific disorder, so it's not really a 45 day plan for everyone.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion Mr. Lawlis did a great job with this self-help book. There is a lot of interesting information in it that shows us how the brain can be rewired and your thought processes can be changed. Granted the book does cover many different topics ranging from stress overload to OCD and PTSD. There are exercises at the end of the book that I think are helpful and a great addition to the book. It is a good book to read if you are truly wanting to retrain your brains way of thinking. It is not a simple solution, as there is none, but requires work and dedication on your part. Great job Mr. Lawlis on what I considered a very helpful book.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sat next to this man on a plane, and not only was he incredibly nice, he is clearly very bright and accomplished. Dr. Phil was his student, and they continue to work together. I asked him if he'd written any books, and he answered, "yes. 12."
So I'd like to check them out, although since I don't have a child with ADD I'm not so interested in those...

[Deodand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introduction for someone who hasn't investigated this self-help genre before. There wasn't any new information here for me, perhaps because Lawlis's book has been summarized so many times on television. It did serve to remind me of the power of music to relieve anxiety symptoms.

[Ruth Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is easy to read and offers techniques for controlling stress that everyone can use.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clinically-written book about reducing stress and finding greater peace.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this with a friend, as we learn to better control our stress!

[Susannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. Lots to think about --- lots here to affirm what I've known for some time. Thanks Dr. Lawlis.