Prisoners of our thoughts - Alex Pattakos Ph.D.

World-renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl is the author of the best-selling Man's Search for Meaning, in which he vividly details his horrific experiences as a prisoner held captive in a World War II Nazi concentration camps. In his book, Dr. Frankl discusses how it is possible to find real meaning in a life that is filled with suffering and difficulty. Inspired by his words and philosophy, author Dr. Alex Pattakos has consequently written Prisoners of Our Thoughts, wherein Dr. Frankl's therapeutic system is captured in seven core principles and applied to various life and work situations so that the reader can relate personally to the principles as well as learn when and how to use them. The seven principles are as follows:1.
Exercise the freedom to choose your attitude2.
Realize your will to meaning3.
Detect the meaning of life's moments:4.
Don't work against yourself5.
Look at yourself from a distance6.
Shift your focus of attention7.
Extend beyond yourselfThis new paperback edition will include a new chapter on the "principles in action" where the author will show real and recent applications of the 7 Principles in everyday life and work. The chapter will illustrate how the principles have been used in a wide variety of life transitions, such as changes in personal relationships (including divorce), retirement, and even the return to civilian life by military veterans. It will additionally profile people who have used the principles to deal with a range of personal challenges or circumstances, including major hardships: illness and disease; natural disasters (e.g., Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina); physical and mental disabilities; death of loved ones; depression; and physical incarceration (e.g., prison). Lastly, the new materials will also illustrate how the principles have been used in a wide range of work-related situations-on the personal level, the organizational level, and the business/enterprise level.The glass, as always, can be perceived either as half empty or half full. We all have the opportunity to choose how we view and respond to any situation; it is the responsibility of the individual to detect and interpret the meaning that is hidden in every given moment of our lives. The journey awaits us. PRISONERS OF OUR THOUGHTS offers us meaningful guideposts along the way.