I first heard of Alice Domar and the Harvard Mind-Body Institute's Infertility Program in an article which highlighted a research study that found that infertile women who underwent a relaxation program had a higher rate of pregnancy than a control group. Living nowhere near Boston, I was very interested to discover that Dr. Domar had written a book. The book is wonderful and I recommend it to people going through infertility all of the time. I am not one to go for touchy-feely stuff, and this is not at all like that. Rather, it is a down to earth, medically-based, normal, and intelligent approach to getting our lives together. It is a very important companion to anyone undergoing infertility treatment.

This book was recommended to me last spring by members of my infertility support group. I love this book! It was the first book to acknowledge the amount of stress, pain and depression infertile women go through. I use the relaxation techniques not just for infertility, but for every crisis in my life. The advice is practical, simple, and easy to use throughout the day. And it does seem as if the book was written just for me! The audio tapes are helpful as well. The book is a true gift. I just donated a copy to a friend going through infertility, with the stern instruction that I wanted it back. Of the 5 books I gave her, this was the only one that's on loan!

After 2 miscarriages (on Clomid) I was a wreck. A friend gave me this book and without Clomid I got pregnant and delivered a healty happy boy. We're now pregnant again with #2 (another boy!) and I have re-read 2 of her chapters at least 25 times each. I wish I could meet Alice and tell her what a life changing book this was for me.

Very nicely done and useful for those in crisis. Perfectly combines the classic Psalms with modern research on mind-body medicine in a pastoral, readable volume.

"For Thou Art With Me" appears to be a book about dealing with pain and suffering, but it is really a book about the human condition. In a series of poignant examples, the authors connect the experiences of hospital patients and their families with the ancient outlook of the writers of the Book of Psalms. The Psalmists' questions about the presence or absence of God in the human confrontation with suffering and evil are as relevant today as they were 2,500 years ago. These issues and the universalist message of the authors - that God is present and available - are very effectively laid out in this inspiring book.

While "For Thou Art With Me" is not specifically about Judaism, it communicates in a unique way the essence of Jewish theology. I have read many books on Judaism and this is by far the best in expressing, from a Jewish point of view, the ways of a loving, ever-present God. I would recommend it on that basis alone for all readers.

I loved this beautiful, healing book. It's has the perfect words and tone for people faced with grief, fear, illness, pain and suffering.

You know how you don't know what to say to people who are really suffering? How helpless you can feel? Well, I've just ordered 11 copies of this book, because that's how many people I know (this week) who could really use it.

I'm an old time fan of Henry Dreher, who's a wonderful and brilliant health writer and now I'm a new fan of Rabbi Chiel, who, I'm told is the absolute best as far as rabbi's go - a great orator and a kind and compassionate human being, all in one. Anyway, that much is obvious from these pages.

I'm very glad this book got written. It will help a lot of people who need to lean into their judeo-christian roots to get a divine assist.

This book helped me identify my anxiety problem (only recently I realized that I have an anxiety disorder) and already I feel better just having read it. It's an unbelievably anxious time and this is clearly making my anxiety worse, and this book provides the clearest road map to treatments, including medications and cognitive therapy and relaxation methods. I have really enjoyed reading it--my anxiety levels dropped just from hearing stories of people who licked their anxiety problem. It's clear and comforting--I couldn't recommend it more highly.

I wanted to attack my cancer from all angles. This book is excellent in helping me feel my cancer was not my fault and encouraged me to express and identify my emotions and to develop a new coping style. She explains how your immune system works, and how NOT shutting yourself down emotionally, and expressing your needs, anger, etc., can actually boost your immune system to fight cancer. When you shut your negative emotions down as your coping style, you also shut down your immune system to fight cancer. She doesn't claim that changing your coping style will cure cancer, but she says it could be 10-20% of "your pie", and that extra 10-20% could make the difference if you only have a 50/50 chance of survival! (Amazon found me a copy even though it is out-of-print!)

Why Davis & Company (employee communication consulting experts) likes this book -- Even if you're not baseball fan-or a Yankees fan-it's easy to be impressed with Joe Torre's dedication to success and confidence as a leader, motivator and communicator.

In the introduction, Torre explains that although his experiences are in baseball, the principles and advice his gives in his book are applicable to any business or organization that has team leaders and team players. His advice is broken out into 12 short chapters-each one dedicated to a success strategy. We, at Davis & Company, love the fact that Chapter 3 focuses on communication. "Straight Communication: The Key to Trust" addresses how important clear communication is to having your team strive toward the same goals. Torre stresses that communication is everybody's responsibility-not just the leader's. Yes this is a simple concept, but it's illustrated nicely with anecdotes and stories about the players and situations where clear communication was key.

Pros -- Business book without being dry. An easy read. Success strategies are explained through real-life, easy-to-remember (and relate to) examples.

Cons -- Some might view this book as too baseball-focused, with sports analogies run amok.

Excerpt -- "We often neglect to learn new communication skills, because we underestimate their importance in our quest for success. Also, many of us think that we can't learn how to communicate more effectively. But we can become better communicators, and when we do, it plays a big part in realizing our dreams of winning."

Read JOE TORRE'S GROUND RULES FOR WINNERS:
12 KEYS TO MANAGING TEAM PLAYERS, TOUGH BOSSES,
SETBACKS, AND SUCCESS by Joe Torre with Henry
Dreher . . . Torre, in case you're not a baseball fan, is the manager
of the New York Yankees . . . this book tells how he has
applied commonsense principles to become perhaps the
sport's best top skipper . . . nothing overly profound here,
but it all did make sense to me . . . and I liked how he related
baseball examples to business, family and life situations.

There were several passages I particularly enjoyed; among them:
* In any business, workers up and down the hierarchy want nothing
more than to be treated fairly, to feel that they aren't getting
the short end of a manager's stick. My second baseman in 1966,
Mario Duncan, once was quoted as saying about me, "He doesn't
play favorites. All twenty-five guys are his favorites." It was kind of
him to say, and I believe that it's true. Managers who make it
their business to keep personal preferences to themselves, to
show regard for all employees, and to be scrupulously fair about
opportunities, promotions, and perks, will be rewarded with a
bunch of highly motivated team players.

* During my eight years as a player with the Braves, I was fortunate
to hit behind baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron. One
day, Hank and I were talking about batting slumps when he made
a comment that's stayed with me ever since: "Each at bat is a
new day."

* "I hang pictures," is a phrase I've used whenever I start a new
job. . . . When I first managed the Mets in the late 1970s, Boyer,
then the Cardinals' manager, visited me in my clubhouse
office. Kenny noticed all the personal pictures I had hanging on
the walls. "Wow," he exclaimed. "You expect to be here for a
while?"

"When I start working somewhere, I just assume that I'm going
to be there forever," I said. "It's the only way I can do my job."

As Joe Torre's Yankees currently battle for yet another trip to the World Series, a television analyst recently shared a comment from a once-fiery opposing manager that coaches like Torre, who lead with intelligence rather than just emotion, have become the ones who are winning today.

The philosophy of managing sports teams and business teams has changed substantially in the lifetime of most adults, and Joe Torre is a fitting spokesperson for the new style of succeeding. In Ground Rules for Winners, he makes it clear that competitive fire and a passion for success doesn't conflict with things like respect, dignity and knowing how to motivate people as individuals. This book represents a clear, practical game plan for anyone who wants a team of people to be the best at what they do.

Amidst a compelling inside view of the Yankees' championship seasons in the late 1990s, some of the jewels of this book include his intensive one-on-one style of coaching (he eschews team meetings in favor of literally hundreds of individual get-togethers with players), his uncanny ability to get inside players' heads and learn their strengths and motivations, and three entire chapters devoted to the nuances of working with a demanding boss. It's a fascinating read that will help you look at managing any business team in a new light. -Rich Gallagher, author Delivering Legendary Customer Service: Seven Steps to Success.

I've always loved this book and have read it a few times. What's cool about this book is that it is so understandable and useful to the everyday person while including ample reference to research supporting the "traits" and the "preventive" strategies suggested. It's also intriguing enough to hold the attention of the average mental health professional. If you have any interest in learning more about the "mind-body" connection and how you can use it to your advantage, check out this book!

This is actually a great book. Recent medical discoveries are depicted in lay terms, easy to read and, yes, even groovy. For example, one medical study showed that a 20-minute journal writing exercise, done daily, helped people's immune systems. And Mr. Dreher instructs you how to do it all at home. Following the exercises will help your health, I should think, and certainly your mental help. Fun, but serious; good for inner healing.

This was a great find. It is a fascinating book about the science of mind-body connection, but also a very practical helpful book with exercises and advice that cut much deeper than most of the mind-body books I've read. The scientists discussed are all intriguing characters. Real science, real info on how to enhance your emotional life and immune system at the same time. I can already tell it is helping me with many issues and health problems associated with my immune system. The 7 Traits for immunity are all right on--I was most intrigued by the work on confiding, assertiveness, and self-complexity. A terrific read.

This is such a supportive, warm, helpful, penetrating book. It helps enormously for me to rethink my life in terms of this concept of self-nurturance. What is great is how Dr. Domar takes you through so many different aspects of life and gives you practical and spiritual and psychological ways to nurture yourself in all these different areas--relationships, family, creativity, work, play, and faith. (I hate to admit it, but it also gives me confidence to know that she's a Harvard Med. School person.) I never fully realized just how exhausting and draining it can be to be so focussed on everyone else's needs. This book is giving me permission to really take time for myself, and it's giving me all sorts of ideas on how to use that time wisely, for my health, well-being, and capacity for joy. The stories are engaging, and there's something of value on every page. What a gift! I'm telling all my friends that this one is a must.

Dr. Alice Domar's book on Self-Nurturing is a must-read for both men and women! To say that this book is simply a woman's book and has no application to men is like saying we really don't want to understand the lives and experiences of over 50% of our population. Self care is what stress management and Mind/Body Medicine are all about, and this book sheds light and understanding on these important issues. Recommend this book to women AND men everywhere! . . . Gary L. Flegal, Ph.D., Professional Stress Management Services.

This is an amazing book. Lots of women that I know (myself included) have trouble taking time for themselves, yet they put in incredible amounts of time helping their female friends. This book helps you deal with that problem. I was also lucky enough to hear Alice Domar when she was on National Public Radio a few weeks ago. I found the interview fascinating. Dr. Domar talked about how you need to take time for yourself; so many of us feel guilty when we give ourselves time to relax. She has helped me realize that doing nice things for yourself is something that women need to do more of, and that we shouldn't feel guilty for doing it. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any woman.