Review = Guided Art Therapy Card Deck for Connection: 75 Activities for Bonding, Shared Reflection, and Communication by Emily Sharp

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

This is a great card deck to use art for relaxation and doing things together as a family. Each card has an art activity that helps you express yourself and find bonds with others, whether friends or family.

I like that the activities are very flexible, can be done alone or as a group and use a variety of tools. I would recommend to have a basic art set available for a variety of paints and pencils. Although if needed, you can improvise. But an investment in a good starter set is something I would recommend with water color, acrylic paint and pencils as well as a good assortment of paper.

Now let's get into the actual activities. Again, there are 75 cards with art related activities, grouped into specific topics or foals. The activities are designed for users of all levels, so you do not need to be an expert at using a specific paint, there are very basic and more advanced activities included. Pick an activity that you are comfortable with and have fun. 

The activities  are having goals such as bonding with others through shared activities. Then another group of activities will help an individual express their feelings and explore feelings they had they may not be good at expressing in words, but maybe art helps to gain clarity. 

 Due to the variety of tools used, this card set will help you also discover which style you are more comfortable with and maybe you discover art as a hobby and create meaningful paintings going forward. A lot of artists find it therapeutic to use art to work through issues and this may be a good start to help the user explore art in that sense as a hobby. 

The cards are written in an easy to understand way and there is no expectation that your art project meets a certain level of expertise. it is about having fun, exploring your feelings and bonding with others over art.  

I really enjoyed this card set. Easy to use, work on an artistic creation as you have time on your own and have regular meetings with others and have fun. I recommend this card set to people that find it difficult to express their feelings in words and I think that art may be a good way to express yourself. 

 

available on amazon.com

This card set was provided free of charge to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not influenced by any third party.  

Book Review = Easy Anti-Inflammatory Diet Air Fryer Cookbook: Clean and Quick Recipes to Fight Inflammation ... by Julie Andrews

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

 Air fryer are still very popular, but I decided to get a countertop oven with air fryer functionality because for a little bit more countertop space it basically replaced my oven. And the best thing about this book is that it covers all kinds of air fryers, including the multi-funcion countertop oven. 

The recipes cover the whole range of food items from baked goods to appetizers to fish and other meat dishes and of course desserts. The recipes are clearly presented and use ingredients that should be widely available.  One of the first dishes I tried out was a dessert that air fried bananas and combined them with yogurt. A lot of the recipes can be modified, For the example the banana dessert can be done with adding a little bit of dark chocolate sprinkles or some more fresh fruit. For someone like me that likes to experiment, I appreciate starting off with an anti-inflammatory recipe and maybe making small modifications when serving the dish in company, who may not need a strict anti-inflammatory diet. 

The author is dietitian and trained chef, so the recipes are tasty and easy, while still achieving the medical goals of supporting an anti-inflammatory lifestyle through food. And the recipes are easy and also based on regular home cooking such as chicken dishes and basic brownie-like desserts. 

While not geared towards specific diets such as gluten free, readers will find some recipes for such diets as well.  It is just not a book that will focus on such diets.

The cookbook is using a lot of pantry staples and affordable ingredients, which is especially important in current times. A lot of the recipes use minimal ingredients and substitution ideas are often presented or as I stated earlier, the reader can use their imagination and develop their own favorite substitutions. 

If you suffer from chronic pain, autoimmune concerns, or simply want to live healthier, the recipes in the book are a fun and easy (and often affordable way) to do that. And you do not need a lot of chef experience since the emphasis is on easy for these recipes and to me that ensures that the recipes will also be used. I really enjoyed the book because the recipes are easy, flexible for all types of air fryers and can often be modified in simple ways to fit your tastes or use up specific items from your current pantry. 

available on amazon.com

 

This book was provided free of charge to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not influenced by any third party.  

Book Review - What Would Jesus Do? A Family Devotional for Preteens and Parents: Conversation Starters on Life, Love, and Faith by Lucy Rycroft

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

While this is a religious book and each week has a different thought provoking topic and an appropriate prayer, this book is also useful if you do not want to force or guide your child towards religion before they are mature enough for the decision. 

For example a lot of kids grow tired of school and find it a burden. This book will provide parents with guidance to talk to kids about education as a privilege. Even without including religious aspects, the write up in this book can easily be a guide for parents to have this conversation with kids and teach them that lesson. I learned that lesson from my parents without the inclusion of religion because my parents live through a time when access to education was limited to a privileged few. 

But if you are a religious family and look for ways as a parent to bring the lessons of Jesus closer to your child, this book will provide weeks of inspiration. The same lesson on education can be based on what education Jesus may have received and how we have progressed since that time. Even in current times, many people have no access to education and by talking to your child how that impacts the rest of their lives and we should view education as a gift that needs to be cherished not wasted, it something parents can receive guidance for from this book. 

The target audience are parents of preteens (aged 1o to 12 years of age). Each chapter is intended to be the focus of a week and covers a basic reading, discussion topics and a concluding prayer. 

Besides Education and Schooling, other chapters cover 

• live in a frugal manner and save, but do so in a balanced way without becoming a hoarder
• honor your teachers, even if we disagree with them - I personally struggled with that a lot as a child
• be gracious and apologize, even if we feel that the other person may be wrong because getting along with others is worth pursuing
• responsible use of a phone - this is really important for kids today, who seem glued to apps 

 I really enjoyed this book and I encourage people to look at the larger lessons, if you feel that your child may feel negatively about too much religion. This book is certainly adaptable to the larger lesson and I consider this an excellent book on child rearing. 

available on amazon.com

This book was provided free of charge to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not influenced by any third party.  

Book Review - Two Truths and a Lie: Fun Facts, Unusual Knowledge, and Trivia to Test Your Wits by Drew Basile

  #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

This book will teach you something and you have fun in the process. The book has a number of chapters such as food or arts, then provide listings of three each in which the reader alone or in a group needs to figure out which is true and which is the lie. 

Whether you are killing time while waiting at an airport or you are stuck as a group until the movie theater opens, this book will easily move time along and do so in the fun and productive way. I have to say that I was impressed by the facts listed and was really enjoying that I learned something. It is important, and I can even after ready just a few pages, to check each word and focus on the questions. These are not intended for little kids - even though they can certainly learn. But the book is actually surprisingly challenging for adults too and I would say is more geared towards teenagers and older.

 You are sue to learn something in the listings for the 12 chapters included and no peeking because the solutions are at the end - so you have to use the brain first and then flip all the way to the back to see whether you were right. 

I like the versatility of this book because it can be used by one or a group of readers and the variety of topics covered are sure to find something of interest for everyone. If you like crossword puzzles or trivis games, this is the perfect book for you. 

 I highly recommend this book for the trivia fan and have it at home for when you need to have something on hand to make waiting easier or simply look for a fun way to entertain a group. 

 

available on amazon.com

 

 This book was provided free of charge to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not influenced by any third party.  

Review: Self-Esteem Skills Deck: 100 Practices to Increase Your Confidence, Achieve Your Goals, and Find Happiness by Leslie Davis

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

A lot of adult as well as teenagers struggle with lack of self esteem and suffer every day when interacting with people. These 100 cards provide a number of exercises to increase your self esteem and grow resilient, even if thrown into new situations and being surrounded by strangers. 

Self esteem or lack thereof is debilitating, especially as an adult when being asked to work with colleagues or in a job that requires customer facing interactions. Lack of self- esteem prevents a person from putting their best foot forward and leaves many adult unhappy and feeling like a failure. 

The cards included in this set provide 100 exercises that can be used in any order and at your priority to improve your self esteem and give you the confidence to talk to strangers and friends, while being still yourself.  This Self-Esteem Skills Deck is like having a therapist by your side. 

The best thing is the card format does not require to set aside an hour, but just a brief period, often no more than 15 minutes to complete a simple exercise that tackles self esteem from various angles and in the long run will improve your confidence. The cards provide easy to understand instructions, so you do not need to have completed a therapy degree to understand the exercise.

Best of all, you can do the exercises that feel good to you. While the cards are organized into topics, you can arrange the exercises to your liking and build what you feel is the best sequence of exercises. I really liked the do what feels right to you approach, but having the therapy knowledge in the cards available to stepwise improve your self-esteem. 

I really think these types of card sets will be the way to go in the future. You can improve your life on a budget and still get expert assistance in your hand. 

available on amazon.com

Review: Self-Guided Somatic Therapy Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Regulate Your Nervous System by Sasha Stok

#partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

Time are not easy. With. money being tight, stress about money and budgeting is at an all time high for many families. 

Somatic exercises and therapy can help dealing with stress and are exercises you can do at home and on your own. Best deal yet, if you get into the habit of using these exercises, the relief and stress reduction can be permanent and have a long term positive impact on your well being. 

This is self-guided and constitute4s a workbook; meaning you can do the exercises to fit your schedule and the author provides guidance, but how you implement and what combination works best for you is really your decision. The author provides a variety of exercises to relief stress, help with current or past trauma and improve your nervous system to enable you to lead a more relaxed and healthy life. 

Ideally, you will perform these exercises daily. But if that is not possible, work on establishing a routine that works for you and then long term improvement will happen. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and most importantly, you are in charge and decide on how to proceed and implement these exercises.  

I really enjoyed this book. It adds another component or variation to a mindful exercise regime. While some progression is intended, such as moving from awareness over stability to active integration. This is not a competitive approach and no specific timeline is given nor expected. Proceed at your own pace and comfort level. The important thing is that a more relaxed and at ease person is gained through this workbook. 

available on amazon.com

 

 

Book Review = Self-Guided Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy for OCD by Natalia Aíza

 #partner @penguinrandomhouse Thanks for the free book  

OCD can be very debilitating. I have mild tendencies towards OCD, but have seen in my own family how impactful OCD can be in preventing family members from leading happy and independent lives. 

 This book provides one avenue to prevent OCD from becoming an all-consuming aspect of life by introducing the reader to ERP therapy, which stands for Exposure and response prevention therapy. This is not a new approach, but has been studied for decades. This therapy centers on the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps the OCD sufferer to face the fears through mindful challenges. The approach is intended to turn moments of anxiety into opportunities to exhibit calm and confident behavior. What was cause for failure before, can now be seen as a success to be celebrated.  

Long-term the hope to enable OCD sufferers to lead healthy and happy lives by introducing ERP therapy into an approach that reduces moments of anxiety and turns them into episodes that show the person how far they have come and that this challenge can be handled. 

The author introduces as an introduction the reader to the ability to map their OCD cycle, design exposure plans, and guide the rader through every stage of recovery.  One important aspect of the healing process is self-compassion to boost recovery. The reader will learn to replace self-criticism with patience and empathy; increasing the ability to overcome setbacks with kindness.

I really liked this book and support any therapy that is enabling the sufferer by introducing positive feelings instead of punishing the patient or stigmatizing the patient further. The positive reinforcement makes it easier to continue to the therapy and empowers the reader to not give up, but count the little wins as important steps to focus on and be encouraged to continue on the healing journey. 

 

available on amazon

 

This book was provided free of charge to me in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and have not influenced by any third party.