Almost Happy: Pushing Your Buttons With Reverse Psychology

by Brian Kaplan MD, Hephzibah Kaplan

Overview

It’s a proven fact; we are healthier and happier when we are laughing. Not only is laughter good for our body, mind, and spirit, but it can also help us face the uncomfortable challenge of dealing with our personal difficulties. Almost Happy introduces the reader to a practical and accessible way to use humor to effect change. Reverse psychology can provoke us to discover, own, and enact authentic solutions to many of our issues. The 114 original buttons were designed as stirring visual communications to enhance the provocative process—which is based on three core ideas: 1. People don’t like being told what to do. 2. Reverse Psychology, a technique known to most parents, also works brilliantly on adults. 3. Irony, satire and parody—when used warmly and responsibly—can provoke the emergence of conscience and common sense. Are you ready to read a book that will gently tease you about your issues? The buttons and provocative suggestions are offered with a twinkle in the eye and affection in the heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781952019357
Publisher:	Nextone Inc
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 6.60(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Brian Kaplan qualified as a medical doctor in 1980. Since then he has spent many years training in whole person approaches to health, well-being, and personal development, including counseling, psychotherapy, Voice Dialogue, Autogenic Training, Balint groups, family constellation work, improvisation, stand-up comedy, art therapy, and more. Significant teachers and mentors include Dr Eric Ledermann (existential medical philosopher), Frank Farrelly (founder of Provocative Therapy), Joseph Berke (psychodyamic supervision), Arnold Brown (laconic comedian), and John Rowan (pioneer of humanistic psychology and integrative psychotherapy). Brian has made regular appearances on Sky News, BBC Radio, LBC and local radio. He has contributed chapters and forewords to several books, and in 2001 wrote the well-regarded The Homeopathic Conversation: the art of taking the case for doctors, therapists, and health care professionals. Hephzibah Kaplan is a qualified art therapist, psychotherapy supervisor and artist. She founded the London Art Therapy Centre in 2010, and is its director as well as senior art therapist, supervisor, and head of training. She has had extensive training in various clinical approaches (psychodynamic, humanistic, transpersonal, Provocative Therapy, family constellation work, Autogenic Training) as well as in the Expressive Arts, including art, drama, dance, and clowning, incorporating these modalities into her work with children and adults. Her teachers have included Joseph E. Berke (psychodynamic supervision), Frank Farrelly (Provocative Therapy), John Rowan (pioneer of humanistic psychology and integrative psychotherapy) and Prof. Shaun McNiff (Expressive Therapies). Hephzibah has published well-received papers in art therapy journals and books. She is a recognized national and international teacher and workshop facilitator, and appeared on BBC World News and radio.

Table of Contents

Introduction xiii

The Key to Reading Almost Happy xxii

Chapter 1 Bad Habits 1

Chapter 2 Sex, Love, and Relationships 47

Chapter 3 Health and Well-Being 91

Chapter 4 Work, Power, and Money 133

Chapter 5 Buttons for Assorted Purposes 181

Acknowledgments 241

Appendices

I The Goals of Provocative Therapy 247

II The Dynamic of Reverse Psychology 249

III The Tools of Provocative Therapy 251

IV Theories of Subselves 253