Better in Every Sense - by Norman Farb & Zindel Segal (Hardcover)

About the Book

"For many of us, daily life has stopped making sense. Super-efficient routines that once served us well now stress us out. Patterns of judgment and negative thinking lead to downward emotional spirals. For others, life has simply lost its spark. Where does change come from when habit lets you down?"--

Book Synopsis

Break out of negative patterns, relieve anxiety, build new habits, and find fresh motivation by using the groundbreaking "sense foraging" technique

How do you make a change in your life when the tools you used to rely on start letting you down? Whether we're struggling with a problem, a bad habit, or life in general, we often think we need to "tough it out" or "try harder." But when we do that, our brains double down on the patterns that got us stuck in the first place. Fortunately, the science of sensation provides the key.

In Better in Every Sense, neuroscientist Norman Farb and clinical psychologist Zindel Segal explain that the brain has two networks--the rapid problem-solving (habit) network and the sensory network, which is devoted to fresh insight. By tuning into sensations--from the feeling of our feet on a crowded street to the sound of birdsong in the park--we can engage the sensory network. When we're stressed or stuck, we can use the technique of "sense foraging" to boost our resilience, well-being, health, and creativity wherever we are.

Grounded in decades of scientific research and filled with simple exercises and practical mental techniques, Better in Every Sense explores the power of sensory experiences to liberate us from ruts and dead ends--and handle all of life's challenges.

Review Quotes

"An accessible resource for all those struggling in our age of attention economy, individualism, and anxiety.... The authors take the reader on a journey of empowerment with new science, historical context, and simple tools that make a path toward fulfillment and happiness feel uncomplicated."--Mindful magazine (All-Time Favorite Books About Mindfulness)

"An accessible synthesis of the neuroscience of sensation, interfused with a practical set of strategies, tactics and tools, designed to actively engage and recalibrate capacity to 'sense one's own senses.' Farb and Segal have outlined the essential building blocks and provided a straightforward series of practices to help us more agilely respond and thrive in an ever-changing and challenging world."--Helen Mayberg, MD, Mount Sinai

"The wisdom in this book is palpable. The authors distill their deep expertise in neuroscience and mental health into vivid stories and enticing exercises. You'll come away with practical insights on why, when, and how certain wellness activities enliven you whereas others fall flat. Looking to escape habit loops that keep you stuck? Then read this book, awaken your senses, and stay curious."--Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, Author of Positivity and Love 2.0

"Norm Farb and Zindel Segal, two renowned contemplative scientists, have written the go-to book for a deep, sophisticated, and useful understanding of the brain, the mind, and mood--while illuminating a fundamental path to flourishing. The secret is 'sense foraging'-- a beautiful practice that opens the door to a more joyful, connected, and purposeful life. You must try these accessible exercises and sense for yourself!"--Elissa Epel, PhD, author of New York Times bestseller The Telomere Effect and The Stress Prescription

"We are creatures of habit. Our minds--and lives--run largely on autopilot, which can help us survive day to day, but can get us stuck in cycles of depression, anxiety or simply getting by. Farb and Segal expertly unpack the difference between being alive and truly living, and in the process, make complex neuroscience accessible. They also guide us with practical tools to awaken to the freshness of each moment so that we can truly live our lives Better in Every Sense."--Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety and The Craving Mind

"These two highly trained and highly skilled professionals have got the chops -- and the goods -- to help you genuinely upgrade your life."--Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier

"When you are feeling stressed or stuck, how do you relate to your life? In Better in Every Sense the authors take us through the science of tools to get out of the 'house of habit' and offer ways to re-engage with your life.
A wonderful new book by Norman Farb and Zindel Segal. Fascinating, thought-provoking, and so useful in these trying times." --Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Life

"A brilliant, user-friendly, and easy-to-implement framework explaining why intentionally tuning in to our senses and learning how to trust them and expand their repertoire in outside-the-box ways--what the authors call 'sense foraging'--is profoundly liberative and healing, revolutionary, and yet totally commonsensical."--Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of MBSR and author of Coming to Our Senses and Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief

About the Author

Norman Farb is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, where he directs the Regulatory and Affective Dynamics laboratory and the Psychedelics Studies Research Program.

Zindel Segal is Distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders at the University of Toronto. He co-developed mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), a psychological treatment that prevents relapse in clinical depression on par with antidepressant medication.