Dreamin’ Reviews: Atlas of the Heart
By: Jasmin Roden, LMSW, CAADC
This review is about the human experience and the importance of connection and vulnerability in experiencing emotions. The book that I am referencing is Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown, PhD, MSW. I was more than happy when I saw several of my new co-workers have this book readily in view in their offices. Just another nod to me making the right choice of joining Caught Dreamin’ Therapy.
Atlas of the Heart is not like any other “self-help” book that I have ever read. It is beautiful, both the cover and the inside of this book. I can even see this book being a coffee table book for some.
Brene Brown is an inspiration for me and someone who has made a large impact on my social work career. Brene has written many books, with Atlas of the Heart being one of my favorites of hers. To see additional books that have been published by Brene, click here. Over twenty years ago Brene started her research on the connection between how people think, feel, and act. Atlas of the Heart is composed of eighty-seven emotions and experiences of humans. She believes that to make sense of our feelings and experiences we must recognize how they show up in our emotions, get curious about how our beliefs were shaped, examine our behaviors, and recognize the context and backstory.
The book is broken up into thirteen chapters which categorize emotions and experiences that are similar. Some of these chapters are difficult to get through, mostly because emotions may be evoked through reading her descriptions and scenarios. One of my aha moments was reading about the difference between being stressed and overwhelmed. I also took away that befriending our emotions and experiences is the best way to stay in tune and connected to ourselves and others.
Chapter seven, Places We Go with Others, is my personal favorite. This chapter to me highlights the importance of being emotionally intelligent and why it is important in all relationships. Brene covers compassion, pity, empathy, sympathy, boundaries,and comparative suffering. Page 126 and 127 breaks down what she calls empathy misses. These are attempts at being empathetic that are actually not helpful and can even be harmful. A common misstep is giving advice or trying to problem solve for a person rather than listening and being present with the person.
Overall, I simply love this book. Brene does it again, she never fails to deliver great content when she publishes her work. In addition, Brene has podcasts that are fun to listen to as well, if you're into that sort of thing.
Readability: Easy. As I mentioned before, this book is beautiful with quotes and images scattered throughout that enhance the material's content.
Recommended Reader: Fellow mental health therapists and substance abuse counselors, Brene gives great examples that can be used in sessions to explain emotions to clients. In addition, this book is good for anyone who wants to learn more about their emotions and how to identify and differentiate them.
It is important to note that these books and other resources are not appropriate or meant to replace mental health or substance abuse treatment. If your symptoms are impacting your daily life, please seek treatment.
You can purchase the book discussed in this blog by clicking this link: https://brenebrown.com/book/atlas-of-the-heart/.
Don’t forget to check your local library and independent book store.