Top

How Do You Picture Joy?

October 8, 2009 by Kay S. Walsh · 1 Comment 

Cover Image

This Is Your Brain on Joy: A Revolutionary Program for Balancing Mood, Restoring Brain Health, and Nurturing Spiritual Growth

by Dr. Earl Henslin

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

How do you picture joy?

Some may envision children with Jell-O-red smiles, rambunctious puppies, or Fourth of July parades. For others, joy may conjure up memories of time spent with someone you love or warm summer evenings.
However, in this book, the author takes a more scientific approach. Through the use of SPECT (single photon emission computerized tomography) imagery, brain scans are now able to expose emotions.

Why is this important to the lay person? This imagery provides powerful information to identify disorders such as ADHD (attention concerns), fears, addictions, compulsions, obsessions, depression, grief, anger, etc. In other words, conditions common in today’s world.

Doctors, counselors and therapists use this information to prescribe personalized treatment. While treatment may include medication, usually there is a combination of diet, supplements, music, cinematherapy, laughter, aromatherapy and biofeedback. Treatment typically includes physical exercise as well as spiritual exercise (prayer, reading scripture, etc.).

Instant Vacation: Cinematherapy

If you have already had your summer vacation or it seems too far away, Dr. Henslin has a prescription to improve not only your mood but also your health: Plan on watching a funny movie.

In his Brain-Heart Matters Newsletter (May 2009) he states that research shows anticipation of watching a funny movie increases hormones that elevate mood and optimize immunity. Another study shows that, “…anticipation of mirthful laughter reduced the levels of three detrimental stress hormones.” Seems Patch Adams is right!

(http://drhenslin.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=5&articleID=49)

Clinics

According to the back cover, “Dr. Henslin has been integrating brain imaging into the treatment of psychological, physical and spiritual problems (at his) Christian counseling group in Brea, California.”

His colleague, Dr. Daniel G. Amen, who wrote the forward for this book has clinics on the West Coast and one in Reston, Virginia.

Share/Save/Bookmark