The Quest to Feel Good

While acknowledging the contributions of neuroscience and the adaptive usefulness of painful emotions, Rasmussen (psychology, Furman U., Greenville, South Carolina) emphasizes the quest to feel as good as possible--what he calls the 'Z-factor'--as the driver of behavior. Drawing on Alfred Adler's individual school of psychology and Theodore Millon's personality model, he presents a model that treats the events ('X') behind emotions ('Y'). Clinical examples illustrate the strategy of emotional orientation for problems with perceived threat, psychological distancing, and other types of emotions. Intended for a wide audience, the book includes a worksheet on emotional self-control. Annotation 穢2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)