The dichotomy between mind and body is a false one — and so, it turns out, is the separation between emotion and cognition. In The Feeling Brain: The Biology and Psychology of Emotions, Elizabeth Johnston, a professor of psychology at Sarah Lawrence, and Leah Olson, a professor of biology at the same college, provide a marvelous and fascinating review of our feeling brain in a clear and understandable way.
The book grew out of a course the two authors co-taught and makes for a good resource for anyone interested in the neuroscience of emotions. And with its nuanced research, history, and case studies, it drew me in. As both a therapist and a taijiquan teacher, I found much in the book useful for my work, particularly when it comes to mindfulness and on the impact of stress on the brain.
But first: What is emotion, and do we really exist without it?
[For more of this story, written by Elizabeth Johnston and Leah Olson, go to http://psychcentral.com/lib/th...chology-of-emotions/]
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