39 pages • 1 hour read
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
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Key Figures
Daniel J. Siegel, MD
Daniel Siegel is a medical doctor with specializations in pediatrics and all-ages psychiatry. He received his MD from Harvard, followed by two post-graduate specializations from UCLA. His initial publications were all scholarly in nature, and were followed by a series of books dedicated to demystifying and explaining neuropsychiatric principles to a popular audience. His books include the New York Times bestsellers Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence; Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human; No-Drama Discipline; and Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain.
He is the founder and director of the Mindsight Institute which offers online courses to parents, professionals, and individuals on the principles outlined in Siegel’s books, including a course dedicated specifically to The Whole-Brain Child. He is a practicing professor of neuropsychiatry, and an active clinician caring for patients. He also serves as the founder and co-director of UCLA Mindful, an organization that provides mindfulness programs using meditation and evidence-based mindfulness practice. In addition to his writing, teaching, and clinical practice, Siegel is regularly invited to give lectures due to his ability to make complex neuro-biological concepts accessible to general audiences.
Siegel’s professional life has centered around a desire to harness the scientific knowledge of the brain’s structure and offer that knowledge to a wide audience. His interest in educating across experience and interests is reflected in his approachable, conversational tone in The Whole-Brain Child. His extensive academic research and scholarly publications provide scholarly credibility to the scientific explanations he offers from neuroscience. His cross-specialization in psychiatry and pediatrics demonstrates his dedication to using brain science to more fully understand emotional development and mental health.
Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
Tina Bryson holds a license for clinical social work and a PhD from the University of Southern California, specializing in attachment theory, Siegel’s field of interpersonal neurobiology, and childrearing theory. She has published two other books as a co-author with Siegel: New York Times bestseller No-Drama Discipline and The Power of Showing Up. She has also written three other books focusing on child development and interpersonal neurobiology. She largely works as a public speaker and educator, sharing her approach to play therapy and her scientific knowledge with a broad audience. Bryson is also a mother, and notes the importance of balancing career and family: She carefully guards family time while making public appearances and practicing therapy with individual clients and families.
Bryson co-founded and directs The Center for Connection in Southern California, which seeks to provide whole-family therapy rooted in interpersonal neurobiology. They offer a variety of psychological and occupational therapies, assessment services, and parenting coaching, all based in the same neuroscience and research that inspires The Whole-Brain Child. Bryson, like Siegel, has dedicated her career to demystifying neuroscience and psychology for a general audience, as is reflected by her public speaking and interviews. Even more than Siegel, Bryson focuses on childhood development and helping parents nurture good mental health throughout adolescence and adulthood.
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