This is Your Brain on Joy! A review of Dr. Earl Henslin's revolutationary new book

"I just want to be happy," he said.

My joy factor is high. I don't struggle with depression. Because of that I didn't want to offer pithy words that would make it worse.

That's why the new book by Dr. Earl Henslin caught my eye. Titled "This is Your Brain on Joy!, it's a program developed for balancing mood, restoring brain health, and nurturing spiritual growth.

Really?

I love that the book addressed all of the issues, not just spiritual. Because I think there are times when we have not walked in someone else's shoes, when we don't know what is truly going on chemically or physically, that we throw out platitudes or statements like, "if you'd only trust God, you'd get better."

That's offensive if someone trusts God daily just to get out of bed, who wants nothing more than to be happy again, and who has no clue why they feel the way they do.

Dr. Henslin studied images of the brain in clients to compare the 5 mood centers in the brain, and what it meant when any of those areas are out of balance. In the book, he explores specific therapies for specific problems. Treatment plans could include supplements or medications, mood-balancing foods, music, exercise, and spiritual therapy such as prayer or Scripture.

I love that faith and science joined hands in this book.

I'm not a counselor (my husband is), so I won't pretend this book has all the answers, but it's food for thought. Perhaps it will start an invigorating discussion in the medical and counseling world. And maybe it's one more resource to put in the hands of those who just want to be happy again.