The Balanced Brain
The Science of Mental Health
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $30.25
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Camilla Nord
-
Written by:
-
Camilla Nord
About this listen
This audiobook narrated by Camilla Nord reveals how we can use what we’ve learned about the brain to improve our mental health
There are many routes to mental well-being. In this groundbreaking book, neuroscientist Camilla Nord offers a fascinating tour of the scientific developments that are revolutionizing the way we think about mental health, showing why and how events—and treatments—can affect people in such different ways.
In The Balanced Brain, Nord explains how our brain constructs our sense of mental health—actively striving to maintain balance in response to our changing circumstances. While a mentally healthy brain deals well with life’s turbulence, poor mental health results when the brain struggles with disruption. But just what is the brain trying to balance? Nord describes the foundations of mental health in the brain—from the neurobiology of pleasure, pain and desire to the role of mood-mediating chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and opioids. She then pivots to interventions, revealing how antidepressants, placebos, and even recreational drugs work; how psychotherapy changes brain chemistry; and how the brain and body interact to make us feel physically (as well as mentally) healthy. Along the way, Nord explains how the seemingly small things we use to lift our moods—a piece of chocolate, a walk, a chat with a friend—work on the same pathways in our brains as the latest treatments for mental health disorders.
Understanding the cause of poor mental health is one of the crucial questions of our time. But the answer is unique to each of us. Finding what helps your brain rebalance and thrive means finding the answer to this question. With so many factors at play, there are more possibilities for recovery and resilience than we might think.
©2024 Camilla Nord (P)2024 Princeton University PressYou may also enjoy...
-
The Negativity Fast
- Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success
- Written by: Anthony Iannarino
- Narrated by: Anthony Iannarino
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sales leader and strategist Anthony Iannarino delivers an exciting and effective new take on creating and sustaining powerful sales processes. You'll learn to lead with positivity as you harness negative emotions to make lasting changes for the better and explore the power of gratitude to transform your mental outlook. Discover how to reframe the negative events of your life into the ways they made you stronger and prepared you for future setbacks.
-
-
Must Read
- By Sky High on 2024-06-24
Written by: Anthony Iannarino
-
Royal Witches
- Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England
- Written by: Gemma Hollman
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Until the mass hysteria of the seventeenth century, accusations of witchcraft in England were rare. However, four royal women, related in family and in court ties - Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and Elizabeth Woodville - were accused of practicing witchcraft in order to kill or influence the king. In Royal Witches, Gemma Hollman explores the lives and the cases of these so-called witches, placing them in the historical context of 15th-century England, a setting rife with political upheaval and war.
-
-
very enjoyable and informative
- By hanna k on 2020-09-28
Written by: Gemma Hollman
-
The Book of Beautiful Questions
- The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead
- Written by: Warren Berger
- Narrated by: Michael Quinlan
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Book of Beautiful Questions, Berger shares illuminating stories and compelling research on the power of inquiry. Drawn from the insights and expertise of psychologists, innovators, effective leaders and some of the world's foremost creative thinkers, he presents the essential questions readers need to make the best choices when it truly counts, with a particular focus in four key areas: decision-making, creativity, leadership and relationships.
-
-
Better as a Physical Book
- By Becca Craig on 2023-02-22
Written by: Warren Berger
-
Talking to Crazy
- How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life
- Written by: Mark Goulston MD
- Narrated by: L. J. Ganser
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Let's face it: We all know people who are irrational. No matter how hard you try to reason with them, it never works. So what's the solution? How do you talk to someone who's out of control? What can you do with a boss who bullies, a spouse who yells, or a friend who frequently bursts into tears? In his book Just Listen, Mark Goulston shared his best-selling formula for getting through to the resistant people in your life. Now he brings his communication magic to the most difficult group of all - the downright irrational.
-
-
exactly what i need
- By Jaime on 2019-02-05
Written by: Mark Goulston MD
-
Leading the Unleadable
- How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas, and Other Difficult People
- Written by: Alan Willett
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Difficult people are the worst part of a manager's job. Whether it comes from direct reports or people above, outbursts, irrational demands, griping, and other disruptions need to be dealt with - and it's your responsibility to do it. Leading the Unleadable turns this dreaded chore into a straight forward process that gently, yet effectively, improves behaviors.
Written by: Alan Willett
-
How the Earth Works
- Written by: Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael E. Wysession
- Length: 24 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How the Earth Works takes you on an astonishing journey through time and space. In 48 lectures, you will look at what went into making our planet - from the big bang, to the formation of the solar system, to the subsequent evolution of Earth.
-
-
Top 10 (of 100's) Great Courses
- By Steven MC on 2024-05-03
Written by: Michael E. Wysession, and others
-
The Negativity Fast
- Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success
- Written by: Anthony Iannarino
- Narrated by: Anthony Iannarino
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sales leader and strategist Anthony Iannarino delivers an exciting and effective new take on creating and sustaining powerful sales processes. You'll learn to lead with positivity as you harness negative emotions to make lasting changes for the better and explore the power of gratitude to transform your mental outlook. Discover how to reframe the negative events of your life into the ways they made you stronger and prepared you for future setbacks.
-
-
Must Read
- By Sky High on 2024-06-24
Written by: Anthony Iannarino
-
Royal Witches
- Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England
- Written by: Gemma Hollman
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Until the mass hysteria of the seventeenth century, accusations of witchcraft in England were rare. However, four royal women, related in family and in court ties - Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and Elizabeth Woodville - were accused of practicing witchcraft in order to kill or influence the king. In Royal Witches, Gemma Hollman explores the lives and the cases of these so-called witches, placing them in the historical context of 15th-century England, a setting rife with political upheaval and war.
-
-
very enjoyable and informative
- By hanna k on 2020-09-28
Written by: Gemma Hollman
-
The Book of Beautiful Questions
- The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead
- Written by: Warren Berger
- Narrated by: Michael Quinlan
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Book of Beautiful Questions, Berger shares illuminating stories and compelling research on the power of inquiry. Drawn from the insights and expertise of psychologists, innovators, effective leaders and some of the world's foremost creative thinkers, he presents the essential questions readers need to make the best choices when it truly counts, with a particular focus in four key areas: decision-making, creativity, leadership and relationships.
-
-
Better as a Physical Book
- By Becca Craig on 2023-02-22
Written by: Warren Berger
-
Talking to Crazy
- How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life
- Written by: Mark Goulston MD
- Narrated by: L. J. Ganser
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Let's face it: We all know people who are irrational. No matter how hard you try to reason with them, it never works. So what's the solution? How do you talk to someone who's out of control? What can you do with a boss who bullies, a spouse who yells, or a friend who frequently bursts into tears? In his book Just Listen, Mark Goulston shared his best-selling formula for getting through to the resistant people in your life. Now he brings his communication magic to the most difficult group of all - the downright irrational.
-
-
exactly what i need
- By Jaime on 2019-02-05
Written by: Mark Goulston MD
-
Leading the Unleadable
- How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas, and Other Difficult People
- Written by: Alan Willett
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Difficult people are the worst part of a manager's job. Whether it comes from direct reports or people above, outbursts, irrational demands, griping, and other disruptions need to be dealt with - and it's your responsibility to do it. Leading the Unleadable turns this dreaded chore into a straight forward process that gently, yet effectively, improves behaviors.
Written by: Alan Willett
-
How the Earth Works
- Written by: Michael E. Wysession, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael E. Wysession
- Length: 24 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How the Earth Works takes you on an astonishing journey through time and space. In 48 lectures, you will look at what went into making our planet - from the big bang, to the formation of the solar system, to the subsequent evolution of Earth.
-
-
Top 10 (of 100's) Great Courses
- By Steven MC on 2024-05-03
Written by: Michael E. Wysession, and others
-
A Symphony in the Brain
- The Evolution of the New Brain Wave Biofeedback
- Written by: Jim Robbins
- Narrated by: Victor Bevine
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From neurofeedback with functional magnetic resonance imaging equipment, to the use of radio waves, to biofeedback of the heart and breath, and coverage of biofeedback by health insurance plans, the numerous advances have driven the need for a revised edition to this groundbreaking book that traces the fascinating, untold story of the development of biofeedback.
-
-
Enlightening, honest.
- By Mishipeshu on 2020-05-21
Written by: Jim Robbins
-
A Little History of the World
- Written by: E. H. Gombrich
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
E. H. Gombrich's world history, an international best seller now available in English for the first time, is a text dominated not by dates and facts but by the sweep of experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity's achievements, and an acute witness to its frailties.
-
-
Great voice and content as a sleep story
- By Alana Shopalot on 2021-04-16
Written by: E. H. Gombrich
-
The Salt Fix
- Why Experts Got It All Wrong - and How Eating More Might Save Your Life
- Written by: Dr. J. DiNicolantonio
- Narrated by: Qarie Marshall
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We all know the dangers of sugar and salt: but the danger attributed to the second white crystal has more to do with getting too little of it, not too much. Too little salt can shift the body into semi-starvation mode, causing insulin resistance, and may even cause twice as much fat to be absorbed for every gram that's consumed. Too little salt in certain populations can also actually increase blood pressure as well as resting heart rate.
-
-
Brilliant insight re. salt in our diets
- By John C on 2018-10-22
Written by: Dr. J. DiNicolantonio
-
Brain Hacks
- Life-Changing Strategies to Improve Executive Functioning
- Written by: Lara Honos-Webb PhD
- Narrated by: Rebecca Rogers
- Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Filled with actionable strategies proven to improve focus, increase productivity, and promote well-being, Brain Hacks will help you transform the way you work, live, and feel by tapping into the power of your executive functioning skills. Modern life requires a lot of our brains. We need to stay organized, manage our time wisely, and make important decisions. These essential skills - known as executive functioning - affect every aspect of our lives, from how we function at work and home to how we manage stress.
-
-
Not what I was hoping for
- By James Murphy on 2023-08-09
Written by: Lara Honos-Webb PhD
-
Compete to Create
- An Approach to Living and Leading Authentically
- Written by: Dr. Michael Gervais, Pete Carroll
- Narrated by: Dr. Michael Gervais, Pete Carroll
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The modern world bombards us with messages that we are not enough and need something outside ourselves to be fulfilled. The truth is everything we need is already inside us. We just need to uncover it. Based on the ground-breaking mindset training and culture building platform co-founded by Dr. Michael Gervais and NFL coach Pete Carroll, Compete to Create provides a blueprint to unlock your authentic self, explore the edges of your potential, and live a life of purpose and meaning.
-
-
These guys are great
- By Macleod on 2020-07-10
Written by: Dr. Michael Gervais, and others
-
Decolonizing Therapy
- Oppression, Historical Trauma, and Politicizing Your Practice
- Written by: Jennifer Mullan PsyD
- Narrated by: Carmen Jewel Jones
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An essential work that centers colonial and historical trauma in a framework for healing, Decolonizing Therapy illuminates that all therapy is—and always has been—inherently political. To better understand the mental health oppression and institutional violence that exists today, we must become familiar with the root of disembodiment from our histories, homelands, and healing practices. Only then will listeners see how colonial, historical, and intergenerational legacies have always played a role in the treatment of mental health.
-
-
must listen and/or read
- By Paula Vicente on 2024-03-10
Written by: Jennifer Mullan PsyD
-
You Are Not What You Think
- The Egoless Path to Self-Esteem and Generous Love
- Written by: David Richo
- Narrated by: Tom Pile
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You and your ego: how to develop a healthy sense of self without becoming an egotist - and how to see through that sense of self for the happiness of yourself and others. How can you build the healthy ego necessary to be effective in life - yet avoid the kind of egotism that makes people dislike you? Don't worry; Dave Richo has the answers. His new book shows you how to navigate the tricky waters between egotism and selflessness in a way that avoids both extremes and makes you much more effective and loving.
Written by: David Richo
-
Move Fast and Fix Things
- The Trusted Leader's Guide to Solving Hard Problems
- Written by: Anne Morriss, Frances Frei
- Narrated by: Frances Frei, Anne Morriss
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Speed has gotten a bad name in business, much of it deserved. When Facebook made "Move fast and break things" an informal company motto, it fueled a widely held belief that we can either make progress or take care of people, one or the other. That a certain amount of wreckage is the price we have to pay for inventing the future. Leadership experts Frances Frei and Anne Morriss argue that this belief is deeply flawed—and that it keeps you from building a great company.
-
-
Terrible
- By BP on 2024-09-22
Written by: Anne Morriss, and others
-
Discipline Without Damage
- Written by: Vanessa Lapointe
- Narrated by: Adrienne Fish
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this easy-to-listen-to, science-based book, parents, caregivers, and adults of all kinds discover how discipline affects children’s development, why intervention should reinforce connection not separation, and why the disciplinary strategies that may have been used on us as children are not the ones that children really need. As a practicing child and family psychologist and advisor to the British Columbia ministry of children and families, Dr. Vanessa has seen it all, and she has navigated hundreds of tough situations with families.
-
-
Will be reading again and again
- By Jessie Bray on 2023-02-07
Written by: Vanessa Lapointe
-
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
- Written by: Thomas S. Kuhn
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A good book may have the power to change the way we see the world, but a great book actually becomes part of our daily consciousness, pervading our thinking to the point that we take it for granted, and we forget how provocative and challenging its ideas once were - and still are. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is that kind of book.
-
-
Started slow, but finished strong
- By Myron Hedderson on 2019-02-10
Written by: Thomas S. Kuhn
-
Principles of Economics
- Written by: Saifedean Ammous
- Narrated by: Saifedean Ammous
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Principles of Economics is a university-level textbook in economics that offers a clear and concise exploration of the most important economic concepts. This book is unapologetically Austrian in its approach. It tackles major economic concepts and topics independently, but in a logical sequence aimed at delivering the listener an understanding of economics at an individual and societal level, and the widespread implications of economics as a topic.
-
-
Best book I've listened to this year
- By Sebastian on 2023-10-28
Written by: Saifedean Ammous
-
Heart Minded
- How to Hold Yourself and Others in Love
- Written by: Sarah Blondin
- Narrated by: Sarah Blondin
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A treasury of meditations for living from your heart - from a top teacher. With poetic brilliance and skillful instruction, renowned teacher Sarah Blondin brings you a treasury of meditations and spiritual teachings to help you detach from your busy mind and tune into your feeling heart. As the students of her popular online trainings can attest, these simple and powerful practices can instantly bring you into a deeper connection with yourself and others. And you can go back to these meditations whenever you feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or afraid.
-
-
An essential piece of my toolkit.
- By Gaby D. on 2021-01-20
Written by: Sarah Blondin
What the critics say
“This excellent book is a breath of fresh air . . . anyone reading it will come away with a kinder, better understanding of themselves. A clear-thinking tour of the latest research from a leading mental health scientist and an accessible exploration of how our bodies and minds make us feel the way we do—or better or worse.”—Lucy Foulkes, author of What Mental Illness Really Is . . . (and what it isn’t)
“This is a wonderful, living history of how scientists have gained insights into and currently think about the dynamic health of the brain. Nord’s narrative style is intimate and engaging, making you feel almost as though you were there when breakthroughs were made. The denouement is a deeply compelling message. To navigate the fleeting joys and transient displeasures of life, there is one sustaining imperative—namely, balance.”—Karl Friston, University College London
“Fascinating . . . Camilla Nord, one of our most original thinkers, writes compellingly about the complexities of the brain and mental health. She presents new insights from neuroscience about how the brain generates our mental state, thoughts, moods and feelings, and what happens when things go wrong. This thought-provoking book is an essential resource.”—Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, author of Inventing Ourselves