Our ability to know our own minds as well as to sense the inner world
\nof others may be the singular human talent, the key to nurturing healthy
\nminds and hearts. I\u2019ve explored this terrain in my own work on
\nemotional and social intelligence. Self-awareness and empathy are
\n(along with self-mastery and social skills) domains of human ability
\nessential for success in life. Excellence in these capacities helps people
\nflourish in relationships, family life, and marriage, as well as in work
\nand leadership.
\nOf these four key life skills, self-awareness lays the foundation for the
\nrest. If we lack the capacity to monitor our emotions, for example, we
\nwill be poorly suited to manage or learn from them. Tuned out of a
\nrange of our own experience, we will find it all the harder to attune to
\nthat same range in others. Effective interactions depend on the smooth
\nintegration of self-awareness, mastery, and empathy. Or so I\u2019ve argued.
\nDr. Siegel casts the discussion in a fresh light, putting these dynamics in
\nterms of mindsight, and marshals compelling evidence for its crucial role
\nin our lives.
\nA gifted and sensitive clinician, as well as a master synthesizer of
\nresearch findings from neuroscience and child development, Dr. Siegel
\ngives us a map forward. Over the years he has continually broken new
\nground in his writing on the brain, psychotherapy, and child-rearing; his
\nseminars for professionals are immensely popular<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"