Can we live in a world with no villains?

    /24-7PressRelease/ - RICHARDSON, TX, November 23, 2006 - Living in a world of villains and victims predisposes us to conflict and violence. "When there is a 'good guy' and a 'bad guy' no one wins and everyone suffers," says author, Melody Brooke. In her new book, "Cycles of the Heart: A way out of the egocentrism of everyday life", Ms. Brooke explains the survival mechanism that drives people to conflict, and provides an alternate path that leads to compassion for themselves and others.

Melody proposes that survival instincts are organized around three roles: Victim, Rescuer and Self-Protector. These three roles define how people interact with each other and how they treat themselves. "But we do not have to stay locked in those primitive states," she emphasizes.

"Cycles of the Heart" also provides an alternate model that moves a person into new understanding of motivations and behaviors. "Change occurs when we learn to accept that all of us are 'doing the best we can' given our circumstances," says Ms Brooke, "The path to that acceptance requires a paradigm shift in how we perceive conflict in any given situation. Do we see ourselves as a helpless victim? Do we see the other as a 'villain'? Do we see ourselves as the person who can make everything better?"

By shifting our perceptions, according to Ms Brooke, readers develop a new perspective on themselves, and their relationships. Unlike many self-help books, "Cycles of the Heart" not only describes the problem, but the solution, and how to navigate the change.

Ms Brooke's book presents a model for understanding these survival mechanisms as they apply to individuals, marriages, families, and even nations. But she does not stop there, she goes on to map out a new direction for relating to others, providing a model for health that is seldom seen in the self-help section. Additionally, her chapter entitled "The Wall of Grief" helps readers to understand the natural resistance to living that model of health and provides the tools to achieve it. "Cycles of the Heart" provides a new way of understanding everyone's motivations and behaviors and helps readers do things differently.

The book has developed over 17 years practicing as a counselor with adults, adolescents and their families. Melody began her practice in Sherman, Texas counseling troubled teens and their families. For the past 8 years, she has been in private practice in Plano and Richardson. She has been published previously in professional journals and local magazines, but this is her first complete manuscript. Her model has been well received at national and international conferences. For more information visit Melody's website at: http://www.melodybrooke.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melody Brooke has over 17 years counseling experience. She graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas and has a master's degree from Texas Woman's' University. This is her first release. The second, titled The Practice of Compassion: A workbook will be released later this year.


MEDIA CONTACT: Melody Brooke 469-223-7153
[email protected], http://www.melodybrooke.comurl

Melody Brooke, MA, LPC, LMFT is an individual and group counselor for adults, adolescents and families. She is an author and speaker, certified Right Use of Power Ethics Teacher, Radix Practitioner, and InterPlay Leader. She has been in practice for 17 years and is a member of the American Counseling Association, the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, International Society for the Study of Dissociation and the American Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists. For further information please contact Melody at 469-223-7153 or email her at [email protected]

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