Philippa Perry is a psychotherapist and writer who has contributed pieces to The Guardian, The Observer, Time Out and Healthy Living and has a column in Psychologies Magazine. She contends that changes in human behavior happen in four arenas: self-observation, relating to others, stress, and personal narrative. Together these combine to spell out the content of our lives.
In the opening section, the author suggests ways we can use and make the most out of self-observation; we examine our own emotions and those of others.
The second cornerstone of our sanity is our relationships. Perry looks at five modes of communication — appreciating, informing, questioning, complaining and recommending, and sharing.
In the third cornerstone of sanity, the emphasis is upon ways to keep our brains and ourselves fit. She explains why it is important to handle stress well.
The final section is on re-writing the stories and narratives that define us. She notes: "Our minds are formed by narratives," and our stories influence how we think about ourselves and the world around us.
