My name is Susan Stough, and I am a mental health counselor in Walla Walla, Washington. In my previous career, I was an English professor, and I remain an avid fan of great reading, but these days I tend to read more about psychology and less of the literary classics.

In this blog, I intend to share periodic snippets from my reading. I'm going to focus on things that strike me as having the potential to make a real difference in someone's life. Since my focus in on mental wellness, that will be the general theme.

Currently, I am reading and reflecting on a book whose value surprised me. It is called Mental Toughness (published in 2005 by Ivan R. Dee in Chicago), and it is by several seasoned baseball coaches, Karl Kuehl, John Kuehl and Casey Tefertiller. Encapsulating some of the best of sports psychology, the book highlights the power of mental training. Though the focus is baseball, nearly everything is applicable to life generally.

The most intriguing concept for me as a therapist who does--among other things--cognitive therapy is the focus on "attitudes." Cultivating carefully chosen attitudes, the authors explain, can make a huge difference for baseball players. Here are a couple of attitudes I found particularly applicable for non-baseball players: "I will not worry about the expectations and judgements of others." And "With every worry and concern, I will determine whether I have control or not. Then I will not worry about things I cannot control or influence."

Kuehl, Kuehl and Tefertiller offer great advice about making new attitudes stick. For instance, "The player speaks to himself with conviction and emotion until these attitudes become natural, ingrained in the subconscious mind."

Another important word of advice from the book worth highlighting: In self-coaching, focus on the positive. If you're working on listening well, for instance, and you find you've started talking too much, coach yourself by saying "Listen," rather than "Stop talking." The simple positive self-guidance takes immediate effect and prevents unhelpful self-criticism and analysis.

By the way, this book is available from the Walla Walla Public Library.