Better in Every Sense

How the New Science of Sensation Can Help You Reclaim Your Life

By: Norman Farb PhD, Zindel Segal PhD

Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller

Break out of negative patterns, relieve anxiety, build new habits, and find fresh motivation by using the groundbreaking "sense foraging" technique

How do you make a change in your life when the tools you used to rely on start letting you down? Whether we’re struggling with a problem, a bad habit, or life in general, we often think we need to “tough it out” or “try harder.” But when we do that, our brains double down on the patterns that got us stuck in the first place. Fortunately, the science of sensation provides the key.

In Better in Every Sense, neuroscientist Norman Farb and clinical psychologist Zindel Segal explain that the brain has two networks—the rapid problem-solving (habit) network and the sensory network, which is devoted to fresh insight. By tuning into sensations—from the feeling of our feet on a crowded street to the sound of birdsong in the park—we can engage the sensory network. When we’re stressed or stuck, we can use the technique of "sense foraging" to boost our resilience, well-being, health, and creativity wherever we are.

Grounded in decades of scientific research and filled with simple exercises and practical mental techniques, Better in Every Sense explores the power of sensory experiences to liberate us from ruts and dead ends—and handle all of life’s challenges.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Norman Farb and Zindel Segal (P)2024 Little, Brown Spark

Critic reviews

“A brilliant, user-friendly, and easy-to-implement framework explaining why intentionally tuning in to our senses and learning how to trust them and expand their repertoire in outside-the-box ways—what the authors call ‘sense foraging’—is profoundly liberative and healing, revolutionary, and yet totally commonsensical.”—Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of MBSR and author of Coming to Our Senses and Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief

"When you are feeling stressed or stuck, how do you relate to your life? In Better in Every Sense the authors take us through the science of tools to get out of the 'house of habit' and offer ways to re-engage with your life. A wonderful new book by Norman Farb and Zindel Segal. Fascinating, thought-provoking, and so useful in these trying times."—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Life

"These two highly trained and highly skilled professionals have got the chops—and the goods—to help you genuinely upgrade your life."—Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier

Unnecessarily wordy

I appreciate the ideas, however, the author could have and would have more effectively written this book with 15 or 20% as many words. Her for the course for today's self-help books.

Another raft in a sea of self help books

After hearing a podcast interview with one of the authors I picked up this book with eagerness. Overall it really didn’t resonate with me as new information or a new approach. Felt like another way to describe mindfulness using a buzz word, “sense foraging”. Overall it felt like a raft rather than an ocean liner of information.

For some it may resonate with, and to them I think nothing less. For me it was a return.