Essential Living

Most of us think that the key to happiness and fulfillment is having more money, greater career success, or a loving relationship or family. Yet even when we achieve these goals, we ultimately still find ourselves not fully satisfied or happy, and in an endless cycle of wanting more or something different. Why is this? As noted psychiatrist Dr. Shelley Uram shows us, when we peel back the layers to reveal what we really want most in life, it turns out to be the qualities that are already present at our very core—our Essential Self. They include peace, joy, love, a sense of freedom, and a sense of connectedness. However, until we reconnect with our Essential Self, most people do not remember who they are at their very core.

In Essential Living, Dr. Uram explains how our ancient survival brain mechanisms shortcircuit our connection to our Essential Self, starting when we are young children, which ultimately leads us away from who we really are and down a path of unnecessary suffering. She then provides readers with self-assessment exercises, frameworks, and tools to chart a personalized return to the Essential Self. By learning how to quiet the ancient survival brain and reclaim our essence, we can discover an unlimited wellspring of what will truly sustain and fulfill us.