A Developmentalist's Guide to Better Mental Health

""How might we counteract the increasing individualism of psycho-politics? How do we engage the dualisms that split us? How do we develop and perform a greater range of emotional repertoire? Holzman challenges the objective-subjective dualism of the human sciences to help us performatively develop. In her responses to the fifty letters addressed to The Developmentalist, Holzman illustrates the power of play and gives us a glimpse of the characters we can perform to 'become a head taller' —that is, to become something and someone we weren’t. Orienting us to our social-cultural activity of making up the world, she provocatively questions the taken-for-granted ways of our world, shining light on the processual and inviting us to play with what irks and confuses us, makes us feel lost, stuck, sad or hurt, bewilders us, kills us, grinds us down and much more! A provocative, joyful read for those seeking to develop human consciousness as socio-cultural beings and to find new ways to come together and be together. Enjoy the wonderful journey of curiosity!"" Saliha Bava, PhD, founder of Relational Play Lab and professor and director of the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Mercy University ""On The Radical Therapist podcast, we explore transformative approaches to therapy, and Lois Holzman’s A Developmentalist’s Guide to Better Mental Health is a perfect fit. This book reimagines life’s challenges as opportunities for growth through a relational and developmental lens, offering approaches to break free from binary thinking and create new possibilities. With its engaging ‘letters and responses’ format, Holzman brings deep philosophical insight into everyday dilemmas, making them accessible for mental health professionals and anyone navigating life’s complexities. Rooted in social therapeutics and inspired by Lev Vygotsky, it challenges the status quo of therapy and invites us to co-create new ways of living and relating. This is not just a book—it’s an invitation to transform."" Chris Hoff, PhD, LMFT, is the host of The Radical Therapist podcast and executive director of the California Family Institute ""Are you struggling with an issue or decision? Do you find yourself in a muddle over something in your daily life? If so, let us introduce you to ‘Developmentalist Lois’ and her book, A Developmentalist's Guide to Better Mental Health: Navigating Everyday Life Dilemmas, in which she shares letters written to her, along with her responses that are filled with ways to get out of the same old day-to-day dilemmas. She joyfully, playfully, and creatively takes readers on a practical and philosophical journey to what could be ‘otherwise.’ Sorry, but here is a spoiler alert! The aches and pains of daily living can be calls to action. You will be invited to a playground of imagination, to welcome growth by inviting others to join with you and to resist simplistic either-or constructionss in favor of building on what we already have. Lois frequently says, “There’s always another thing and another thing and another thing.” Those other things are persistently available possibilities. In a world where we all can feel lost at times, she invites us to ‘get lost with others’ and recognize our relational existence. Struggling individually can give way to “How can we go on together?” After reading Lois’s book, you will see the value and practicality of approaching our everyday lives collectively and playfully. Seeing ourselves as part of humankind navigating our ways in the world we live in helps us understand our relational importance to each another. A developmentalist approach to life and living stretches from individuals to our collective well-being."" Sally St. George and Dan Wulff, professors emeriti at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, and members of the board of directors, Taos Institute