Reading for Well-Being with Dr. Pozzulo Book Club

  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (March, 2026) Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace (2026, published by Portfolio) My take: Despite today’s all-consuming digital connectivity, many of us feel more disconnected than ever. In Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, Wallace makes a compelling case that mattering is essential to a life of meaning and well-being. Wallace notes that “true mattering requires a balance between adding value to others and feeling valued ourselves”. An imbalance can leave us feeling emotionally drained and overwhelmed. Having people in our life who are invested in our growth facilitates our feeling of mattering. Wallace identifies five elements to building a “mattering core”: 1. Recognition – you and your actions are valued, and your absence would be felt 2. Reliance - you feel needed because others depend on you 3. Importance - you feel significant because you’re prioritized 4. Ego-exte...

  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (February, 2026) Defy: The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes by Dr. Sunita Sah (2025, published by One World) My take: Do you find yourself saying, “yes”, when you really want to say, “no”. In Defy: The Power of No in a World that Demands Yes, Dr. Sah will help you understand why we acquiesce and how we can say “no”. She helps you recognize the tension that surfaces and the stages of when the answer is a “true no”. This book is about learning to live in accordance with your values, that in turn, can support your well-being. Sah defines defiance as “acting in accordance with your true values when there is pressure to do otherwise”. She notes five stages of defiance; Stage 1 = tension Stage 2 = acknowledgement to ourselves Stage 3 = escalation (vocalize to others) Stage 4 = threat of non-compliance Stage 5 = act of defiance She highlights several real-world examples as how “going along” or complying can have dire consequences. Intriguingly, when you ...

  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (January, 2026) How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days by Kari Leibowitz, Ph.D. (2024; published by Penguin Life) My take: Imagine living in a place where the sun doesn’t rise for two months a year. What impact would that have on your well-being? The data may surprise you. In How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days, Leibowitz explores the connection between “seasonal variation” and well-being. And for anyone who’s not a fan of winter, Leibowitz might have you re-thinking your view on this colder, darker season and how to approach it for improved well-being. Leibowitz’s trek to Tromso, Norway (in the Artic Circle!) starts her journey on better understanding the relationship between winter and well-being along with discovering strategies that could be applied to improve mood. Leibowitz discovers that for residents of Tromso, winter was a season of excitement, something to look f...

  We’re giving away a copy of  January's Professor Pozzulo’s Pick. Click on read more then  click here  to enter to win or copy the web address and search it in your browser:   https://carleton.ca/mental-health/january-giveaway/

We’re giving away a copy of  December's Professor Pozzulo’s Pick. Click on read more then  click here  to enter to win or copy the web address and search it in your browser:   https://carleton.ca/mental-health/december-giveaway/  

  Professor Pozzulo’s Pick (December, 2025) The Joy of Solitude: How to Reconnect with Yourself in an Overconnected World by Robert J. Coplan (2025, published by Simon & Schuster) My take: Do you consider solitude as something to be avoided or something to strive for? In The Joy of Solitude: How to Reconnect with Yourself in an Overconnected World , Coplan takes you on a journey of understanding what solitude means and how it can be positive for our well-being. Coplan also provides several strategies on how to make the most of your alone time for improved well-being. As Coplan states, spending time alone can make us feel “calmer, refreshed and revitalized”; it is restorative. Essentially, solitude allows us to recharge our emotional and cognitive batteries, which in turn makes us more present, improves our memory, and ultimately makes us more productive. An initial exercise that Coplan suggests you do is to keep track of how you spend your solitary time during a typical week....