Description: Don't Just Feel Good--Do Good & Feel Great The science behind hugging. Dr. Stone's prescription is for a twenty-one-second hug today and every day. One of the many benefits of hugging is that longer hugs have proven physiological benefits. Hugs are good for your immune system, your stress response, your sleep patterns, and so much more. Hug Therapy brings to life the meaning of hugging. In this book, you will discover what it means to really, truly give yourself and others the profound gift of a hug; how to be powerfully in action and more aware of what matters to you most; that you may choose to begin hugging some strangers ... with their blessing of course; and perhaps most importantly, that together, one literal or metaphorical hug at a time, we make the world a better, healthier, and more connected place. Embrace life. Hug Therapy shares a full-on, unconditional hug from Dr. Stone Kraushaar. In this book, he invites you to wrap your arms around yourself, your life, and everyone around you in a whole new way. A good embrace--a hug--squeezes every ounce of fear, worry, and negativity out of your spirit, leaving you with nothing but warmth, inner peace, and a feeling of connection.
Brief description: Stone Kraushaar, "The Hug Doctor," is a firm believer that all people share a profound human connection. The Hug Doctor loves working with people ((in the space of a hug)) for them to focus in on what really matters to them and be more deeply connected with their friends, family, and beyond. Drawing on academic and professional experience as a psychologist and a therapeutic coach, a nurturing and supportive family, and a passion for helping people live powerful lives, The Hug Doctor sees relationships through the lens of hugging. To him, a hug, whether real or virtual, is a metaphor for lowering walls and bringing people together. He has devoted his life to developing the skills, tools, and attitudes to become a world-class hugger. A warm and affectionate person, the Hug Doctor is not only comfortable hugging complete strangers he loves nothing more than connecting with groups of people. His focus is on inspiring them about the power of hugging to live a more deeply connected and vital life. He is an expert resource for educating about longer hugs, twenty-one-second hugs, and even coaches people to "get lost in the hug." He has created a powerful movement based on people going on twenty-one-day hugging journeys, about which he is extremely passionate. Prior to launching the twenty-one-day hugging movement, Stone spent eight years as a staff psychologist with the Student Health Services at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Before settling in St. Louis, he worked with children, adolescents, individuals, couples, and families in a group psychological practice. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Denver with his BS degree and also earned his master's and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at the University of Denver. His doctoral dissertation explored how effectively a heterosexual therapist can provide therapy for male couples. His American Psychological Association (APA)-approved psychology internship was at the UCSB Student Health Services at the University of California-Santa Barbara. He completed his post-doctoral work at Yale student health services. Most recently The Hug Doctor was excited to be invited to speak as a hugging expert at the thirty-second annual National Hugging Day event at Agape Spiritual Center in Los Angeles. He was honored as a founding member of The Hug Alliance (thehugalliance.net) to be a part of bringing together people of over forty different nationalities and leading them in the world's largest twenty-one-second hug. The Hug Doctor has also been pleased to be able to present his views on the power of hugging in the United States and Europe. He welcomes the opportunity to speak about the impact of longer hugs, going on twenty-one-day hugging journeys, and living in ((the space of a hug)).