Barry and Phil dive deep into some of your questions in this episode of Ask the Shrinks! They cover: The Field and the 4 laws necessary to access its power; what multiple personalities can teach us about the Shadow; and how to use the Dissolving Thoughts tool to manage anxiety and runaway thinking.

In this episode of Ask the Shrinks! Barry and Phil answer your questions and talk about life flow vs. zoning out, nightmares, wanting positive feedback from others, how to get your partner to use The Tools, the difference between the Reversal of Desire and the Tower, how to stop worrying about your family, and more.

Barry and Phil get together again to answer your questions in this episode of Coming Alive. They cover some interesting territory this time—from the Sick Shadow to problems with visualization to the idea of evil—and you might be surprised by some of their answers. 

The always entertaining and often poetic Tommy Swerdlow is an actor and writer known for films like Cool Runnings, Little Giants, Snow Dogs, and, most recently, A Thousand Junkies. Barry and Tommy have known each other for more than two decades. Their conversation covers a lot of territory, some of it pretty deep, including addiction and the dramatic event that abruptly ended his using, the challenges of being a writer, and how he's come to think of everything as an energetic exchange.

How does a Tools coach use the Tools for themselves? Find out in this discussion between Barry and Tools coach Allison White. They explore the Shadow, Allison's challenges with debilitating hypochondria, what it's like to be married to a recovering addict, what are the most common struggles she sees in her coaching practice, and much more.

In this first installment of our periodic Ask the Shrinks! episode, Barry and Phil get together to discuss some of your questions. They cover a lot of territory, including the value of uncertainty and flow, how to use "the turnaround," the importance of mental hygiene, the part of Grateful Flow people often skip, how to use the Tools with your kids, and how to deal with people who are stuck in a victim state. Visit www.thetoolsbook.com to submit your question for future Ask the Shrink! episodes.

Joe Newman is author of Raising Lions: The Art of Compassionate Discipline. He trains parents and teachers to transform difficult behaviors into respectful ones and gives us a clear map out of chaos and into happy, harmonious homes and classrooms. Barry Michels talks with Joe about his favorite tools for parents, what to do about your own and your child's Part X, and how you can create a structure to help your kids learn to make smart choices.

Benji Madden is a guitarist, songwriter, and producer. With his twin brother Joel, he is cofounder of Good Charlotte and The Madden Brothers. He also runs the successful management company MDDN. We talk about Benji's Part X, how his life changed after discovering the Tools, his early musical influences, how he distinguishes fame from success, and his evolving relationships with his brother and his wife, Cameron Diaz.

In this episode of Coming Alive, Barry talks to musician Brian Carroll, aka Buckethead, about his Part X, his recent struggles with back pain, how he's comping with the death of both his parents, and his life's dream to build an amusement park. They also talk about the creative process and the genesis of the Buckethead persona. 

What is a tool? When do you use it? How do you know if you're using it right? What if you're not good at visualizing? How can these simple tools change my life? Barry Michels answers some of the most frequent questions they get about the tools in this bonus episode of Coming Alive.

David N. White is a writer best known for the film Henry's Crime. In this episode of Coming Alive, we look at the role Part X played in David's struggle with drugs and alcohol from an early age. We learn how David and his wife Allison, who have co-written a hilarious book on modern marriage, have learned to fight in a way that works for them. We also tackle the classic problems all creative types confront, including procrastination and the numerous ways we distract ourselves from what we...

Barry Michels introduces you to your inner enemy: Part X. He describes how his coauthor, Phil Stutz, discovered and named Part X and how learning about X changed his life. He also offers a guided exercise to help you discover your own Part X so you can begin to move forward in your life and become the person you're meant to be.