New E-book and App Point the Way to Peacefulness

HOUSTON, TX, May 01, 2013 (Press-News.org) The path to peacefulness can now be accessed via cell phone.

Dr. Jude Theriot, a respected Houston-area neurologist, certified meditation instructor and artist, has announced the release of an e-book and phone app to help people start and maintain a daily peacefulness practice.

The e-book, entitled "Peaceful Habits: A Brain Injury Doctor Teaches Meditation to his Patients and Distills the Experience into a Modern Prescription for Peacefulness," will be available through Amazon beginning April 23. The e-book is downloadable at http://peacefulhabits.com/e-book/

The phone application, called "Peaceful Habits," will also be available for iPhone and iPad users through iTunes in early May. The app helps users set and achieve goals, offering reminders, exercises and rewards for progress. The app is searchable on iTunes and downloadable at http://peacefulhabits.com/app

The e-book and app are practical tools for helping a person establish and maintain a formal daily practice for coping with anxiety and stress.

A daily peacefulness practice is similar to a daily meditation practice, but it's simpler and more accessible, Dr. Theriot explained.

"The e-book and app are aimed at a wide range of people, from those who are undergoing brain injury rehabilitation to those who find traditional meditation too complex," Theriot said. "Either way, the common thread is that these people desire groundedness and peacefulness in their lives. I'm giving them training wheels to get them started and to keep them on track."

His concept encourages a person to set aside some time each day to devote to the practice of peacefulness, even if only for a minute or two.

The e-book "Peaceful Habits" tells the story of how the app came into existence through short stories, patient interviews and essays on brain science. Written in plain English, it establishes the idea of a daily peacefulness practice in the larger context of brain injury rehabilitation.

While working in this field, Dr. Theriot followed the repetition model of treatment: repeat anything enough times and you can improve it. Just as patients learn to walk again by taking steps repeatedly, people can become more peaceful by repeating certain practices, he said.

Theriot also found that exploring his creative side has been a meaningful part of his growth as a physician.

"I've always been a creative person, but when Katrina hit and I had a forced hiatus from my medical training, I really begin to take that part of me more seriously." Theriot explained. "A delayed fellowship in neurophysiology in New Orleans led me to pick up my camera and start taking photographs. And I started writing."

Theriot said he had a revelation that he could be both a doctor and a creative person. "I'd never given the two equal emphasis before, but after Katrina, it all clicked," he said.

Theriot now alternates between 'right brain' and 'left brain' on a daily basis, essentially removing any distinction between the two. "I try to bring a sense of creativity to my clinical practice," he said. "And I try to bring a sense of precision and analytical thinking into my artistic endeavors."

Dr. Theriot works as an artist in a variety of media: large-scale outdoor and indoor paintings, photography, graphic design and sculpture. A current project involves curating photographs from his hometown in Louisiana, with the goal of creating a large on-line archive to preserve the community's photographic history.

About Dr. Jude Theriot

Neurologist Jude Theriot, who specializes in brain injury rehabilitation, sees patients exclusively through admission to Touchstone Neurorecovery Center, a state-of-the-art residential rehabilitation program in Conroe, Texas. He is particularly interested in treating the cognitive, emotional and behavioral impairments resulting from injury to the brain. Also a certified instructor of meditation, he has taught meditation and mindfulness techniques to individuals with and without brain injury. Dr. Theriot speaks on topics in brain science and neuro-rehabilitation, especially those areas where technology, contemplative practice and neurology intersect.

For more information about Dr. Theriot's new e-book and application, visit http://peacefulhabits.com or his blogs at http://peacefulhabits.blogspot.com and http://pootail.blogspot.com

Media Contact - Lindsay Peyton, Cadence Enterprise, 281-636-1361, Lindsay@cadenceenterprise.com