Every one of us perceives life differently. Because we have different values, beliefs, emotions, and experiences, each of us has a different viewing lens for interpreting reality.
As a result, it is often difficult to understand others. In this insightful collection of essays drawn from her 50- year experience as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Geraldine K. Piorkowski helps us to understand why people think, feel, and act as they do.
Some of the many insights that her recent book, Beyond Pipe Dreams and Platitudes; Insights on Love, Luck and Narcissism from a Longtime Psychologist, provides are reflected in the chapter titles of the book. The titles are: “Positive Thinking Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be,” “When Is Madness Better than Sadness?” “Romantic Love Is Mostly an Illusion,” “Vulnerable People Are More Likable than Super-Confident Ones,” “You Can’t Make Anybody Do Anything,” “Luck or Chance Has Been Badly Underrated,” “A Smidgen of Narcissism Adds Joy and Spice to Life,” and “Empathy and Healthy Religion Go Hand in Hand.”
Besides reaffirming that all people are fundamentally the same, Dr. Piorkowski describes many psychological realities in her book that run counter to popular culture.
Among her insights is the observation that positive thinking does more harm than good at times, especially when it bypasses the normal processing of negative events and emotions. For example, when we suffer pain, rejection, disappointment, loss, disease, death, and/or catastrophe, happy talk, whistling in the dark or putting on a happy face do not work. They interfere with problem solving and action.
Another cultural misdirection is the overemphasis on romantic love, where unrealistic expectations lead to love’s downfall. Shorn of sustaining factors, romantic love is subject to the love-eradicating effects of ordinary routine. She also notes that healthy narcissism, in contrast to the unhealthy variety, provides the joy and sense of fulfillment that make life worth living.
Kirkus Reviews describes the book as “An intriguing and inviting series of observations on life’s motivation” and writes “Piorkowski proves to be a pithy and highly readable guide.” Beyond Pipe Dreams and Platitudes also was a winner in the Cultural Studies/Social Issues category in the CIPA EVVY national competition in 2021.
About the Author
Dr. Geraldine K. Piorkowski is a retired clinical psychologist who received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Since then, Dr. Piorkowski worked in many different academic and clinical settings over the course of her 50-year career. For example, she was Chair of the Psychology Department at Roosevelt University, Chicago. She was also a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, and the Northwestern Medical School in Chicago. In addition, she was director of the counseling centers at two large, urban universities in Chicago. Dr. Piorkowski wrote and published many psychological articles and two books on romantic love.
For more details on Dr. Piorkowski’s book titled “BEYOND PIPE DREAMS AND PLATITUDES: Insights on Love, Luck, and Narcissism from a Longtime Psychologist,” please visit the website: https://www.geraldinekpiorkowskibooks.com/or you can go directly to the Amazon.com website to purchase a copy. Have a good read, everyone!
