Interview With Author Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS

 

 

1. What inspired you to write this book?

Here I have spent much of my career exploring how we can support mental health, resilience, and well-being, particularly as we navigate the challenges of aging, trauma, stress, loss, and major life transitions. Over time, I became increasingly interested in the ways spiritual practices, meditation, yoga. Tai Chi, gratitude and compassion practices, and a sense of connection can complement our mental health interventions.  I have spent 20 years doing research with mind-body practices that provided neuroscientific insights into how these practices may influence the brain, regulate our emotions, have a holistic health benefit, and help us build resilience to life's challenges. I have used gained insights in my clinical practice and wanted to share this with the increasingly stressful world.  

In the book, I wanted to explore the meeting point between scientific inquiry and the deeper questions that make us human. What does it mean to live with greater awareness? How can we cultivate inner peace in a world that often feels overwhelming? And how might we move beyond simply surviving to living with greater purpose and connection? Living from the Soul grew out of this desire to bring these questions into conversation with science and contemplative wisdom. My hope is to encourage readers to approach their inner lives with curiosity, openness, and a deeper appreciation for the human capacity to heal and grow. 

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?

At its heart, “Living from the Soul” explores the relationship between neuroscience, spirituality, and psychological well-being. It invites readers to consider how practices such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, art, music, connection with nature, and other mind-body modalities may help us develop greater emotional balance, resilience, and a stronger sense of meaning. The book is about bridging two worlds that are sometimes treated as separate: the scientific study of the brain and the deeply personal experience of spiritual life. Rather than asking readers to choose between science and spirituality, it encourages a thoughtful dialogue between them.  

I envisioned the book as a practical collection of tools for anyone going through stressful experience, or being curious about the mind, the brain, and the human spirit, or for those who are going through spiritual awakenings and do not have sufficient tools to handle changes in their bodies and minds. It may appeal to people interested in psychology, psychiatry, meditation, healthy aging, personal growth, or the science of happiness. It may also resonate with readers who have experienced a significant life transition and are asking themselves what truly matters or want to learn how to cope with life's challenges. You do not need to follow a particular religion or have an established spiritual practice to engage with these ideas. The invitation is simply to become more curious about your own experience and to explore what helps you live with greater awareness, compassion, and purpose.  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

My greatest hope is that readers will discover that they have more capacity for inner transformation than they may realize. We often spend so much of our lives responding to external demands, meeting expectations, and managing stress that we lose touch with our deeper values and inner guidance. I hope this book helps readers pause and begin listening to themselves more deeply. Through the integration of neuroscience, psychological understanding, and spiritual practices, I want to offer practical ways to cultivate self-awareness, regulate difficult emotions, trauma, develop compassion, and find greater meaning in everyday life.  

I also hope readers will recognize that spiritual growth is not about becoming perfect or escaping the difficulties of being human. It is about learning to meet those difficulties with greater wisdom, curiosity, and kindness. I provide easy tools of mind-body therapies that have scientific evidence of being effective. I write about my own experiences and my clinical cases to make this information more accessible and relatable. Some of the content covers the topics of how to deal with our accelerating times of technology and AI, and introduction of the psychedelic drugs that may alter and expand the notion of human spirit, when we question our human nature and everything we learned about our world has been challenged. 

Coming back to our souls that make us unique human can sustain our ability to self-regulate and adapt but also to develop a Self-Guidance system through cultivation of our intuition and our relationships with all aspects of our Self. Ultimately, I would love readers to come away with a renewed sense of possibility: that healing and growth can continue throughout life, that we can learn from our suffering, and that a deeper connection with ourselves and others can enrich our experience of being alive. 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

The title “Living from the Soul: The Neuroscience of Spiritual Awakening,” brings together the two central dimensions of the book: our inner spiritual experience and our scientific understanding of the brain. For me, living from the soul suggests moving beyond habitual reactions and external expectations toward a more authentic way of being. It means developing a deeper relationship with our authentic values, intuition, compassion, and sense of purpose. The subtitle is equally important because it signals that the book approaches these questions through the lens of neuroscience and integrative psychiatry, rather than spirituality alone.  

I wanted the title to communicate both the depth of the subject and its practical relevance to everyday life. Spiritual awakening can sound abstract or inaccessible, but it can also begin with something as simple as becoming more aware of our thoughts, responding differently to a difficult situation, or recognizing what genuinely matters to us.   

The cover is the reader's first invitation into that journey. Its role is to convey a sense of exploration and possibility while bringing together the scientific and spiritual dimensions of the subject. The title and cover together invite readers to explore a question that has fascinated humanity for centuries: how can we understand ourselves more deeply and live more fully using scientific approaches, but also the depth of our inner awareness.  The color scheme of the cover comes from my scientific publications of fMRI experiments.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

Writing this book was easy for me, once I decided that this will be in the format of a workshop, where I would teach practical applications of science and clinical experiences combined with deeply esoteric philosophy and experiences to the novices. Not an easy combination to write about! Also, the tone of the book was intentionally neutral while presenting all sides of the subject matter without assigning judgement of either right or wrong.   

My advice would be to write about something that genuinely matters to you. Writing a book requires persistence, patience, and a willingness to spend a great deal of time with questions that may not have simple answers. A strong sense of purpose can help sustain you through that process. I would also encourage writers to remain curious and humble. Research your subject carefully, listen to perspectives different from your own, and be willing to revise your assumptions. Especially when writing about science, health, or spirituality, it is important to distinguish what we know from what we believe, and to communicate uncertainty honestly.  

Another lesson is that clarity is a form of generosity. You may have spent years mastering a subject, but your reader may be encountering it for the first time. The challenge is to make complex ideas understandable without stripping away their depth. Finally, be patient with the process. You do not need to write a perfect first draft. You need to begin, return to the page, and keep refining your ideas. On a practical level, I found that writing a brief blog on the topic before writing a chapter was a good "warm up" orienting the direction of a longer and a more detailed book chapter. And remember that writing is not only about what you want to say; it is also about creating a meaningful connection with the person who will eventually read your words.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

I observe a growing interest in books that connect scientific knowledge with practical questions about how to live well. Readers are increasingly interested in mental health, emotional resilience, mindfulness, healthy aging, consciousness, and the relationship between physical and psychological well-being. People are very interested in self-regulation since the pandemic and the chaotic times on the planet including climate change; many want to go within to survive. 

I also think there is a growing appetite for books that bridge disciplines. The next big thing in science is going to be the neuroscience of consciousness, accelerated by the development of AI and psychedelic drugs. Neuroscience and spirituality, for example, are often presented as separate subjects, yet many readers want to explore how scientific research can inform their understanding of meaning, contemplative practices, and personal transformation. This creates opportunities for authors who can communicate across traditional boundaries while maintaining intellectual rigor.  

Technology is changing the publishing landscape as well. Audiobooks, digital editions, online communities, and social media allow authors to reach readers in new ways. Artificial intelligence will also influence how books are developed, marketed, discovered, and discussed. At the same time, these changes make authenticity, editorial judgment, and trust even more important. I believe the future will belong, in part, to books that offer more than information. Readers can find facts almost instantly, but a thoughtfully written book can give them context, perspective, and an opportunity to reflect. It can help them connect ideas to their own lives. My hope is that publishing will continue to make room for rigorous, interdisciplinary work that combines evidence with humanity. In a world of constant information and distraction, books can still offer something precious: the chance to slow down and think deeply.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

My work as a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and researcher has been central to the questions explored in this book. Working with people experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, and the challenges associated with aging has reinforced for me that human well-being cannot always be understood through a single lens. Clinical psychiatry teaches us to appreciate the complexity of everyone. Biological processes, psychological experiences, relationships, culture, personal history and a sense of meaning can all influence how they experience life and respond to adversity.  

My own experience with Kundalini yoga and many other ancient practices and philosophies like study of yoga and Hinduism, Buddhism, mystical Christianity and Judaism,and personal awakenings informed this book as well. My research into integrative approaches to mental health has also encouraged me to examine how contemplative and mind-body practices may complement conventional approaches to care. Studying the mechanisms of contemplative practices and mind-body therapies raises important questions about emotional regulation, resilience, brain health and function, and the ways people relate to themselves and the world around them. These professional experiences have helped shape my interest in bringing neuroscience into dialogue with spiritual traditions from many walks of life.  

They have also reinforced the importance of approaching people with curiosity and compassion rather than assuming that one explanation or intervention will work for everyone. The book reflects that integrative perspective. It invites readers to consider the whole person and to explore different pathways toward greater awareness, balance, and well-being, while remaining thoughtful about the evidence and the limitations of what science can currently explain.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?

I would describe the approach of Living from the Soul as interdisciplinary, explanatory, and reflective.  And I am the one who bridges multiple disciplines and philosophies. My goal is to make complex ideas from neuroscience and psychiatry accessible to readers while also giving space to the personal and philosophical questions that emerge when we consider consciousness, spirituality, and human flourishing. I want readers to encounter scientific concepts without feeling that they need a technical background to understand them.  

At the same time, I do not want to reduce spiritual experience to a collection of brain mechanisms. The challenge is to respect both the scientific questions we can investigate and the profound personal meaning that spiritual experiences may hold. The book combines research, clinical perspectives, discussions of contemplative traditions, and practical exercises. This allows readers to engage with the ideas intellectually while also considering how they might apply them in their own lives.  

In terms of readership, I imagine the book appealing to people who enjoy work at the intersection of science and spirituality, including readers interested in contemplative practice, integrative mental health, and personal transformation, or just simply want some advice on how find a way in the increasingly confusing world. It may resonate with those who appreciate both the research-oriented perspective of neuroscience and the reflective traditions of spiritual inquiry.  

I speak in my own voice and from my own experience that is quite unique. Also, I am not prescriptive but rather invite exploration of the questions that readers may have never considered. Rather than trying to imitate a particular writer, my aim is to bring these perspectives into conversation and offer readers an approach that is grounded in scientific curiosity, open to deeper questions, and relevant to everyday experience.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

One of the central challenges was bringing together disciplines that do not always speak the same language. Neuroscience relies on observation, experimentation, and evidence, while spirituality often deals with subjective experience, personal meaning, non-physical events and questions that are difficult to measure. Connecting these perspectives requires care, particularly when discussing what research can and cannot establish.  

I wanted to make scientific material understandable without oversimplifying it, while also treating spiritual experiences with respect. It is important to recognize that research may help us understand some of the brain processes associated with meditation, prayer, or contemplative practice, but it does not necessarily answer every philosophical question about consciousness or the soul.  

Another challenge was translating broad concepts into practical ideas that readers could explore in their own lives. People come to these questions with different backgrounds, beliefs, health needs, and life experiences. An approach that feels meaningful to one person may not resonate with another.  

That is why I see the book as an invitation to explore rather than a prescription for how everyone should live. The practical exercises and integrative perspectives are intended to help readers discover what may be useful to them, while recognizing that spiritual growth can be complex and that some experiences may require additional guidance or professional support. Ultimately, the challenge was also the opportunity: to create a conversation between science and spirituality that is intellectually responsible, compassionate, and hopeful.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

I would invite readers to choose Living from the Soul if they are curious about how science and spirituality might work together to help us understand ourselves and live more meaningful lives, also those who are seeking simple tools to help them find their connection with their soul that can simplify their existence.  

We live in a time when many people are searching for greater calm, connection, and purpose. We have access to extraordinary amounts of information, yet it can still be difficult to know how to navigate uncertainty, manage our emotional reactions, or remain connected to what matters most.  

This book offers a way to explore those questions through the combined perspectives of neuroscience, psychiatry, contemplative practice, and spiritual inquiry. It looks at how we might cultivate greater self-awareness, develop resilience, work with difficult emotions and trauma, and nurture qualities such as gratitude and compassion, and achieve wellbeing and flourishing. It also includes practical exercises that encourage readers to take these ideas beyond the page.  

About The Author: Dr. Helen Lavretsky is a Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, and a geriatric integrative psychiatrist with a federally funded research program in geriatric depression and integrative mental health using mind-body interventions. She is a recipient of multiple research and professional awards for her work in geriatric mental health and in integrative medicine. Her work bridges spirituality, neuroscience and mental health. Her work has been featured in numerous journal publications, magazines, TV and radio shows and on social media platforms. She is a subject in the documentary movie “Humankind.”  For more information, please see: https://drhelenlavretsky.com/

 

Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator! 

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 11 million page views. With over 5,700+ posts over the past 15 years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum