Breathe, Mama, Breathe

November 7, 2016
This debut from Moralis, a psychotherapist and mother of two, consolidates the lessons of her Psychology Today blog into handbook form, offering harried mothers tools for cultivating mindfulness in the tiny bits of time that are often all that’s available. Moralis starts by touting, and giving basic instructions for, a short sitting meditation. But the bulk of the book is dedicated over 60 brief write-ups, consisting of a personal anecdote plus instructions, of short “mindful breaks” that can be taken throughout a typical parent’s day to become “still, less distracted, patient, and calm.” Many are for specific times—while drinking morning coffee, at the school bus stop, or while doing dishes—but others can be used whenever stressful situations occur, as with “STOP the Teen ’Tude,” or encourage self-care in quiet moments in the day. As the title promises, Moralis also provides breath exercises, including some that can be done with children, such as “The Three-Breath Hug.” Some juxtapositions jump between stages of life and can feel disjointed—”Your Teen Driver” is immediately followed by “Bottle- or Breast-Feeding”—and some suggestions lean away from quick fixes and toward broad attitude adjustments. Overall, Moralis’s suggestions strike an effective and empowering note. Agent: Claire Gerus, Claire Gerus Literary Agency.