Bridging gaps in the balanced brain

Growing up with a sibling who suffered a brain injury, a goal of mine became to understand how the brain works and how its workings can result in mental health problems. It played a part in me deciding to study neuroscience and then clinical psychology at university.

However, I soon discovered that the two fields have historically remained distinct. It wasn't until reading Camilla Nord's The Balanced Brain that I felt excited by the contributions which neuroscience is making to understanding mental health.

The Balanced Brain is a highly accessible and elegantly crafted exploration of the biological foundations of mental health. Nord masterfully distils what seems like a lifetime's worth of research into a synthesis that is both readable and engaging, making complex ideas approachable for a broad audience. With clarity and precision, this book explores the evolving intersection of neuroscience and mental health.

In Part One, Nord simply synthesises 20th century neuroscience, with its emphasis on reward systems and neurotransmitters with psychological theories of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. This is both timely and necessary, offering a fresh perspective on how biological and psychological frameworks can enrich each other.

Part two then takes a whistlestop tour of the ways in which mental health treatments work on the brain. Here, The Balanced Brain becomes not just a scientific text but also engaging popular science. Through compelling storytelling and practical insights, this section strikes a balance between being educational and pragmatic.

I found The Balanced Brain to be a thoughtful, engaging, and informative read that leaves readers with a deepened understanding of neuroscience and its potential to shape the future of mental health. Nord's ability to bridge the gap between complex science and accessible writing ensures this book is as enjoyable as it is insightful. Personally, the book successfully satisfied my desire to overhear the dialogue between neuroscience and clinical psychology and, going forward, I believe it has the potential to be the foundational popular text in the field.

Reviewed by Toby Engelking, Recovery Practitioner working in Devon, UK