have followed Marc Brackett’s work on emotional literacy and have long been interested in his approach to social emotional learning. My role in local government allows me the opportunity to hear from our youth about the issues that most concern them, and have learned that stress, anxiety and depression is something that they and many of their peers are likely to experience. Being concerned about the mental wellbeing of our youth, including my own children, I wanted to learn how to help them express themselves, and how to cope when faced with challenging situations. I feel that I now have the tools I was seeking. Dr. Brackett’s book is not just researched based. In Permission to Feel, he also interjects personal vignettes about his childhood that keeps one interested until the end. An excellent read!

What a wealth of information, only at part two but can’t put it down!

The author states that “emotions are the most powerful force in the workplace—as they are in every human endeavour”. I strongly believe this and there is increasing research and evidence that is coming to the same conclusion. If this truly is the case, then it is crucial that we learn more about emotions, what they are, how they impact us and how we can use them to work for us, rather than against us. This book comprehensively lays out and explains all these areas and gives us a roadmap for better understanding, navigating and more effectively mastering our emotions and those of others around us. As the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Yale Child Study Center, Marc Brackett has developed the RULER system to help schools enhance and manage their emotions. The system has been adopted in thousands of schools in the U.S. and outside. The results have been very positive. This is not an academic tome, full of research and statistics. The author shares his own struggles with being bullied as a child and writes in a very accessible, entertaining and human manner.

Permission to Feel offers profound insights into the critical role emotions play in our lives and society. Marc's expert guidance empowers readers to harness their emotions for personal growth and well-being. A must-read for anyone looking to improve emotional intelligence and foster a thriving environment for themselves and others.

If you haven't read much about emotional intelligence, this is the perfect place to start. If you're like me and somewhat obsessively read about the topic, it may be a tad basic, though the RULER method is helpful to put lessons into something tangible.

Met the author. Book is amazing just like author. Great points. Would highly recommend

I participated in a training through the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and was so impressed by the depth of information and research that I was excited to learn more in this book. Highly recommend for so many people in various walks of life who could benefit from the research and wisdom in this book.

I watched an interview on CNN with Professor Marc Brackett discussing emotions. The timing and need were perfect for me to purchase his book Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive. My bias told me that this would be an academic tome full of footnotes and a dry read. I was entirely wrong (the crossreferences are in the appendix). Professor Brackett’s is a highly entertaining and educational read. If you are in the working world, then definitely a must-read. I wish my family and friends would all read this book. I highly recommend it. Dr. Brackett is promoting a happier way of life. If you have kids facing bullying at school, this is an essential read. They are complete with real-life encounters and amusing anecdotes, and a page-turner. Please regard this as a practical handbook or a skills guide to more fêted interpersonal relationships book. Dr. Brackett writes intimate accounts of his challenges as a kid growing up with his emotions and numerous examples taken from his family situation, in addition to the knowledge gained traveling nationally and internationally. I valued the way he weaves into this volume other academics in his field and contributions they made regarding emotions and related topics. If you are a male, female, parent, grandparent, spouse/partner, manager, employer, employee, worker, teacher or student, then this book/handbook is primarily for you. It was back to school for a new academic year this past week. My daughter tells me that her twins were not happy at the end of their first day. Had my daughter read this book, I suspect that she may have addressed her 12-year old’s situation differently. After reading Marc’s book the first time, you will gain additional benefit as you reread a second, third, and multiple times after that. There is so much to learn and apply in our daily lives. What a terrific contribution Dr. Marc is making to society, your input is profoundly affirmative. Thank you and thank you for helping me thrive. (This is much better than Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Baby and Child Care that my parents used to raise me). Bottom line: this book is a fun, informative, and an educational read