Fear, anger, and anxiety--the side effects of life's everyday stresses--are natural and sometimes helpful, but left unchecked they can lead to a host of debilitating ailments that are now so common we assume they are unavoidable: heart disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, depression, and more. There is good news, though: The key to a healthy life free of these conditions is to activate what Harvard Medical School instructor Dr. Eva Selhub calls the love response: a series of biochemical reactions that lower blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and adrenaline levels, stimulating physical healing and reinstating balance and well-being.A practical life-healing program, the first of its kind, The Love Response is the result of Dr. Selhub's years of research--and clinical practice--on how to reverse the destructive physical effects of fear and stress, and banish emotional wounds from the past. Through a simple-to-use plan of awareness, breathing, visualization, and verbal command exercises, The Love Response reprograms your brain and changes your biochemistry from negative to positive, putting you on a path to long-term wellness and happiness. The Love Response is structured around the three essential building blocks of mental health: - social love--connecting not only in your intimate relationships but with family, friends, and pets- self-love--learning to nurture yourself with care and tenderness (often the hardest step)- spiritual love--contributing in meaningful ways to the world beyond your personal needsThe Love Response provides all the tools you need to transform anger into compassion, release your fears, overcome shame, embrace self-acceptance, connect through empathy, and, ultimately, strengthen your natural ability to heal.From the Hardcover edition.