July 2011

 What Dr. Lehman has done is nothing short of spectacular. By integrating the most recent findings on brain science with the most spiritually dynamic teachings on faith, he has produced a book that is uncompromising to both academically rigorous traditional mental health care practitioners and theologically sound biblically based counselors. By doing the work to carefully integrate these two pieces, the author has broken down the false separation that has dichotomized many Christians for generations.

Over decades of professional work combining faith-based interventions and state of the art mental health care, Dr. Karl and Pastor Charlotte have developed an approach to emotional healing that consistently resolves traumatic memories, and their resultant irrational beliefs and maladaptive behaviors. Since learning the Immanuel approach while in Dr. Lehman’s mentoring group for the past six years, I have employed this approach in my practice as a pastoral counselor and as a wilderness adventure counselor. The transformation that occurs when people are able to process and resolve their painful experiences is life-changing.

As I began using the Immanuel approach, the thought came to me that I could also bring this breakthrough into the realm of sports performance. If you have ever participated in sporting activities or contests at any level, you probably remember events in which, at a critical moment, a “random” thought or image flickered across the movie screen of your mind informing you of your impending failure. If I am resonating with the athlete within you, you probably have memories of these scenarios turning out poorly. And you know you were capable of a better performance. Imagine life without these failure thoughts. For this reason I am especially excited about the implications of the Immanuel approach for the field of performance enhancement. Even though this has not been a primary focus of the Lehman’s work, when those involved in sports begin to remove reactive triggering, their ability to perform increases in direct proportion to the resolution of irrational beliefs and unhelpful behaviors that had previously been caused by unresolved pain. I have used the Immanuel approach in my work as a life coach with athletes and coaches, and have seen dramatic, measurable positive results. Both athletes and coaches consistently discover increased capacity to perform as they eliminate self sabotaging thoughts and behaviors.

In this landmark book, Dr. Lehman presents insights and tools gleaned from over 25 years of combining rigorous medical psychiatry with biblically based spiritual truths. As you readOutsmarting Yourself, you will discover that Karl discounts neither his scientific medical background, nor his deep faith in the God of the Bible. In fact, you will find that both your understanding and faith will grow as a result of learning and applying the principles and tools inOutsmarting Yourself.

I highly recommend this book to laypeople who seek to find (and resolve) the sources of difficulties in relationships, Christian counselors who want a greater understanding of scientific theory, professional therapists who want to add to their toolboxes, coaches and athletes who want to enhance their performance, and believers who want to grow in their life of faith.

Mark Hattendorf

NCAA 2x Division I All-American

PhD. Candidate Regent University, Pastoral Counselor

 Wilderness Adventure Counselor, Life Coach.