Book Description
In Empowering Underachievers, Dr. Spevak equips parents and teachers with the information and processes they need to engage underachievers in a transformation to become self-motivated, responsible and happy individuals. He uses easily illustrated and applied concepts he has developed, such as the Motivational Circle™, to explain how and why underachievers get stuck in emotional development and what they need to move forward. To help you increase your knowledge, gain reassurance, and apply the information, he uses examples from actual clients to illustrate how real kids manifested their problem and what they did to change. Some families have kept in touch with him through the years, so a decade or more later, he knows that the changes can last through college and launching a career. Empowering Underachievers is written for parents, educators and anyone else who wants to be a catalyst for changing an underachiever. This book, written without psychological jargon or an academic tone, defines underachievers and their subtypes. It explains what influences motivation and why it is important to motivate an underachiever. It emphasizes the role of emotions and emotional development in motivation. There is also discussion of the interactions of attention deficit and other disorders. The second part of the book focuses on solving the problem. Approaches and effective tips to motivation are discussed as well as how to motivate each type of underachiever. This book is designed to enhance your understanding and effectiveness when dealing with your unmotivated student. There is practical problem-solving advice regarding what to do, but there is also enough theory so that you can understand the problem and use the information to generalize to the many different situations you will encounter. As individuals, each underachiever is unique, but, after more than 20 years as a psychologist, Dr. Spevak recognizes the similarities and patterns they present. All is not hopeless. Most parents of underachievers are frustrated because they have unsuccessfully tried a variety of things to motivate their underachiever. Dr. Spevak understands this frustration and explains why often-tried approaches don't work. But more importantly, he explains what can work. Readers will feel the sincerity and deep commitment Dr. Spevak brings to his work --- work that really began when he made his own transformation from a defiant underachiever in high school to a U.S. Marine and, finally, a clinical psychologist.


From the Author
An interesting thing started happening several years ago. I began getting calls from around the country wanting advice on how to motivate underachievers. The calls were coming from parents, educators, and even journalists. But why were they calling me. My small regional practice, though it specializes in motivating underachievers, certainly wasn’t promoting itself nationally. So I investigated and what I found was saddening, but also hopeful. Underachievement is a big problem that crosses geographic, social and economic lines. Many people are struggling with the problem but most don’t know where to turn. The tension, the stress, the frustration and the worry associated with underachievers are heavy weights. That’s the sad part. The hopeful part is that these individuals kept looking and trying to resolve their problems. They didn’t give up. They knew there had to be an answer for them. They wanted help. Most who called me had heard about me from a friend or they or someone they knew attended a lecture or workshop I had presented. They often said, “You understand my kid.” But because these people did not live in my geographic area, I couldn’t see them one on one and they needed more than a phone conversation could give. Those conversations became the incentive for this book. Empowering Underachievers is just that: empowering them. That is the key to their change. Their internal motivation must be empowered so that they ultimately take charge. However, they need the insight and emotional tools to get the job done. That is where you, as a dedicated parent, educator or concerned other, can help. You can be the spark that ignites the flame. That is what empowerment is all about. Peter A. Spevak, Ph.D.


About the Author
Dr. Peter A. Spevak is a graduate of Indiana University-Bloomington and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. A native of Indiana, Dr. Spevak served in the U.S. Marine Corps before becoming a psychologist. Before his position as Director of the Center for Applied Motivation, other professional experiences included: counselor at Larken Home for Children, Elgin Illinois; consulting psychologist to the State of Missouri, Jefferson City, Missouri; and assistant professor and psychological consultant at Indiana University Medical Center and Hospitals, Indianapolis, Indiana; as well a conducting a private practive. In addition to psychological counseling and administration, Dr. Spevak has discussed motivation, achievement, underachievement, and various child development issues in over 300 presentations and interviews for television, radio, print media and community organizations (parent, school, business and professional). Ms. Maryann Karinch is a writer and consultant with a strong focus on motivation and personal responsibility. A former teacher, Ms. Karinch earned an M.A. from Catholic University of America. Previous books include Lessons from the Edge, Boot Camp, and Telemedicine.

ANNOTATION

Empowering Underachievers is written for parents, educators and anyone else who wants to be a catalyst for changing an underachiever. This book is written to enhance your understanding and effectiveness when dealing with your unmotivated student. Dr. Spevak provides examples from actual clients so that you can increase your knowledge, gain reassurance, and apply the information. There is practical advice regarding what to do, but there is also enough theory so that you can understand the problem and use the information to generalize to the many different situations you will encounter. As individuals, each underachiever is unique, but after more than 20 years experience with student motivation, Dr. Spevak recognizes the categories, similarities and patterns they present. Motivation is complicated. You have probably tried many logical approaches that have not worked. The situation is not hopeless. There are things you can do to improve motivation. That's what this book is about.