New Book by Clinical Psychologists Offers Framework to Break Destructive Behavior Patterns

Clinical psychologists Tony Iezzi, Ph.D., and Melanie P. Duckworth, Ph.D., have released their new book, Reenactments: Break the Behavior Patterns That Keep You Stuck in Trauma, Stress, and Everyday Life. The publication provides a clear, practical framework for recognizing and changing the brain-body-behavior patterns that keep people looping through the same reactions in both traumatic and everyday situations. This work addresses a critical gap in mental health resources by offering actionable strategies rather than theoretical concepts alone.

The authors define a reenactment as a person's specific pattern of brain, body, and behavioral responses to experiences, explaining why breaking these patterns requires new actions, not just new thoughts. Drawing on decades of clinical, research, and teaching experience, Iezzi and Duckworth introduce the Reenactment Decision Matrix, a two-axis, evidence-informed tool that helps readers evaluate awareness and action so they can choose different responses and build healthier habits. This approach represents a significant advancement in practical psychology applications for everyday life challenges.

The book includes case scenarios and end-of-chapter tasks that guide readers to identify themes, increase awareness, and practice change in real life. Published on October 21, 2025, the work is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats, making it accessible to diverse audiences with different learning preferences. The ISBNs for the various formats include Paperback 978-1-0695040-0-5, eBook 978-0695040-1-2, and Audiobook 978-0695040-2-9.

Iezzi brings three decades of front-line experience in a large medical hospital's behavioral medicine service, including five years in a bariatric surgical program, while maintaining a private practice and serving as an expert witness. His research includes chronic pain, trauma, and injury. Duckworth previously taught at the University of Houston and the University of Nevada, Reno, where she served as associate professor of psychology, directed a health risk and traumatic injury research program, and later became associate dean for the College of Sciences. She currently serves as executive director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Readers seeking additional information and updates can visit https://tonyiezzi.com. The book's importance lies in its potential to help individuals break free from destructive cycles that impact mental health, relationships, and professional performance. By providing concrete tools rather than abstract concepts, the work could significantly impact how people approach behavioral change in both clinical and everyday contexts, potentially reducing the long-term effects of trauma and stress on individuals and society.