The Art & Mind Book
Why you've never been taught how to decide, and the reliable process that scales to fit any choice
A comprehensive guide to strategic decision-making that actually works in the real world. From career crossroads to life-defining moments, this book provides a clear, actionable framework for making choices you can stand behind.
The hardcover is a 367-page, full-color edition with original illustrations. Reading online gets you the interactive decision toolkit alongside the text.
About the Authors
Ursina Teuscher
Ursina earned her Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from the University of Freiburg, Switzerland, and became a licensed career counselor in 2000. She has taught decision-making from high school through post-graduate level since 2001, with postdoctoral research spanning cognitive neuroscience and behavioral economics. In her coaching practice she blends deep listening, a structured process, and decision-aiding tools to help clients align their choices with what truly matters to them. She created the watercolor illustrations for this book.
teuscher-coaching.comDan Hahn
Dan earned his M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Portland State University and his B.S. in Financial Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He leads A Portland Career, a practice devoted to helping people find fulfilling work through a highly individualized process, and to supporting the coaches who guide them. His coaching covers job search strategy, interview prep, and negotiating an offer. He helps clients get unstuck, turning uncertainty into a clear, confident next step.
aportlandcareer.comWhat's Inside
Chapter 1: Courage, Creativity, and Balance
The mindset the whole method rests on. You'll build the courage to think clearly under pressure, the creativity to see past the obvious, and a feel for balancing the two.
Chapter 2: Problem Structuring
Before you solve anything, make sure you're solving the right problem. You'll catch the real cue, reframe the challenge, set the right scope, and define it clearly when other people are involved.
Chapter 3: Your Values
Uncover what matters most to you and shape it into something you can use. You'll draw out your raw values, structure them, and finalize a value set that becomes the criteria every option is measured against.
Chapter 4: Generating Alternatives
You came in with two options and leave with many more. You'll use creativity techniques, value-focused search, and ways to combine and improve ideas so the best answer isn't one you never considered.
Chapter 5: The Decision Ladder
The core method of the book. You'll screen your options, build decision tables, and climb from a simple list to a weighted evaluation, with an intuition check to keep it honest.
Chapter 6: Uncertainty
When the future is unclear, you'll still make a strong call. This chapter builds your awareness of what you don't know and gives you scenario and probability thinking to work through it.
Chapter 7: Moving Forward With Confidence
A final check so your decision holds up beyond the spreadsheet. You'll confirm it fits your head and your heart, then move forward and act on it.
Who This Book Is For
✅ You're facing a big choice
Job offers, career changes, relocations, relationships—decisions that will shape your life for years to come.
✅ You want structure, not guesswork
You're tired of agonizing over choices or second-guessing yourself afterward.
✅ You're a leader or entrepreneur
Strategic decisions are your job. This book gives you a repeatable process for high-stakes choices.
✅ You're curious about decision science
You want to understand the psychology, math, and philosophy behind making better choices.
Preview the Book Now
Read the opening chapters of Art & Mind free
Prefer a physical copy? The hardcover is on Amazon.