We built the smartest machines in history. Then we programmed them to make us feel inadequate. A Simple Guide to Being Alive is a bold, playful, profound, and science-backed manual for anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by the modern world and wondered if there was a simpler, saner way to live.

Dr. David M. L. Rabin, MD, PhD, combines cutting-edge medicine with ancient wisdom to show that safety—not productivity—is the foundation of performance, joy, and connection. Drawing from his work as a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and co-founder of Apollo Neuro, this book blends the scientific method with unapologetic humor into an invitation to return home — to your breath, your body, and your beautifully human self.

“In this delightfully simple yet deeply resourced volume Dr. David Rabin addresses what is most essential in health and least appreciated in medical training: our vulnerable humanity. The many gems of wisdom he offers act, each, as an antidote to what he aptly calls the “ambient terror” of our lives in a supercharged culture. Suffused with acumen based on decades of clinical practice and research and written with wit and vivacity, this book calls you to life in your body and soul.”

- Dr. Gabor Maté, MD | Physician & Best-Selling Author of The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Health in a Toxic Culture

"A Simple Guide to Being Alive is a rare gem that bridges science, spirituality, and practical wisdom in a way that’s both deeply grounding and immediately actionable. Dr. Rabin masterfully translates the language of the nervous system into something you can actually feel, helping readers reclaim sleep, safety, and a sense of playful presence in their daily lives. This is the kind of book I recommend not just to patients, but to anyone who wants to truly rest, recover, and remember what it feels like to be human again.”

- Dr. Michael Breus, PhD | Double-Board Certified Sleep Doctor & Best-Selling Author of The Power of When


"There is a generosity to this book that stands out. It seeks not merely to inform, but to help readers recover something easily lost: the ability to be present in their own lives. Drawing on neuroscience without being constrained by it, the author provides a thoughtful and engaging guide to a more attentive and meaningful way of living.”

- Dr. Ken Ford, PhD | Author, Scientist, Former Scientific Advisor to the President, Former Director of NASA, CEO emeritus IHMC

Dr. David Rabin, MD, PhD, is a translational neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist, health tech entrepreneur & inventor who has been studying the impact of chronic stress in humans for over 20 years, with a focus on non-invasive therapies for treatment-resistant illnesses like PTSD. He is a Senior Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder at Apollo Neuroscience, and the Executive Director of The Board of Medicine nonprofit medical board. In addition to his clinical psychiatry practice, Dr. Rabin is currently conducting research on wearable and technology-based solutions for mental illnesses as well as the mechanism of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in treatment-resistant mental illnesses.  He received his MD in medicine and PhD in neuroscience from Albany Medical College and specialized in psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He has been married to Kathryn Fantauzzi, CEO and co-founder of Apollo Neuroscience, since 2016.

• 99-cent ebook
• 40% off hardcover
• 2 Live Q&A webinars with Dr. Dave
• A sneak peek at the first three chapters