Synopses & Reviews
Attempts to manage your thoughts or get rid of worry, fear, and panic can leave you feeling frustrated and powerless. But you can take back your life from anxiety without controlling anxious thoughts and feelings. You can stop avoiding anxiety and start showing up to your life. The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety will get you started, using a revolutionary new approach called acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT.
The book has one purpose: to help you live better, more fully, more richly. Your life is calling on you to make that choice, and the skills in this workbook can help you make it happen. Find out how your mind can trap you, keeping you stuck and struggling in anxiety and fear. Learn to nurture your capacity for acceptance, mindfulness, kindness, and compassion. Use these qualities to shift your focus away from anxiety and onto what you really want your life to be about. As you do, your life will get bigger as your anxious suffering gets smaller. No matter what kind of anxiety problem you're struggling with, this workbook can guide you toward a more vibrant and purposeful life. Includes a CD with bonus worksheets, self-assessments, and guided mindfulness meditations.
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
Review
Think of this book as a great skating instructor. Shyness and social anxiety push us to stay at the edge of the social skating rink, grasping tightly to a safety bar. Vitality and involvement cannot happen there. This book takes you by the hand and teaches you how to maintain your balance and choose your direction while in the open rink of full social participation. Are you fed up with living at the anxious edge of life? Release your grip on the safety bar and grab this book insteadits time to go for it."
Steven C. Hayes, PhD, foundation professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno and author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life
Review
This well-written, accessible workbook describes a new approach for coping with social anxiety and shyness based on rigorous research by the authors and others. This book is an excellent resource for anyone who experiences anxiety in social and performance situations. I strongly recommend it!”
Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychology at Ryerson University and author of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook
Review
This beautifully written book will benefit anyone suffering from shyness and social anxiety. The authors have a deep understanding and compassion for these difficulties, and their book is full of interesting and helpful exercises, all clearly explained and organized.”
Ruth Baer, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky, and editor of Mindfulness-Based Treatment Approaches and Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Clients
Review
Jan Fleming and Nancy Kocovski have created a highly accessible guide to support the journey from anxiety to calm, from worry to clarity, for those who experience stress in the face of social engagements and new situations. Built upon carefully studied clinical applications and the rigorous science of focusing the mind in an open and peaceful way, this practical handbook offers health-creating relief for anyone with an anxious dispositionespecially those with social anxiety and shynessso that they can find the inner peace and interpersonal confidence needed to live their lives with more ease and well-being. Congratulations to the authors for bringing the research-proven benefits of mindfulness to the lives of so many who are sure to benefit from their empirically-proven and practical suggestions!”
Daniel J. Siegel, MD, executive director at the Mindsight Institute, clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and author of Mindsight, The Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology, and The Mindful Brain
Review
This book captures the most cutting-edge approaches for managing one of the most common, chronic, and debilitating psychological problems. Instead of trying to manage or get rid of social anxiety, the authors offer a shift in thinking toward how anxiety is transformed with an open, receptive attitude, and how a person can make progress toward meaningful life pursuits despite the presence of doubt and social fears. Many people will be helped by the insights in this workbook.”
Todd B. Kashdan, PhD, associate professor of psychology at George Mason University and author of Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life
Review
The authors bring their expertise and caring approach to each of the well-thought-out steps that lead to reducing anxiety over a wide range of situations. The specific therapeutic techniques of acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness are translated very skillfully into exercises that lead the reader gradually, step by step, to being able to look at their own anxiety in new ways.”
Richard P. Swinson, MD, FRCPC, professor emeritus at Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, and author of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook
Review
The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety combines the accumulated wisdom of the ages with up-to-date, cutting-edge developments in scientific psychology. In an easy-to-read and fun format, those suffering from anxiety in all of its guises will find the keys to breaking loose from its shackles. By emphasizing acceptance of toxic emotions (and illustrating ways to accomplish this), rather than struggling to overcome them, the person inside you may finally emerge to set your life on a new, productive, and valued course. Highly recommended for all those struggling with worry, anxiety, and fear.
—David H. Barlow, PhD, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Boston University and author of Anxiety and Its Disorders
Review
Ably surfing the dual currents of traditional exposure and acceptance-based treatments for anxiety, the authors of this resourceful workbook illustrate the synergies to be found in their combination. Carefully structured charts and patient assignments support the core message that taking action to face one’s fears is most effective if acceptance informs our starting point and values determine our destination. This book is a "must-read" for anyone encountering anxiety as a barrier to leading a fuller life.
—Zindel Segal, PhD, Morgan Firestone Chair in Psychotherapy, head of the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Unit at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, all at the University of Toronto, and author of The Mindful Way Through Depression
Review
If you suffer with anxiety, Forsyth and Eifert have given you a gift. It is not a structured manual for how to get over your anxiety as much as it is a book of wisdom. They raise the inevitable truth that anxiety is a part of all of us, and they show us the way, through willingness, compassion, mindfulness, and acceptance of ourselves and others, to live a life worth the living, to understand our important values and to live in concert with them. This is a book well worth the reading, and its message is worth keeping close to your heart.
—Richard G. Heimberg, PhD, professor of psychology and director of the Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple University
Review
Steeped in the rich tradition of psychological theory, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety by Forsyth and Eifert represents a major advance for the practical treatment of anxiety and related conditions. This book will assist clinicians and patients in constructing a treatment plan that insures progress in overcoming the many obstacles associated with conquering fears. A major contribution to clinical care, this workbook will contribute to the growing knowledge base on acceptance and commitment therapy, joining other evidence-based approaches as a major tool for treating the disabling symptoms that accompany anxiety.
—Terence M. Keane, PhD, chief of psychology service at the VA Boston Healthcare System, director of the Behavioral Science Division of the National Center for PTSD, and professor and vice-chair for research of the Division of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine
Review
In this impressive workbook, Forsyth and Eifert show how giving up your attempts to control anxiety and fear will help you to leave your anxiety problems behind and get on with your life. This clearly written book is packed with helpful suggestions. I will definitely use it with my own clients and students, and I recommend it highly for anyone who struggles with anxiety.
—Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP, professor and director of graduate training in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto, ON, Canada
Review
This book presents a framework to orient you toward the rest of your life. You will be taken on a journey. Go. To uncouple from your anxious reactions to life, you will need to alter your consciousness. No small task! It takes a student’s mind and a willingness to be coached. Fortunately, you will find these authors to be trustworthy and competent guides.
—Reid Wilson, PhD, author of Don’t Panic
Review
“Social anxiety and shyness can become so intense that they prevent people from enjoying life. This book is ideal for anyone who wants to learn to be more comfortable around other people. Drs. Antony and Swinson have taken proven treatments for social anxiety and adapted them for a non-professional audience. The step-by-step strategies described in this book have been shown to be effective, are easy to understand, and are sure to help the reader cope better in social situations. Anyone who experiences significant anxiety when performing or when interacting with other people should read this book!”
—Aaron T. Beck, MD, university professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania
Review
“If you have trouble with social anxiety, you will find the book by Drs. Antony and Swinson to be an excellent resource. This highly experienced duo has provided an excellent road map to guide you through your efforts to overcome your anxiety and improve the quality of your life. Based on the tried and true methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy and on the results of many scientific studies, the techniques described in this book will help you feel better when you are with other people or the center of attention. The only thing you have to do is work hard and apply them. Best wishes for your journey along that road.”
—Richard Heimberg, Ph.D., director of the Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple University, Philadelphia
Review
“Drs. Antony and Swinson provide practical advice in a highly readable format. This book will be invaluable to people whose social anxiety prevents them from leading full and happy lives.”
—Murray B. Stein, MD, professor of psychiatry and director of anxiety and traumatic stress disorders program at the University of California, San Diego
Review
“This is an excellent resource written by world-renowned and skilled clinicians and researchers in the area of anxiety disorders. Drs. Antony and Swinson present the most up-to-date information about social anxiety and its treatment in a way that is clear and, most importantly, that provides step-by-step tools for overcoming this disorder. This is a must-read for persons suffering with social anxiety.”
—Michelle G. Craske, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles
Review
“This workbook by Antony and Swinson gives the millions of people whose lives are limited by social fears the hope to control their future. The book is clear, practical, easy to follow, and, above all, based on solid, scientific ground. The sections on troubleshooting are especially valuable to really help fine-tune the techniques. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about overcoming their social fears.”
—Ronald M. Rapee, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, author of Overcoming Shyness and Social Phobia
Review
“This volume, written by a team composed of a psychologist and a psychiatrist, is an outstanding workbook for any individual suffering from social anxiety or shyness and wishing to undertake a structured self-help program to overcome it. The book can be used alone or in conjunction with therapy. The authors are experts in their field and they offer strategies that are solidly grounded in the latest research literature. The workbook format provides readers with the exercises and worksheets they need to do the difficult work required to overcome their shyness and social anxiety.”
—Jacqueline B. Persons, Ph.D., director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and clinical professor in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley
Synopsis
Two leading social anxiety researchers present The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness, an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based workbook filled with assessments and exercises designed to help those with social anxiety or shyness.
Synopsis
Shyness is a common problem that comes with a high price. If you suffer from shyness or social anxiety you might avoid social situations and may have trouble connecting with others due to an extreme fear of humiliation, rejection, and judgment. As a shy person, you may also experience panic attacks that make it even more likely that you’ll avoid social situations.
With The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness, the authors’ acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) program for overcoming shyness has become available to the public for the first time. This program has been found to be highly effective in research studies for the treatment of social anxiety disorder and related subclinical levels of shyness.
In the first section, you will confront performance fears, test anxiety, shy bladder, and interpersonal fears—fundamental symptoms of social anxiety. The second part helps you learn psychological flexibility to improve your ability to accept the feelings, thoughts, and behavior that may arise as you learn to work past your anxiety.
By keeping your values front and center, you will gradually learn to move beyond your fears and toward greater social confidence.
Synopsis
Building on the success of their book for professionals, leaders in the field of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) John Forsyth and Georg Eifert present this exciting and innovative ACT workbook to general readers. It is the first self-help workbook to adapt the revolutionary techniques of ACT into a powerful program readers can use to overcome any of the anxiety disorders.
Synopsis
This new edition of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook offers a comprehensive program to help shy people confront their fears and become actively involved in the social world. The activities in this workbook help readers find their strengths and weaknesses, explore and examine their fears, and create personalized plans for change.
Synopsis
There's nothing wrong with being shy. But if social anxiety keeps you from forming relationships with others, advancing in your education or your career, or carrying on with everyday activities, you may need to confront your fears to live an enjoyable, satisfying life.
This new edition of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook offers a comprehensive program to help you do just that. As you complete the activities in this workbook, you'll learn to:
- Find your strengths and weaknesses with a self-evaluation
- Explore and examine your fears
- Create a personalized plan for change
- Put your plan into action through gentle and gradual exposure to social situations
Information about therapy, medications, and other resources is also included. After completing this program, you'll be well-equipped to make connections with the people around you. Soon, you'll be on your way to enjoying all the benefits of being actively involved in the social world.
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
About the Author
Jan E. Fleming, MD, is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, ON, Canada, staff psychiatrist in the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and clinical associate at The Mindfulness Clinic, all located in Toronto, ON. She has been a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and a practicing psychiatrist for over twenty-five years. As a founding member of the Offord Centre for Child Studies in Hamilton, ON, she received support from the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, the Ontario Ministry of Health, and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, for her research on adolescent depression. Currently, her research and clinical focus are on the application of mindfulness and acceptance-based approachessuch as acceptance and commitment therapyto social anxiety disorder.
Nancy L. Kocovski, PhD, is associate professor of psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON, Canada, where she teaches in the area of clinical psychology and maintains an active research program focused on social anxiety, mindfulness and acceptance-based treatments, and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). She received a New Investigator Fellowship from the Ontario Mental Health Foundation for her work on the development of mindfulness and acceptance-based group therapy for social anxiety disorder. She received an Early Researcher Award from the Ministry of Research and Innovation in Ontario for her work on social anxiety and mindfulness. Kocovski also works as a clinical psychologist in private practice at CBT Associates of Toronto.
Fleming and Kocovski have worked closely together for almost a decade to develop and test the mindfulness and acceptance-based approach outlined in this book. Their research has shown the approach to be as effective as traditional cognitive behavior therapy in alleviating the suffering associated with social anxiety disorder.
Foreword writer Zindel V. Segal, PhD, is professor of psychology at the University of at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada. He is author of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression and The Mindful Way through Depression.
For more information, visit www.actonsocialanxiety.com.