The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition [Paperback]

Edmund J. Bourne (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1572244135 | ISBN-13: 978-1572244139 | Publication Date: May 1, 2005 | Edition: 4

Practical, step-by-step directions for the mastery of:
• Visualization
• Self-Esteem
• Nutrition
• Medication
• Meditation techniques
• Anxiety-triggering health conditions

Over 600,000 Copies Sold

Since its first edition in 1990, The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook has sold more than 600,000 copies. Its engaging exercises and worksheets have helped millions of readers make real progress in overcoming problems with anxiety and phobic disorders. The Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Resources in Mental Health (Norcross, et al., 2003) gave the book its highest rating and praised it as 'a highly regarded and widely known resource.' Thousands of mental health and medical professionals recommend this book to their clients and patients every year. Simply put, it is the single finest source of self-help information on its topic available anywhere.

The text of this edition has been fully revised and expanded and includes two new chapters: a discussion of physical conditions that can aggravate anxiety and an overview of the use of mindfulness practice in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and some forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. As in previous editions, the book offers the most up-to-date information on medications, natural supplements, and complementary strategies that can alleviate anxiety symptoms. The sections on relaxation, nutrition, and exercise have all been updated and broadened.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Publisher

A revision of the best-selling classic, this fourth edition of this book provides step-by-step help for sufferers of anxiety and phobic disorders. It offers the latest treatment strategies for the whole range of these problems-panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder-with revisions that include updated information on medications, mindfulness training, and health-related conditions that aggravate anxiety.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 4 edition (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572244135
• ISBN-13: 978-1572244139
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,060 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #21 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Behavioral Sciences > Behavioral Psychology
  • #33 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Anxiety Disorders
  • #56 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Mood Disorders

More About the Author

Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., has specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders and related problems for two decades. For many years, Bourne was director of the Anxiety Treatment Center in San Jose and Santa Rosa, CA. His bestselling anxiety books, which have helped hundreds of thousands of readers throughout the world, include The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Beyond Anxiety and Phobia, and Coping with Anxiety.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for Everyone, November 30, 2009

By 

Phd. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

A lot of self-help books are hit or miss because they give you one or two strategies for solving a problem. Not so with this book- that's because its a workbook. This means the book takes a problem, and gives you MANY different strategies and ways of solving it. I'm a big fan of workbooks, simply because there's something for everyone. If you don't like strategy "A", well, then just move on and try strategy "B" or "C". Here's a few more specifics about the book...

-you take a self diagnosis questionnaire to help you identify which anxiety disorder you may be dealing with

-you will learn about the causes of anxiety disorders, including triggers and maintaining causes

-the book proposes a multi-level comperehensive approach that addresses different levels of contributing causes (physical, emotional, behavioral, mental, interpersonal, whole-self, and spiritual

-you can use the weekly practice records to monitor your own program

-the bulk of the book is esentially a bunch of strategies that you can choose from, such as breathing exercises, desensitization, physical exercise (also recommend Exercise Beats Depression for more on that), self-talk, and visualization

As you can see, the book takes a very comprehensive approach to getting the reader better and most are bound to find at least find one or two techniques that will really hit the nail on the head. Five stars easy.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good, December 26, 2005

By 

Robert T. Merrill (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

I bought this back in August, based on my family doctor's recommendation and many good reviews. The change-your-thoughts therapies described have come a long way since I was first exposed to them in the mid-1980s. The worksheets make writing (journaling) easier and more effective. I also appreciate the breadth of help offered; Dr. Bourne gives you a lot of different things to try, and see what helps.

For all that, I still keep returning to Claire Weekes ("Hope and Help for Your Nerves," ISBN 0451167228). What that dear woman managed to figure out back in the 1960s still amazes me. And her words convey a strong, sweet, compassion that Dr. Bourne's "Workbook" lacks. The two books complement and strengthen one another.

Be kind to yourself, and don't be too proud or too ashamed to give medication a try, too.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific resource for therapists or those who suffer with anixety, February 2, 2006

By 

Kimberly Wagner "former academic turned marke... (Athens, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook addresses the whole range of anxiety disorders and symptoms and how to deal with them. Chapters focus on relaxation techniques, coping strategies, interfering thoughts, identifying feelings, assertiveness, and self-esteem. Types of medication and what to consider are also explained. Even areas that you wouldn't think would be related to anxiety, like nutrition, are explored.

I first bought this book when I was in graduate school and found it to be an incredibly helpful resource to use with clients. I have done exercises from the book with clients or even encouraged them to buy a copy for themselves. The text is written in a reader-friendly way; someone with anxiety who might not want to go see a counselor could use this book and gain some relief from their symptoms (of course, the actual exercises would have to be completed, not just read). The cognitive-behavioral approach that this book takes is the intervention of choice for most therapists for working with people with anxiety issues.