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33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terribly, Horribly Improved, June 15, 2010
This review is from: Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety (Paperback)
First of all, I wouldn't exactly call myself an anxious person. A pessimist, maybe. A realist for sure. Bad stuff happens, often enough to me. I think it's just plain good sense to plan for things to go terribly, horribly wrong. So, even though I didn't set out to buy a self-help book about anxiety, when I stumbled on a copy of this book, with it's disconcerting, topsy turvy cover, I bought it on impulse. And then I read it. And now...well, now, I feel like I'm looking a the world in a totally and profoundly different way. And I like what I see. Nothing in the book defies logic. In fact, it's all very simple, really, making uncannily perfect sense. In fact, I'm kind of surprised none of the points in the gentle, funny, and playful chapters never occurred to me spontaneously before. But as I browsed and flirted with this remarkable little book, a lot became clear to me about those times in life when I've struggled. Yes, I can choose to give my attention gently to what's going on around me in the here and now. Yes, I can learn to not invest my thoughts with a lot of unnecessary authority. Yes, I can decide what I want my life to really be about, and, yes, I can find the flexibility I need to make it happen. I found the book to be wise and warm, literary and lighthearted. There is no "seven steps to a better you" here, no psychobabble or motivational baloney. Rather, it's like a barroom conversation with Wilson and DuFrene, a couple of guys who've thought a lot about life and how to wring a lot of joy and meaning out of the brief time we have. I loved the book. I got a whole lot out of it, even though I didn't really mean to. And I recommend it sincerely to anyone who has a few hours to kill on a good read that might, just possibly, change his or her life.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating. Will Revolutionize Your Understanding of Anxiety., May 4, 2010
This review is from: Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety (Paperback)
For any of you who have ever been anxious--whether you suffer from an anxiety disorder or struggle under the weight of job stress, parental responsibilities, and the speed of a society that presses us to rush through life without ever stopping to get present--this book is for you. Like many who will pick up this title I've suffered from stress and anxiety much of my life. I've read dozens of books on the topic and have worked as a self-help writer for nearly a decade. Rarely, if ever, have I read a book on anxiety that is as lucid and engaging as this one. It provides a unique insight not only into the nature of anxiety but the nature of human suffering by looking at the problem through the lens of an emerging, scientifically-grounded, and extremely innovative psyotherapeutic modality called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ACT, as it is often called, utilizes techniques--like mindfulness and thought watching--that are as old as the hills, but contextualizes them in a way that is extremely palatable, intellectually satisfying, and useful for the Western reader. While the book is skill-based (in that it teaches you how to use specific techniques to manage anxiety) it was delightful to find that this isn't a "quick fix" program like so many out there, but one that is built to help you look at your stress, your anxiety, your life in a fundamentally new and different way. It's an extraordinary work. If there's one book you buy on anxiety, this is the one you should purchase. There is no question: Things might, indeed, go terribly, horribly wrong--if they do, the approach this book offers could be the difference between anxious paralysis and the psychological space and flexibility to move through your difficulties with the grace we all hope to achieve.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Truly Great Resource In Coming To Terms With Anxiety, and Living Fully, August 11, 2010
This review is from: Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety (Paperback)
Hello, I just wanted to mention how remarkably helpful this book has been to so many of my clients. I have also found it a worthwhile and personally liberating read. There is an authenticity and compassion that is deeply present in the voice of this book. The suggestions and techniques have a solid grounding in state of the art psychological research, yet they are presented in an engaging, humorous and humanistic way. This book does not feel like a workbook or a self-help book. It has the quality of a warm and significant conversation with someone who is invested in your well-being and your personal liberation. I have recommended this book to very many clients, and they each have told me that it has meant something to them. It is very rare that such a unanimous response occurs with bibliotherapy recommendations. Also, this is one of the first books that my clients have referred to others in their lives whom they care about. This is an important work. Be Well, Dennis Dennis Tirch PhD, Associate Director, American Institute for Cognitive Therapy. Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College. Diplomate and Fellow, Academy of Cognitive Therapy.
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