Self-Coaching: How to Heal Anxiety and Depression (Paperback)

by Joseph J. Luciani Ph.D. (Author) "Why are you reading this book?..." (more)
Key Phrases: pinhole view, insecure thinking, undirected thoughts, Scared Mary, Worry Boy, Chicken Little (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts and our interpretations of events greatly influence our moods. Therapists teach clients to listen to their negative internal dialogs and to use less depressive "self-talk." Clients may also be given "homework" in the form of relaxation exercises for anxiety or gradual acclimatization to frightening situations. The emphasis is on changing thoughts and actions, not on understanding their origins. Getting Your Life Back and Self-Coaching are both based on this approach. The latter, by clinical psychologist Luciani, advises readers to identify themselves as specific personality types (e.g., "Worrywarts," "Hedgehogs," "Perfectionists") and then gives specific instructions on how to change these thought patterns. The title by Wright and Basco, a psychiatrist/educator and a clinical psychologist/researcher, respectively, examines various psychological areas (e.g., thinking, action, biology, relationships, and spirituality) and invites readers to work on these areas in any order with valuable, morale-boosting checklists and examples. Getting Your Life Back is the better of the two because it discusses antidepressants and because the authors' instructions and exercises are much more thorough.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The prevailing therapeutic value of trying to change cognitive thought processes in order to ward off depression and anxiety is not new. However, the approach in this book puts the primary responsibility for making the change on the sufferer of either condition. For those who are uncomfortable with the thought of entering therapy or using medication, the self-coaching work here may be just the ticket to greater freedom from depression and anxiety. (There are a few useful self-tests.) As an alternative to traditional psychiatric options, the self-coaching and "self-talk" prescribed in the book may work to talk oneself out of temporary mild or moderate depression. Sufferers of major clinical depression might want to combine the approach here with therapy or medication. A viable option for the self-help section of library collections. Marlene Chamberlain
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471387371
• ISBN-13: 978-0471387374
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #308,287 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! Not just for anxiety and depression!, October 15, 2002

By	Mindguy (SoCal - United States) - See all my reviews

This book is fantastic, not just for anxiety and depression, but for issues of self-esteem, shyness, excessive introversion, anger, perfectionism, etc. I am exploring all these things in therapy and with medication, but felt that there was something more, some common thread, common cause...and the author has found it.

This book really helps you get to the root problem that all these have in common. Deep-seated insecurity and lack of trust in oneself to handle what life throws at you. Hard to admit, but it is the beginning of healing. The author shows how this insecurity (what he calls the Insecure Child), tries to maintain control of oneself and the outside world through immature coping strategies learned in, and repeated since childhood.

If you are a self-help junkie like me who has read countless books, but the result has only been "understanding" your issues better, but never overcoming them, I urge you to give these techniques a try.

At first read, they seem too simplistic, to simple, but in simple things there is power. Give it a try! What have you got to lose, except the misery you're living in?

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific guide for your first steps!, November 15, 2002

By	C. K. Ogi (NW MO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this book on the recommendation of a friend, and as a 'compantion of sorts to 'Undoing Depression.' This was one of those rare self-help books that genuinely seems to be centered on that premise.

Luciani give a brilliant background to what you can get from self-helping, and explains it in a way that doesn't make you feel 1.) hopelessly inacapable of accomplishing relief from depression, 2.) explains the causes in a way that don't make you feel like a failure for developing the thought patterns in the first place, and 3.) doesn't use a lot of psychobabble, (save the exception of the inner child thing, which is just a personal irritant of mine) so you actually can see where he's tryig to get you to go.

I really liked his approach to focusing your recovery more internally and on reminding you that it's not an overnight process. Another appreciation I found was that he recongized how difficult changing these patterns can be...and so you expect those hurdles, rather than get discouraged yet again.

I found this to be an excellent book for anyone suffering mild to moderate depression. (And I recommend buying this as a companion to 'Undoing Depression,' so you really get a good sense of what you are working with) If you are severely depressed, you should probably work through more of it before tackling self-coaching.

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Self-Coaching stands above the rest!, May 11, 2001

By	My Pal Val "kikila30" (Stone Ridge, NY) - See all my reviews

Having read many, self help books, I felt Self-Coaching stood above the rest! Although I could write pages on the benefits of this book, I will try to keep this short. I often find that it is difficult for those that have not had to deal with depression to understand or relate to what we go through, and the books out there tend to be very clinical. However, Self-Coaching gave me a new prospective on the self-help book. Dr. Luciani's methods of "coaching" have allowed me to begin taking control of my illness and my life. After years of therapists and medications that I never really thought would benefit, I truly feel I can do this! I will not be letting this book go, I have already gone back and reread several sections for motivation. I would recommend Self-Coaching to anyone, no matter how mild or severe your anxiety or depression is, it can change your life.