Although the sheer size of this dense workbook might cause initial hyperventilation--280 full-size sheets of text--take heart (and a deep breath!): the many self-assessment tools and calming techniques presented in this fifth edition can help overcome anxiety and promote physical and emotional well-being. First introduced in 1980, the book received praise for presenting a comprehensive look at stress, its physical manifestations, and the multiple ways it can be managed. Twenty years later, its well-organized chapters on breathing, relaxation, meditation, thought stopping, and body awareness still guide the reader through copious self-help techniques to try and, eventually, master. Other chapters, including job stress management, goal setting and time management, and assertiveness training, focus on daily scenarios people often find distressing. Lessons in identifying key elements that trigger unpleasant responses and in reacting differently to these elements are designed to defuse perceived conflicts. For this edition, coauthors Martha Davis (psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Santa Clara, CA), Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman (licensed clinical social worker with Kaiser Permanente Online), and Matthew McKay (clinical director of Haight-Ashbury Psychological Services, San Francisco, CA) have added topics on worry control, anger management, and eye-movement therapy. New diagrams and a more reader-friendly format should appeal to readers, despite a few typos and graphical mishaps. This is a valuable tool for therapists, their patients, and the stressed-at-large. --Liane Thomas
This book is wonderful for teaching people how to relax and cope with stress. It has practical exercises for learning the different techniques.
Workbook covers such topics as: body awareness, breathing, progressive relaxation, meditation, visualization, autogenics, self-hypnosis, refuting irrational ideas, thought stopping, worry control, goal and time
managment, assertiveness training, job stress management, nutrition, exercise and how to stay on track with a stress management program. I've had therapists tell me they use this book all the time in their practice. I'm currently using it as a guide for people in my Wellness Recovery Program. The exercises are easy to teach and practical to use.
Well written. A great how-to for beginners. Finally a self-help book that tells the reader "how" to do something rather than a diatribe of how wonderful the author is and why the information is important. Workbook is easy to follow. I'm very happy with it.
I didn't read this book myself, but purchased it for a friend who, due to a chronic medical condition caused solely by stress, needs to change not only his lifestyle but his thought process and self identity. He tells me this book opened his eyes to how stressful his life truly is, and found many of the suggestions and techniques helpful in the beginning process of identifying stressful behavior, and taking the first baby steps in changing that behavior. For him, however, the major changes may have to come through therapy, but for those for whom a relatively simple lifestyle change will bring improvement, this book appears to be the ticket.
