Do You Worry All the Time? Have you tried to control your thoughts and get your worrying under control? Did it work? If it didn't, try this simple exercise: Take thirty seconds, right here and now, and don't think about something you recently worried about. Think about anything and everything else, but don't think about that worry. How did you do? Like most of us, you probably could think of little else except whatever it was you worried about, no matter how hard you tried. This is the problem with trying to control your thoughts: Your attempts to stop worrying very often lead you to repeat and refresh the very worries you're trying to dispel. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a revolutionary new approach to resolving a wide range of psychological problems, can help you break the cycle of chronic worry. ACT stresses letting go of your attempts to avoid, change, and get rid of worry. Instead, it shows you how to accept your feelings as they occur, without judgment. You'll learn to "de-fuse" from your worries, observing and then letting them go. Then you'll explore and commit to acting on your values, thereby creating a rich life for yourself--even with the occasional worry.
An excellent read - very effective ways to manage anxiety
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
If you are looking for a book to reduce your worries or one to suggest to others, the Worry Trap is an excellent choice. Dr Lejeune uses the framework of Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) to effectively help the reader understand the purpose and function of their anxiety. ACT is a blend of thinking, action and mindfulness. He presents the information in clear language and the examples are easy to relate to. The writing style is very engaging and at times humorous. Dr. Lejuene gives ample suggestions on how to take action that encourages lasting transformation.
Excellent, easy-t0-read, and concise!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
I just want to draw attention to a fantastic ACT book I've just finished reading, called 'The Worry Trap', by Chad Lejeune. It's a self-help book on the use of ACT for those with GAD, or for anybody who worries a lot. it's the size of a thin paperback, only 189 pages, and it's choc-a-bloc full of great stuff, written in a really easy-to-read style. He's come up with some great new metaphors (the wrinkle in the sock, art versus ant, the shark infested surfer) and some wonderfully creative defusion strategies, (including 'rhyming your worries', labelling stuff with stick-it notes, and there's even one that involves acting out the worst case scenario with pieces of fruit!!!) The only exercise I can't bring myself to do is mindfulness of a cold shower. He's also got a really good skills-building section at the end of the book - covering planning, time management, problem-solving, assertiveness etc. All in all, highly reccomended. Cheers, Russ
It Helps!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
This book is full of ideas and techniques that reduce anxiety and worry. You don't have to be consumed by anxiety to benefit from the practical advice it contains. Another aspect of the book that I respect is that ACT is entirely research based. It's like what W. Edwards Deming liked to call "a blizzard of common sense."
I'm recommending this to all my clients.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
A great, simple, clear, evidence-based look at using mindfulness, acceptance and more to free oneself from problems with worry and anxiety. I think it's a must read for therapists using mindfulness based approaches to help their clients, and meditation teachers trying to help their students with anxiety problems. And, if you are chronically caught with worry and anxiety in your own life, this would be, as far as I'm concerned an important cutting-edge approach that will help you if you truly apply what you are reading. I lead a mindfulness based wellness program at a major health care provider in northern California - Kaiser-Permanente - and I am recommending this book to every anxious and worried person I work with.
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