Stefan G. Hofmann - The Anxiety Skills Workbook: Simple CBT and Mindfulness Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety, Fear, and Worry

The Anxiety Skills Workbook , by world-leading expert on anxiety Stefan Hofmann, is an excellent, up-to-date guide for those suffering from anxiety. Following the clear, powerful, and concise techniques outlined in each chapter, the reader will have all the tools needed to conquer anxiety. Step by step, you will learn how to acquire skills in relaxation, mindfulness, challenging negative thoughts, coping with worry, and confronting avoidance. Each chapter provides easy-to-use exercises that can help you reverse your anxiety. This book will make a difference in your life!

Robert L. Leahy, PhD , director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, and author of The Jealousy Cure

Millions of people in North America and around the world spend billions of dollars each year in vain attempts to suppress and escape the ravages of severe anxiety. In this brief, easy-to-read workbook, one of the foremost authorities on anxiety in the world, Stefan Hofmann, lays out several relatively simple, straightforward, and proven strategies based on the latest cutting-edge research to face lifes daily challenges with confidence rather than fear. By individually tailoring these strategies to their own situation, everyone suffering from anxiety should benefit.

David H. Barlow, PhD, ABPP , professor of psychology and psychiatry emeritus, and founder of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University

This workbook could be a game changer for those struggling with anxiety. It is packed full of the latest evidence-based knowledge and treatment strategies that target key symptoms of anxiety. Written by Stefan Hofmann, a world-renowned researcher and clinician in the treatment of anxiety disorders, The Anxiety Skills Workbook presents modular, step-by-step instruction on how to deal with the root causes of persistent anxiety. Readers will find the case examples, uncomplicated worksheets, and straightforward explanations a refreshing departure from a crowded field of self-help books on anxiety.

David A. Clark, PhD , professor emeritus in the department of psychology at the University of New Brunswick in Canada, and author of The Anxious Thoughts Workbook

Tens of millions of people have benefitted from cognitive and behavioral therapies to develop a new relationship with anxiety. Stefan Hofmann is a world-leading scientist and practitioner, and presents here an easy-to-use anxiety skills workbook that is firmly grounded in the latest research. The evidence is clear: its not what happens to us, but rethinking the ongoing stresses and events that happen in life, as well as our beliefs about emotions, worry, and replacing past memories with experiences of accomplishment in tricky situations that helps us to grow. Anyone wanting to alleviate their anxiety should read this book.

Nikolaos Kazantzis, PhD , associate professor at Monash University in Australia, coauthor of The Therapeutic Relationship in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , and coeditor of Using Homework Assignments in Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Many self-help books tend to overwhelm readers with endless lists of worksheets to be completed, and suggestions for too many homework exercises. This book is refreshingly different. It helps readers to quickly zero in on the most important issues common to all anxiety problems. Each chapter teaches the reader just a few exercises that were carefully selected based on what the latest scientific research has shown repeatedly to be effective in the treatment of anxiety. Rather than feeling like victims of anxiety, these exercises will empower readers to move with anxiety rather than struggling against it, thus making them feel less like victims of anxiety and more in charge of their lives. If youre looking for a bare-bones workbook to help you deal with anxiety more effectively, this workbook will be perfect for you.

Georg H. Eifert, PhD , professor emeritus of psychology at Chapman University, and coauthor of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety

Stefan Hofmann is an expert in the areas of anxiety, fear, and worry, and his outstanding book will teach you how to help yourself with cognitive behavioral as well as mindfulness treatment strategies. This book is filled with clear and practical advice that will guide your journey toward a better life.

Sabine Wilhelm, PhD , professor at Harvard Medical School, and chief of psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital

This book combines a range of effective strategies that have been studied for decades with newer approaches for understanding and treating anxiety and related problems. Its clearly written, well organized, and filled with helpful tips and tools to stop anxiety in its tracks. The best way to overcome anxiety is to change the thoughts and behaviors that keep it alive. This book will show you how to do exactly that. I recommend it highly!

Martin M. Antony, PhD, ABPP , professor in the department of psychology at Ryerson University in Canada, and coauthor of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook

If you are anxious, you know your problem from the inside outso why use a one-size-fits-all approach if you can instead learn to do what fits your needs? Written by one of the worlds leading experts on cognitive behavioral approaches to emotion, this workbook takes some of the most effective skills for addressing anxiety and breaks them down into bite-sized modules that you can learn and use either as an overall package or as stand-alone strategies. Research suggests that these modulesthese micro-skillsare highly effective and worth your effort to learn. Highly recommended.

Steven C. Hayes, PhD , Foundation Professor in the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno

Publishers Note

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Printed in the United States of America

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2020 by Stefan G. Hofmann

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

www.newharbinger.com

Cover design by Sara Christian

Acquired by Elizabeth Hollis Hansen

Edited by Karen Levy

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hofmann, Stefan G., author.

Title: The anxiety skills workbook : simple CBT and mindfulness strategies for overcoming anxiety, fear, and worry / Stefan G. Hofmann, PHD ; foreword by Judith S. Beck, PHD.

Description: Oakland, CA : New Harbinger Publications, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019055161 (print) | LCCN 2019055162 (ebook) | ISBN 9781684034529 (paperback) | ISBN 9781684034536 (pdf) | ISBN 9781684034543 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Anxiety disorders--Treatment. | Cognitive therapy.

Classification: LCC RC531 .H64 2020 (print) | LCC RC531 (ebook) | DDC 616.85/2206--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019055161

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019055162

To our courageous clients, who have taught us so much.

Contents

Foreword

Anxiety and worries are common emotional problems. For some people, these problems are so severe that they lead to a great degree of stress and suffering. We know a great deal about the nature of these problems, and there are many books on anxiety and worry. But simply knowing the facts about anxiety and worry is unlikely to change much. Similarly, passive advice about common treatment strategies that should work for most, as happens with so many self-help books, will not lead to success. Rather, success comes from actively working to identify and change the unhelpful patterns of the unique individual. This point is a distinctive feature of this book, unshared by others. It consists of treatment modules that focus on different aspects of anxiety. Not all modules will be equally beneficial for everyone. Such a modular approach toward overcoming anxiety recognizes the unique problems any given client is facing. Matching the right modules to these problems is the most powerful way to target and overcome anxiety.