Alex Korb - The Upward Spiral Workbook: A Practical Neuroscience Program for Reversing the Course of Depression

The Upward Spiral approach to well-being blends the best of cutting-edge science with practical step-by-step instructions for improving your life. Alex Korb is a scientist and coach, insightful guide and encouraging teacher, who in this workbook offers you grounded ways to bring an uplifting strategy to ease anxiety and melt away depression to live a more meaningful, connected, and inspiring life ahead.

Daniel J. Siegel, MD , New York Times bestselling author of Aware

The Upward Spiral is a helpful and eminently sensible approach to changing the thoughts and behaviors associated with depression. Alex Korb provides a practical guide for getting a handle on the disruption and pain caused by this common and painful condition.

Kay Redfield Jamison , author of An Unquiet Mind , and Pulitzer Prize finalist for Robert Lowell, Setting the River on Fire

Deeply practical and effective tools based in science to not only grow strengths for resiliency around anxiety and depressionbut also boost your skills for happiness.

Elisha Goldstein, PhD , author of Uncovering Happiness

This easy-to-read book is chock-full of simple-to-do, scientifically supported ideas and exercises to overcome depression. Can you benefit from Korbs techniques to train your brain to adopt new thinking and acting patterns that can also prevent depression from coming back? Lets see. Change your facial expression as if you were smiling. If you can do this, you can do the antidepression exercises in this book. As you test new, helpful ideas and habit-forming actions, you may soon enough find the powerlessness thinking of pessimism replaced by the powerful thinking of realistic optimism. At that point, here is a question for you: What did I learn by taking charge of my own progress?

William Knaus, EdD , author of The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression and The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Anxiety

The Upward Spiral Workbook is grounded in the same excellent neuroscience principles as The Upward Spiral but offers even more practical guidance to enacting meaningful life changes for alleviating depression and maintaining recovery. While I recognize its value in self-help, as a physician Im also excited to use this workbook as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for my patients.

Helen Mayberg, MD , director of the Center of Advanced Circuit Therapeutics, and professor in the departments of neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Alex Korb has empowered consumers to understand their neurophysiology and to take charge of their mental operating systems in order to develop new habits of body, mind, and spirit. Such changes reverse the downward spiral into depression. We face an epidemic of depression and suicide. Consumers want more than just pills and talk therapy. They need an array of evidence-based approaches they can use every day. Use this program, find what works for you, and change your life.

Richard P. Brown, MD , coauthor of The Healing Power of the Breath and Complementary and Integrative Treatments in Psychiatric Practice

I fully love this workbook, it helps you to understand what is happening in our (sometimes) crazy brains in a really easy and fun way. Alex Korb inspired me to build my mindfulness app, Happy Not Perfect, after he was the first one to teach me how to cope with my emotions. Science meets emotional health, a recipe everyone needs to know about! This book can help you manage many different aspects of your life.

Poppy Jamie , founder of Happy Not Perfect

Most books about happiness are so loaded with trite platitudes that they make me miserable. The Upward Spiral Workbook is a delightful exception. Alex Korb delivers actionable insights from the latest neuroscience in the most warm and accessible of ways. This practical yet intimate guide provides concrete steps toward a more positive outlookand a better life.

Eric Barker , Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Barking Up the Wrong Tree

Alex Korb is a genius. Its easy to find an extremely clever neuroscientist, but what is rare, is finding a neuroscientist who can translate their knowledge into actionable advice and compelling metaphors. This book is packed with things I didnt know, from fascinating facts about the architecture of sleep, to why exercise is like marijuana for the brain, to why sunglasses reduce tension. Brilliant.

Catherine Gray , author of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober and The Unexpected Joy of Being Single

Filled with tangible practices and rooted in research, The Upward Spiral Workbook is an accessible resource for anyone dealing with the stress and anxiety of modern life. I welcome its focus on helping the reader to understand not only why they may feel what they feel, but also how they may begin to shiftand doing this with self-compassion and without self-recrimination.

Nataly Kogan , author of Happier Now

Alex Korb makes the reader feel he is talking directly to them , as he compassionately combats the common beliefs people hold about depression and anxiety that serve as barriers to getting bettersuch as, Its my fault ; I should be able to snap out of it ; I am the only person feeling this way ; I should be over my childhood traumas already . Although Korb provides wonderful and insightful exercises for getting better, his approach is unique and wise in continually emphasizing the importance of the inner work people need to do to alter their false and self-defeating beliefs.

Regina Pally, MD , psychiatrist, author of The Reflective Parent , and founder and codirector of the Center for Reflective Communities

Alex Korb is a master at translating the complexities of the brain. The step-by-step actions in each chapter are extremely helpful for anyone who wrestles with anxiety or depression. What impressed me most about this book is he provides simple strategies that anyone can do. As you work through his easy-to-do exercises, you will actively transform your brain and you will feel better. This wonderful workbook is the perfect addition to The Upward Spiral .

Jonas Horwitz, PhD , licensed psychologist, and author of How to Stop Feeling So Damn Depressed

This companion workbook to The Upward Spiral offers excellent, evidence-based, practical tools in an easy to use and understand format. It should be immensely helpful for anyone suffering from depression or other challenging emotions.

Diana Winston , director of mindfulness education at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, and coauthor of Fully Present

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.

Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books

Copyright 2019 by Alex Korb

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

5674 Shattuck Avenue

Oakland, CA 94609

www.newharbinger.com

Cover design by Amy Shoup

Acquired by Elizabeth Hollis Hansen

Edited by Brady Kahn

Illustrations on pages 10, 12, 13, and 14 by Alexis Frederick-Frost

All Rights Reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file

In memory of Dr. Billi Gordonremain fabulous and phenomenal.