Sally M. Winston - Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety: A CBT Guide for Moving past Chronic Indecisiveness, Avoidance, and Catastrophic Thinking

Another fantastic book from Winston and Seif! If you have an active imagination and a nervous system wired for anxiety, you will learn from their eighty collective years of expertise the mindset and strategy for conquering worry and fear. Their book perfectly captures the inner dialogue of the chronic worrier and explains how to retrain the anxious brain to live a life focused on the present; not the past or future.

Ken Goodman, LCSW , Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) board member, and creator of The Anxiety Solution Series

Do you struggle with indecisiveness, catastrophic thinking, or avoidance? Then Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety was written for you. Winston and Seif leverage forty years of expertise empowering all of us into the therapeutic attitude, becoming more observational and metacognitive so we better separate ourselves from our emotional pitfalls. The road map is clear: make cognitive shifts, break the cycle of paralysis through analysis, and youll no longer fall victim to anticipatory anxiety .

Josh Spitalnick, PhD, ABPP , licensed psychologist, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) specialist board certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, and practice owner/CEO of Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta

Sally Winston and Martin Seif have written another excellent book Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety . Traditional efforts to cope with anxiety often mean how to get rid of anxiety, which paradoxically leads to more anxiety. They suggest that allowing and accepting anxiety is a more helpful approachand I completely agree! Im thrilled Winston and Seif have written this new book, and I look forward to being able to give it to my patients.

Robert W. McLellarn, PhD , founder and director of Anxiety and Panic Treatment Center, LLC

Anxiety can be an uncontrollable, bewildering form of emotional distress that diminishes life satisfaction for millions. Now in this illuminating self-help manual, Winston and Seif unravel the mysteries of anxiety, giving the reader a rare insight into the core processes that drive this unrelenting emotional disturbance. The insights gained from Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety will supercharge the therapeutic strategies of those experiencing or treating anxiety, so they are better able to subdue the debilitating effects of anxiety.

David A. Clark, PhD , professor emeritus at the University of New Brunswick; and author of The Anxious Thoughts Workbook , The Negative Thoughts Workbook , and The Anxious Thoughts Workbook for Teens

Sally Winston and Martin Seif have written another compelling and informative book that should be essential reading for those suffering from anticipatory anxiety and chronic indecisiveness. Using evidence-driven principles, the authors provide a unique and clear road map to help people fundamentally change their relationship with anxietyrather than just managing itso that they can live fuller, happier, and more meaningful lives.

Stacia Casillo, PsyD , psychologist; and director of The Ross Center in New York, NY

Winston and Seif have written another excellent book for people suffering with anxiety and worry! This one offers a terrific explanation of the inner workings of anticipatory anxiety and avoidance, and shows you how to make changes that empower you to liveand thrivewith lifes uncertainties. Their description of what anxiety recovery is really like, and answers to common questions, help make it clear how you can change your relationship with anxiety and live the life you want.

David Carbonell, PhD , Chicago, IL-based psychologist specializing in treating chronic anxiety for over thirty years; author of Panic Attacks Workbook and The Worry Trick ; and coach at www.anxietycoach.com

Can you learn to manage your anxiety without practicing hours of exercises? Absolutely! Winston and Seif will persuade you to adopt a simple, powerful mindset that releases you from anxietys hold. Youll learn as you follow along, and then youll be rewarded with the life you want and love.

Reid Wilson, PhD , author of Stopping the Noise in Your Head

In their fourth book, Winston and Seif combine their expertise in anxiety treatment to offer insight about the inner workings of the mind. They masterfully identify and describe the phenomenon of anticipatory anxiety which underlies many forms of avoidance and leads to increased anxiety and suffering. What separates Winston and Seifs book is the applicability to not just those suffering from OCD and anxiety, but also to anyone who experiences anticipatory anxiety, difficulty with decision-making, or perfectionism. Their insight may very well provide the key to breaking free from the musings of an anxious mind and offer a guide to leading a more joyful life.

Molly B. Schiffer, LCPC , psychotherapist at The Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt, and the OCD program at The Retreat

Winston and Seif have once again contributed a great deal of wisdom to the community of anxiety sufferers. Here, they have teased apart an aspect of the experience that too often gets lumped in with the whole. By singling out anticipatory anxiety, they will surely help the anxious among us understand the role it plays in continuing to feed our worries.

Josh Malina , host of the Anxiety Book Club podcast

Two consummate clinicians, Winston and Seif, put anticipatory anxiety under the microscope in their latest offering, placing it front and center among anxiety phenomena. Anticipatory anxiety is conceptualized as a transdiagnostic feature associated with virtually all anxiety disorders, and therefore warranting a targeted therapeutic focus. The authors offer and deliver a systematic, and well-conceived, approach built upon traditional CBT and Buddhist principles and practices, and guided by biological science. All are integrated seamlessly into an effectively communicated method filled with diverse examples to drive their points home. I will highly recommend this book to individuals who suffer from the potentially crippling effects of anxiety, avoidance, imagined catastrophes, and pervasive indecisivenessand to fellow therapists alike, who will benefit from the authors fresh perspectives.

Charles S. Mansueto, PhD, founder and director of the Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington, and coauthor of Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Disorders

Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety is an informative look at the ways we become trapped in avoidance and anxiety. This instructional guide normalizes experiencing anxiety, reduces shame, and destigmatizes being trapped in this often silent and debilitating struggle. The clear, concise examples and step-by-step solutions on recognizing and working toward freedom from anticipatory anxiety feels like you have Winston and Seif walking alongside and cheering you on as you recover!

Chrissie Hodges, CPFS , certified peer support specialist; founder of Treatment for OCD Consulting, Peer Recovery Services, and OCD Gamechangers; and author of Pure OCD

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