A while back, I was doing extensive research before writing up a discussion on the use of cognitive behavioral therapy. I went to the original texts by Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck, and they were great for theoretical info, but this book was THE BEST for simple, easy to understand discussion of how to use the principles and techniques of cognitive behavioral therapies to help control anxiety, depression, self esteem, moods and other aspects of your life. It provides short, simple explanations and well thought through exercises you can use to take great charge of your life.

It is an excellent book for therapists who want to have a quick referral resource for patients and it is a super self help book.

Like the authors say, it is not a replacement for treatment by a doctor, but it sure goes a long way for helping some basic issues. I've used the techniques listed here along with biofeedback interventions (see more about them and how to read articles I've written on my website listed in my profile)

Bottom line-- for self help in cognitive therapy, consider this the layman's bible, and an essential bibliotherapy resource for therapists..

I began using this book in conjunction with a therapist and did quite well. When my therapy ended, I bought my own copy, since one can use this book alone, as well. Simple and clearly understandable, I found the book an immense help.

While for some problems the authors do NOT recommend using the book without a trained therapist, for many with more easily treated problems it is a wonderful program of self-help.

I used the book for cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and it was most effective.

Starting with the premise that our thoughts create our feelings, the authors offer lots of ways to learn to listen to what our thoughts are telling us. They explain the techniques used in cognitive therapy and give practical steps for improving your life. I've used this book myself to help me get through some bad times, and given copies to several friends. I used to buy the self help books for a big library so I've seen a lot of them; this is probably my favorite for all around usefulness.

After checking this book out from the local library, I had to buy a copy of my own. It has been difficult to find food that I am craving during my pregnancy that is nutritious as well. All 15 of the recipes that I've tried so far taste GREAT and are easy to make. Unlike other pregnancy recipe books I had read, the recipes are low in fat and have the nutritional content displayed. They have recipes for different diets as well (low-carb/Atkins, vegetarian, etc.)

During pregnancy it's hard to get all of the nutrition and vitamins that are recommended daily...the authors do a great job of creating delicious and easy recipes that are packed with nutrition. Even foods that I absolutely abhorred before pregnancy such as yogurt or cilantro, I now am able to eat because the dishes taste great. Many recipes I'll be making well past pregnancy (ie., Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Sweet Red Peppers). Also, my husband really likes the meals that we've had so far and often requests that we have them again.

One good thing is that if you buy the basic ingredients (olive oil, yogurt, etc.) you will be able to make a majority of the meals in the book.

The only downside to the book is that there aren't any pictures of meals after they're prepared.

This book is a practical and thoughful primer on how to listen and how to talk to improve communication skills. It is comprehensive and direct-- with no "jaw".

This book briefly discusses important aspects of communication; including proper listening and getting your message through without noises or communication blocks that hinder the communication process. Besides, it describes how to communicate with your mate, children and how to improve your assertiveness.

The discussion is concise, but the important aspects are very well discussed. This a very valuable book that should be read by everybody who has any concern about achieving a better communication.

The authors have created a very in depth but easy to read psycho analysis of poor communication skills and ways for individuals to help themselves change their attitude and methods of communicating with others.

Listening is probably the most important skill of communication that most of people lack. Many do not even think of listening as communication. I was guilty of trying to ancticipate or guess what the other person was going to say, already working out my reactive answer and therefore not hearing the last half of the conversation. It takes a bit of self control and discipline to be able to really listen.

People have a habit of not coming to the point for fear of being rejected or hurting the other persons feelings. The person giving the message learns how to take the sting out of the message by not blaming or accusing but still being direct. It is a different way of wording your sentences but I was amazed at the way this technique can defuse a tense situation.

If you find that you are sometimes missunderstood or fear of the reaction from telling your boss, wife, girlfriend or work colleague what you really think, then I would highly recommend purchasing this book. It is a great book for everybody.

This is a self-help book that cuts through all the big words and psychological concepts and gets immediately into helping you change. There is something for everybody here -- parents, teens, managers, and children. Their explanations of screwed up communication patterns are concise and their "solutions" are elegant. One of the few self-help books I have bothered to keep on my bookshelve. Worth every penny.

I must have bought countless books on relaxation and meditation in order to relieve stress. For the most part I found non-objective, very subjective eastern treatises pushing a philosophy or dogma. These books were not very well structured in explaining how to use the techniques. This book, approaches relaxation methods in a scientific manner. Each chapter is about one method, telling what type of attitude works best in its use, the variations of the method (based on effect) and the time that is necessary to see the effects. The methods are explained in a "cookbook" manner. The steps of the methods are clear and explained well. These methods are treated as templates for anybody to use, without implying inferences as to what philosophy of life is correct. I don't think I have ever recommended a book before (heuristic: 90% of all books say the same thing), but since this one follows such a well defined format, I will. Enjoy.

Brew yourself a cup of your favorite herbal tea and curl up in a quiet corner because you're in for a treat. This book is exactly what the title says it is - a workbook for relaxation and stress reduction - and its user-friendly style enables the reader to dip into any chapter at will and derive something useful and informative from it. The book's orientation is very much a holistic approach and the authors' emphasis on mental coping methods dovetails nicely with the chapters on reducing physical stress symptoms. I found the progressive relaxation guidance (including instructions for creating your own tape) particulary well done and helpful. As the authors make so clear, many of us are unaware of how and where we store our tension and how our breathing impacts our ability to move from a stress response to relaxation. Methods such as progressive relaxation - systematically tensing and relaxing all the large muscle groups in the body - aid in gaining awareness of what we are experiencing physically both during stress and in relaxation. The book also discusses goals, time management, nutrition and exercise, with copious worksheets for the reader to dissect which area(s) he or she most needs to focus on to achieve more individual balance, and therefore less stress. The end of each chapter includes suggestions for further reading, providing the reader a jumping off point for deeper work in a particular area, if needed. Each chapter is a module for bringing about psyche/soma homeostasis. The book's one drawback in my view is the length of the personal stress analysis worksheets. One is of course free to skip over them or complete only a portion of each one. Overall though, the book provides a palatable plethora of nurturing and nourishing ideas and methods for bringing mind, body and spirit to a place of respite and repose, whatever one's outer circumstances may be.

This book is a wonderful source companion for anyone seeking to find effective ways of dealing with stress and the mental and/or physical pain that it can cause. By offering a variety of proven methods and approaches, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook has helped me to discover and focus on those techniques that are the most helpful and effective for me. Clearly written and easy to read, I recommend it highly.

I just enjoyed both the Male Menopaws (The Silent Howl) and Menopaws by Martha Sacks. It was just hilarious and really made me chuckle. I wish I had these books when Iwas going through such turmoil in March of 99.

This and the author's other volume are true works of art. I can't wait for the next volume, which will hopefully bring some levity to issues like arthritis, Alzheimers, hardening of the arteries, varicose veins and other atrocities of old age.

I am a Cat lover so I was immediatly attracted to this book by the illustrations. I bought the first copy for my sister who is going through early menopause. She loved it ...I think it was the first time she was able to laugh at some of the things she was feeling. It's very well written with a great sense of humor ! I have since given this book to several friends. A great gift for someone in need of a smile !!

I bought this book a few years ago and thought it was hysterical then. Since then I continue to buy more books for friends and family because everyone needs a good laugh when they are going through "the change." This year I gave a dozen "Menopaws, The Silent Meow" books to a group of women who came to a class reunion. Not only was it a great ice-breaker... but everyone agreed is was fun and thoughtful. I recommend that all the women out there consider buying this book for their next luncheon or their class reunion. It's a real hoot!!!

I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I have not laughed so hard in years! This is the kind of book that you keep on the coffee table and read over and over again. I have read "Menopaws: The Silent Meow" often and it cracks me up everytime...

My curiosity about the Amish allowed me to really enjoy this book. The author mingles two years of actual diary entries written in the '70's by Amish friend, Sarah, with experiences in areas she shares with Sarah - gardening, quilting, cooking/ recipes, and writing. By the end of the book I felt I knew something about Amish community interaction, and the life of a wife and mother skilled in and married to the home arts.

The author relates getting to know Sarah and Amish life as somewhat spiritual and shares her introspections. I couldn't drum up any spirituality. My reaction was simply 'How like us they are, and yet, how different.' If you're curious about the Amish wife and mother's day-to-day, the book will interest you.

I loved this book. A good book is like a comfortable friend; this is one of those books. It takes us back to a time when 'mundane' tasks were considered both important and of value. This is such a soothing and gentle and genteel book. Sarah is hardworking and can master more in a day than anyone I know (I wish I could be more like her)....yet considers her own fragility -- she calls it 'feminine weakness' when she compares her abilities to that of her husband. In a short paragraph she speaks volumes about the loss of her mother. 500 people attended the wake/funeral service.....and yet, how the family is left 'in its sorrow.' Everyone is equal in Amish society; no one is viewed 'above' another -- so when the author mentions personal traits she views as superior, Sarah just looks at her, unimpressed. This to me is much more appealing than our competitive, fast-paced society. This is truly a delicious book, not full of fluff, but rather more the wisdom I wish our society still embraced.

I ordered this book as a deal with Thoughts and feelings and found out they were the same book! Nowhere in any of the literature does it say they are the same. I returned this one as the paperback is easier to read. Don't buy both books!

Doing the workbook is one of the most beneficial and healingsteps I took in my life. Thoughts an Feelings is a reminder thateveryday life has a lot of natural confusion in it, and it shouldn't wreck our self esteem.

I would recommend it to the most severe cases of anxiety attacks.

Thoughts and Feelings teaches you that YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN. That way, you NEVER feel helpless again END

Last year, I was going through a very stressful time in completing business school. After two years of 20 unit semesters, I HIT THE WALL. I couldn't stay awake, I couldn't sleep, I was drinking, smoking, and could barely drive a car. Get the picture?

So I phoned for a therapist referal that would consult me by phone. After one call, the therapist sent me a package with this book.

All I had to do was read a chapter, and I knew everything was going to be OK.

Doing the workbook is one of the most beneficial and healing steps I took in my life. Thoughts an Feelings is a reminder that everyday life has a lot of natural confusion in it, and it shouldn't wreck our self esteem.

I would recommend it to the most severe cases of anxiety attacks, because it saved me from taking all those other drugs, and wasting so much on therapy.

Thoughts and Feelings teaches you that YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN. That way, you NEVER feel helpless again

A very inspiring and reminding book for people writing scientific papers.All the figures and citats makes it so funny to read. You don't have to be in the department of agronomy to get a good idea for your paper from this book. After reading I just longed for continuing my writing field with new ideas and it's frontpage is so coulorful so for me it's not only a book but also a piece of art.