Self-help materials have become a prime source of psychological advice for millions of Americans. While many self-help resources provide high-quality information and support, others may be misleading, inaccurate, or even harmful. This indispensable volume reveals which are the good ones, which are the bad ones, and why. Based on the results of 5 national studies involving over 2,500 mental health professionals, the book reviews and rates 600+ self-help books, autobiographies, and popular films. In addition, hundreds of helpful Internet sites are described and evaluated by a clinical psychologist, and valuable listings are provided of national and online support groups. The concluding chapter presents practical guidelines for selecting an effective self-help resource. Addressing 28 of the most prevalent clinical disorders and life challenges--from ADHD, Alzheimer's, and anxiety disorders, to marital problems and mood disorders, to weight management and women's issues--this timely book will be tremendously useful to consumers and professionals alike.

Self-help is big business, but alas not a scienti c business. The estimated 10 billion—that’s with a “b”—spent each year on self-help in the United States is rarely guided by research or monitored by mental health professionals. Instead, marketing and metaphysics triumph. The more outrageous the “miraculous cure” and the “r- olutionary secret,” the better the sales. Of the 3,000 plus self-help books published each year, only a dozen contain controlled research documenting their effectiveness as stand-alone self-help. Of the 20,000 plus psychological and relationship web sites available on the Internet, only a couple hundred meet professional standards for accuracy and balance. Most, in fact, sell a commercial product. Pity the layperson, or for that matter, the practitioner, trying to navigate the self-help morass. We are bombarded with thousands of potential resources and c- tradictory advice. Should we seek wisdom in a self-help book, an online site, a 12-step group, an engaging autobiography, a treatment manual, an inspiring movie, or distance writing? Should we just do it, or just say no? Work toward change or accept what is? Love your inner child or grow out of your Peter Pan? I become confused and discouraged just contemplating the choices.

Previously published under title: Authoritative guide to self-help resources in mental health.

SELFHOOD is a practical self-help book, designed to help people to recover their sense of self, be happier and more fulfilled. Readers will learn a great deal about themselves, others and life. Readers will discover what selfhood means, how closely selfhood is linked to emotional and mental wellbeing and mental illness, the components of selfhood, how selfhood is lost, the feature of low and high selfhood, and how to reclaim one's sense of selfhood.SELFHOOD contains many practical suggests and recommended actions, devised to enhance people's sense of self. It is simply not possible to feel good, to regularly experience emotional wellbeing and mental health if your level of selfhood is low. SELFHOOD is the first of Dr. Terry Lynch's Mental Wellness Book Series.

'A privilege to read, a pleasure to endorse' PROFESSOR TANYA BYRON 'This book completely bowled me over' DOMINIC DAVIES 'A super comprehensive book' MEG-JOHN BARKER To be queer is to feel different - a felt sense that you don't fit in. This can be alienating and difficult and lead to mental health challenges and lower wellbeing throughout life. Using a range of therapeutic approaches, this comprehensive, down-to-earth self-help workbook is designed to be your personal mental health resource. It is filled with techniques and activities you can read, tailor and 'pick and mix' to improve your wellbeing as a queer person, at your pace. The workbook is split into two sections - the first part focusses on laying the groundwork by exploring identity, psychological wellbeing, and mental health experiences in order to situate mental health challenges in context and improve overall mental health. The second half hones in on ideas and techniques applicable to specific challenges and situations. It explores difficult topics such as anxiety, low self-esteem, eating disorders, self-harm, suicidal ideation, shame, trauma, substance abuse, sleep, and low mood, all whilst maintaining a focus on your needs as a queer individual. Empowering and reassuring, and written by an experienced queer mental health practitioner, this one-of-a-kind workbook will help you to flourish as a queer person and begin to overcome any challenge.

This book explores how an individual can help themselves resolve a wide variety of ordinary, everyday life problems and improve their mental health. It is designed as a self-help aid for people with depression, anxiety, or with issues of low self-esteem.

Women with Attention Deficit Disorder, psychotherapist Sari Solden's, groundbreaking book, explains how every year, millions of withdrawn little girls and chronically overwhelmed women go undiagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder because they don't fit the stereotypical profile: they're not fast-talking, hyperactive, or inattentive, and they are not male. This pioneering book explores treatment and counseling options, and uses real-life case histories to examine the special challenges women with AD/HD face, such as the shame of not fulfilling societal expectations. Solden explains that AD/HD affects just as many women as men, and often results in depression, disorganization, anxiety, and underachievement. Included in this revised edition is a brand new chapter on friendship challenges for women with AD/HD. Three empowering steps -- restructuring one's life, renegotiating relationships, and redefining self-image -- help women take control of their lives and enjoy success on their own terms. "Sari Solden has used her personal and professional experience to shine some light into the dark closet inhabited by far too many ADD women... She empowers ADD women by validating their experience as worthwhile human beings who struggle with serious organizational problems in many areas of their lives." (Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo, authors of You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy")

This book about dealing with anxiety is written in a conversational way that includes swearing.

From the author of One Small Step Can Change Your Life, science-backed guidance on how to overcome anxiety and reduce stress for greater personal success. Achieving and sustaining success is difficult. Why do some people struggle to get started or stay the course? Why do others seem to sabotage their hard-earned victories? What makes some people stumble and fall, when they seem to possess the requisite skills to soar? Most importantly, what can be done to change these patterns and their outcomes? Based on years of research, Mastering Fear answers these questions and many more with its surprising perspective on stress, fear, and the single most important skill necessary to achieve maximum results. Studies worldwide have tracked the lives of hundreds of individuals over decades in search of the foundations of excellence. Dr. Robert Maurer has culled and refined this data, dispelling current myths and revealing practical strategies to maximize passion and performance in any individual, team, or organization. In Mastering Fear, you will discover that: Stress can’t be cured, because stress as we know it does not exist. Fear plays a crucial role in undermining—or driving—all success. There is one skill you absolutely must see in others before you can trust them. You may already possess the single most critical skill for achieving and sustaining success in all key areas of life!