Overcoming Low Self-Esteem, 2nd Edition: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioural techniques (Overcoming Books) - Softcover

Dr Melanie Fennell

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1472119290 ISBN 13: 9781472119292

Publisher: Robinson, 2016

Synopsis

Overcoming app now available via iTunes and the Google Play Store.

'A thoroughly enjoyable read, and [I] would recommend trainee therapists read it also, as it will increase your understanding of the treatment of low self-esteem.' BABCP Magazine

Low self-esteem can make life difficult in all sorts of ways. It can make you anxious and unhappy, tormented by doubts and self-critical thoughts. It can get in the way of feeling at ease with other people and stop you from leading the life you want to lead. It makes it hard to value and appreciate yourself in the same way you would another person you care about.

Melanie Fennell's acclaimed and bestselling self-help guide will help you to understand your low self-esteem and break out of the vicious circle of distress, unhelpful behaviour and self-destructive thinking. Using practical techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), this book will help you learn the art of self-acceptance and so transform your sense of yourself for the better.

Specifically, you will learn:
How low self-esteem develops and what keeps it going
How to question your negative thoughts and the attitudes that underlie them
How to identify your strengths and good qualities for a more balanced, kindly view of yourself

Overcoming self-help guides use clinically proven techniques to treat long-standing and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical. Many guides in the Overcoming series are recommended under the Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme.

About this title

Review:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy treats emotional disorders by changing negative patterns of thought. It is now internationally established as a key method of helping overcome longstanding conditions such as panic attacks, depression, anxiety, gambling addictions and some eating disorders.

The first thing that is attractive about this book is the total lack of "technicalese"; this, coupled with its logical construction makes it not only interesting but also easily accessible to the lay reader.

To begin with, a guest author explains the history, meaning and relevance of cognitive therapy. This is followed by Melanie Fennell focusing on "Low Self Esteem" as an introduction to the main body of the book. The reader is then asked to participate in a self-assessment exercise. Having proven to have low self esteem, the reader is shown not only the impact self-esteem can have on their lives, but also many of the resultant issues--physical, emotional and social.

"Having cleared the ground", the author proceeds to explain the importance of and means to identifying triggers to bouts of low self-esteem. This can be as a long-established predilection or as the result of learned behaviour. Once this is achieved, Fennell goes on to advise ploys to overcome these triggers.

There follows a reinforcement to overcoming the triggers by the use of a Daily Action Diary (DAD), where the reader plans their daily routine. Once these "tasks" have been accomplished, they can be ticked off, proving not only self worth by achievement but also acting as a self-distracter.

The book concludes by offering suggestions for "Putting Life Together" and "Planning for the Future". This is done by the use of simple graticules as an easy way of spotting self- critical thoughts and a "Precaution Record Sheet"

This is a very useful book that achieves its stated aims of explaining the nature of low self esteem and self- destructive thinking, providing a complete self-help programme and monitoring sheets and basing its advice on clinically proven techniques of cognitive therapy. -- Peter Kidd, trained Community Psychiatric Nurse

Review:

Well written in a way that couches sound cognitive behavioral strategies in terms that avoid technical jargon. (European Eating Disorders Review)

About this edition

• Publisher: Robinson
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1472119290
• ISBN 13: 9781472119292
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 432