And Intrusive Thoughts (Happiness is a trainable - 7 Ways to Freedom from Anxiety

I appreciate the book’s effort to use a scientific approach; however, I found two points to consider. First, this book combines the thoughts behind mindfulness, meditation, and law of attraction. At some point, I am not sure if they complement each other, but, I think the book was able to justify its goals. Second, I think as the title of the book is scientific or psychological, I was actually looking for some factual or scientific analysis in the book. Unfortunately, there is none. All in all, I appreciate the efforts given in this book.

CBT has been proven to effectively treat mental conditions. In this book, interesting topics about CBT are being discussed. The relationship of thoughts and feelings are well-defined inside and gives help through CBT techniques and other practices. One may get interested especially when seeking self-help to free from the causes of suffering. It significantly improves lives with the techniques and also helps understand ones own thoughts and feelings. I learned a lot from this book and would definitely apply to myself in able for me to achieve a happy life.

This book is absolutely a must read. The techniques are very simple and easy to use but at the same time powerful as hell :-) Normally with this kind of books i am bored very fast and i will quit reading after a few sites, but Lawrence Wallace kept it very simple and understandable so that you just keep reading till you finished the book. So great job !

Our brain and its function is such a fascinating field to explore.
This book does a great job at explaining a rather complicated subject, and walk you through the purpose of the therapy, as well as its way of operation and function. I like how it covers all the things you need to know and understand, and does it in a fairly simple way. It teaches you how to let go of negativity and overcome your obstacles, and it's highly recommended, I enjoyed it a lot.

I really like this book and the comparison it made between the brain and the car engine, which with the right mental practice (the right “cog”), put into action at the right time (changing mental states, or “gears”), your machine (the brain) can function with more ease, efficiency, and contentment. It is very practical and useful book about cognitive behavioral therapy. “Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.” - Mae West; is one of the best things I’ve learned from this book.

This book really helps a lot to those persons who cant cope up with life's trials. Yes, each and everyone of us has life suffering but we must put it in a positive way. In order to achieve it, we must think positively and embrace life's imperfection. With this book, lots of ideas on how to deal your thoughts and guides you to a thoroughly. Highly recommended!!!

It is really hard for anyone to deal with anxiety, depression and other negative things in life. And sometimes we are not aware on how to overcome those feelings for it already affects our daily life especially on work. And this book somehow helps with the exposure therapy techniques they present. There are also other ways on how to overcome this negative feelings and a lot more helpful and useful information’s from this book. Great guide!

This is a really helpful book! Perfect for anyone who think they might have some mental blocks or something else keeping then behind. Well written, easy to understand and implement. One of the most educational kindle books I've read in a while

A great self help book on cognitive behavioral therapy. This book gives great insights on how to control the mind. The 7 ways are gems and should be followed by everyone who wishes to have a sound mind and body. A great read on the topic.

“Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 7 Steps to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression and Intrusive Thoughts” by Lawrence Wallace is a self-help book filled with coping strategies for some of the most common mental disorders affecting the majority of people at some point during their lives. I am not a practitioner, so I can not comment on the clinical aspect of the information, but I really like the overall take away from the book, which is that stressful situations will always happen, but the way a person reacts to them can change. The chapters are short and to the point, filled with clear, concise information, laid out in a very easy to comprehend format. Another important factor of note that are covered are an appreciation and respect of personal faith belief and this can be an important aspect in cognitive behavioral therapy. The other important factors are the healthy lifestyle tips such as getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet. This tends to help with all the disorders this book tries to affect. This is a good book for someone looking for self-help for minor issues. The author does give a warning in the beginning of the book about getting professional help if the feelings become overwhelming.

Very uplifting read that offers helpful advice on how to overcome challenge you're facing at the moment.

One of the solutions that the book proposes is the simple, but powerful act of recording your own thoughts. If you boil it down, it's basically 'journal-ing' your thoughts.

I'm a big believer in using this method as a way to gain clarity and help you emotionally de-tach from what's going on in your mind. It has helped me on many occasions to put things back into perspective, when I "feel" like I'm losing control of what's going on in my life.

There are others that the book suggests that are also worth trying. Find one that works for you, and stick with it until it becomes a habit.

An enjoyable and refreshing read.

A comprehensive road map to the practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This stuff is a must to read for graduate students and practicing therapists who are interested in learning the essentials of CBT. It will no doubt be recognized as a classic text in the field due not only to its excellent coverage of CBT, but also to the clear, concise, and illustrative manner in which the techniques are presented

Depression and anxiety are just two human conditions that we have to deal with all the time. Although, it’s always easy said than done, there’s no lose in trying, and seeking out help like giving yourself a time to read a good book like this, is always worth it. What I learned most of this book is how to let my thoughts/feelings come as they come, analyze and understand them, once I do, I must learn to accept them and make use of them in positive ways to improve my mental-well being. Also, I realized the importance of CBT in identifying thought patterns. This book focuses on wide range of strategies to overcome these thoughts, such journaling, self examination, and learning that we don’t have control. Only in constant practice we can learn to let go and free ourselves more from whatever situation we are right now.

This book gives 7 practical ways to health and happiness and starts by making you to understand what are the obstacles in your life and how to embrace fate in a loving way? The book gives some techniques to improve your well-being and to overcome your troubles and discover wisdom. I like the last part the most, how it explains ou have to be "The Mountain" for your family. Nice book- Be kind to yourself :)

I found the book very universal and applicable to each and every one out there. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as the author explain is not a one straight forward technique but rather an integration of lots of therapies that mix together to from a complete approach. It is very interesting to read how, feelings, emotions and behavior works and have effects on each other. The section "Embrace Your Fate in a Loving Way" have an great impact on me, to embrace and accept ourselves totally and fully. To face you fears to be able to let them go, the book guides you through lots of ways to accomplish this state of embracing your fate and to over come lots of other things like depression.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a very exciting topic in the field of psychology. This is an excellent introductory book on the social science of cognitive behavioral therapy. This book provides the fundamentals and also gives excellent real world examples on how to deal with certain types of mental situations. If for some reason you were sent to a therapist for this type of therapy then you will be very happy by reading this book and applying some of the methods here. I’ve already recommended this great book to a few friends.

Very information and knowledge packed book. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about how our brain affects our behaviour. Furthermore, this book explains, step by step, how to overcome any obstacle in life using CBT.

The book also has quotes from famous people that reinforces what is taught in this book. However, I would like the formatting of the quotes in the book to be better. More specifically, more space between the quotes and the informative text.

Nevertheless, this book is a must-have for anyone who wants to know and apply CBT at a moments notice.

I've always had an interest in many psychological topics. I searched the store's site to find a book on cognitive behavioral therapy and came across this title. Without getting into the nearly endless list of my perceived mental failings ? let me just say that any of us who are honest with ourselves can benefit from CBT. Wallace does a good job of introducing this style of therapy to the average layman and offering practical steps the reader can take to start his/her change of mind and thereby life.

Probably the best aspect of this work for me was the authors recommendation of the Headspace app great for learning some basics of meditation and mindfulness.

My ideas of what the author is talking about reflect my spiritual side also. I agree slowing down and keeping your thoughts in the present. It like going within to listen to your higher self. Living in the moment so that you can stop your negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts.Being mindful of excessive thinking creates obsessive behavior. I love what he wrote about the gratitude to give yourself and how it will boost positive thinking. Great Read!

This book identifies your harmful thoughts that create the negative emotions, its easy to read, easy instructions and most of all easy comprehensive reading. If you want to learn how to take control of your life and live it to the best of your abilities, this book would be a good place to start. I would recommend the book to anyone who would be interesting in getting useful information about personal behavior.

I have recently had bouts of acute anxiety and was looking for something to guide me through this so I can regain control of my emotions. This book is very consoling in that it helps you understand the underlying roots to your mental distresses. It teaches you to openly accept what happens, which ultimately allows you to free yourself from suffocating thoughts. Overall, this is a great guide for anyone suffering from mental turmoil and will give you the actionable steps you can take to take control again.

I was anxious and depressed and was searching for a solution that’s why I purchased this book. This book introduces me about the cognitive behavioral therapy. It is well researched and written in a way where it is easy to understand and comprehend. The author clearly describes the way of removing depression and anxiety from our life.
If you are suffering from depression and anxiety the information contained in it will help you on your road to recovery. Thanks Lawrence.

Great summary of the convergence with modern psychotherapy must read for anyone interested in both subjects and their history. It is amazing therapy method for a variety of mental and emotional disorders. Overall, the book offers helpful information for anyone starting out with CBT and f you're wondering if CBT can help you, then this book is a good for you.

What a deep and thoughtful book full of insight and incredible cognitive exercises. This book really delves deep into cognitive behavioral therapy and how you can leverage it to help yourself no matter what obstacle you are trying to overcome. I personally really enjoyed the many applicable quotes from famous people such as Marcus Aurelius and Buddha throughout the book. They were both welcome and insightful. I am definitely going to add a few of them to my list to refer back to often. I definitely recommend reading this one through a few times in order to fully digest all of the information.

This is a great and very helpful book on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, with plenty of information. This book tought me to practice myself to have more positive reactions to different situations, and to pay more attention to my thoughts, which helped me a lot on being in a better mood and it improved the quality of my life, brought more happiness to it. Mr Wallace shared some nice strategies on how to achieve that, and it will surely motivate you to change the way you look at life.

I found this book full of golden nuggets, it goes smartly throught all the different aspects of the cognitive system with a great attention for the details, great explainations, and really help you to harness your mind and emotions.
I especially loved the part about the "experimentation" attitude to adopt in life, and this great quote :
“I've failed over, and over, and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” –Michael Jordan.

I was looking for sound steps for cognitive behavior therapy, not some feel-good new wave stuff or a spiritual survey. When he launched into Islam and poetry at some length, I realized it did not have what I was looking for. Might be great for someone else, but not me. I bought it based on both description and preponderance of high reviews, but that vetting did not work for me this time.

When you have the right mindset, life feels a lot less complicated than it needs to be. After reading this book I have started paying a lot more attention to my thoughts and to how I reacted to certain situations, it is pretty amazing. I can think through problems a lot more clearly now. I have learned so much about myself.

This guide is really helpful and practical. If you're looking for mental and emotional freedom, get this book! It also contains the best advice on how to effectively treat disturbing intrusive thoughts.Highly recommended.

This is a great book on cognitive behavioural therapy, there is so much great information in this book. I have been practicing myself to be less reactive to adverse situations in life and be more in control of my inner thoughts. this is something that requires daily practice, but when you start paying more attention to your thoughts, you will realize how many negative vs positive thoughts you have and for it was very surprising to see how critical I was of myself and how paying more attention to them, improved my mood and happiness.
This book has many great strategies on how to achieve that, even though I have been practicing this for a while, it was nice to read about it again and I also found a few methods to incorporate to my current mental ritual.

Conitive Behavioural Therapy is an excellent way of soothing depression and anxiety.This book has helped me recognize the symptoms and given me a clear idea of the help I could give to those who need it. I am glad I got to read this book as I have been able to add to my knowledge through it.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that is helpful to those with anxiety, depression, and even some phobias. CBT starts by “reprogramming” how you think by isolating how you got to the specific thoughts that trigger negativity. Being able to trace your thoughts, and figure out why you’re thinking the way you are, and where each thought comes from can be helpful towards discontinuing such negative thoughts. Many people experience these overwhelming negative thoughts because of intrusive thoughts.

The book has outlined a seven step process in applying CBT techniques, and getting the most from this practiced concept. For someone who lives with anxiety and PTSD, I have had much experience with practicing CBT. This book is organized well, and gets the point across in a very direct way. Easily organized, and easily understood, I enjoyed reading this book, and find that it makes a great tool for almost anyone. I give this book 5/5.

I truly enjoyed reading Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 7 Steps to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts. I found the first chapters the most interesting as I enjoy the why as opposed to the doing. That said the "doing" section of this book was well written as well. The first section was just my favorite. The seven steps are obtainable and are well laid out It was easy to follow and an easy read. While I don't agree with especially all the portions on religions, I respect the writer and he did a nice job of laying out CBT.

I give Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 7 Steps to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts a 4 out of 5 stars. I would have given it a five except there were a noticeable amount of editorial errors and I found it difficult on kindle to go back as there was no Table Of Contents as I am normally accustomed too on a kindle book.

Most people become anxious or mildly depressed occasionally. For some people, however, their anxiety or depression can become so severe that it interferes with their ability to function comfortably in the day to day world. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) aims to address this situation when the disorder is caused by irrational thoughts and fears. The book Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 7 Steps to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts shows how to overcome negative emotions by mindfully dealing with irrational thoughts.

The book begins with a fascinating overview of how CBT came into being. After Freud popularized psychoanalysis, the main focus of therapy was in attempting to discover the root cause of a patient’s problem. In the 1950s and 60s, however, psychologists began making patients more active participants in their own therapy by helping them to overcome their negative thought patterns and replace them with more realistic and positive messages, which in turn helped the outlook and mood of the patients. Rather than focusing all the effort during the office visit, CBT often requires patients to practice techniques at home in order to reinforce what is being taught. The author does note the conditions in which CBT is not recommended, such as substance abuse, suicidal tendencies, psychiatric disorders, etc.

The 7 Steps to CBT are each addressed in a dedicated chapter. The first step is (not surprisingly) Identifying the Problem, which addresses how to identify when dysfunctional or intrusive thoughts occur. When these types of irrational thoughts occur, it is helpful to monitor how your mood changes after the thought. A further breakdown of the types of dysfunctional thoughts that are common, as well as the advice to write down the negative thoughts, will help to identify your own negative thought patterns. Intrusive thoughts are just as damaging and can occur without warning and trigger anxiety or depression.

Step 2 involves setting goals. Interestingly, it is important to direct your goals toward positive feelings rather than negative ones. For instance, you should want to “feel more energized” rather than “feel less anxious.” The goals should be achievable and not require big changes or daily activities that will not be achievable. Then the goals should be broken down into manageable steps. Step 3 helps to identify obstacles that might prevent you from successfully completing the steps to your goal. While there are many challenges in changing your thoughts and feelings, there is no way to fail. If something is more difficult than originally anticipated, it should be seen as a learning opportunity.

You finally get the chance to challenge your unreasonable automatic and intrusive thoughts in Step 4. It is important to use journaling to identify these thoughts and the situations and emotions related to them. Plenty of questions are given to help the reader realistically look at the situation and analyze their reaction to it. There are worksheets in the back of the book to help you look at various aspects of the negative thoughts.

In Step 5, the author discusses how to challenge your core beliefs. Since negative thoughts likely have core beliefs or assumptions driving them, it is useful to try to determine what these beliefs are. If you are anxious about losing your job, it might be because of beliefs you may have about how others perceive your abilities or performance. CBT helps to challenge your core beliefs, because no matter how strongly you believe something to be true, a belief is not a fact and can be challenged, It can be difficult to identify our core beliefs, because we have never had to do so before. One way to overcome your negative core beliefs is to conduct “experiments” which are contrary to what you believe and see if you can find evidence to support the contrary viewpoint.

Step 6 moves from the cognitive to the behavioral aspect of CBT. Avoiding activities and behaviors we fear might cause discomfort actually increase depression and anxiety. Keeping active can improve mood, increase self-confidence and boost a positive outlook. Finding activities that are enjoyable and meaningful can create feelings of well-being and satisfaction when accomplished, thereby reinforcing positive feelings. A long list of possible activities is included, many of which are easily achievable, such as doing puzzles or walking or doing other activities outside. I especially like the concept of “graded exposure” to help someone suffering from a phobia or worry about a situation to gradually become used to it. Starting with small, non-threatening exposure and becoming comfortable with that before moving on to more challenging activities is the key. There is also a discussion on how to address “maladaptive coping mechanisms” – possibly harmful ways that people develop over time to deal with stressful situations.

Step 7 involves ways you can increase the effectiveness of CBT by supplementing it with a healthy lifestyle, problem solving and reading related materials. This section even includes helpful advice on how to choose your mantra as well as introducing the practices of Nature Therapy and Forest Bathing (among others).

I liked the way the book had so many concrete examples of negative thoughts and ways to combat them. It was also useful to have the worksheets to use in the back of the book to both identify problems and steps to overcome them, but also progress reports to monitor how things are going. The author also frequently uses examples from various faiths that address these issues and ways to overcome them, citing Religiously Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RCBT) as an emerging form of CBT. It is interesting to note how all faiths, including examples from Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism as well as more widespread religious traditions, use prayer and/or meditation to help calm negative thoughts and anxious minds. A 6-step “Formula for Peace of Mind” is also included at the end of the book. Anyone who suffers from anxiety or negative thoughts will find much useful advice and strategies for combating the conditions in this book.

After first trying to determine if there might be a misspelling in the title of the book (“Behavioral vs. Behavioural”), I decided to opt to review Wallace’s assessment of cognitive behavioral therapy. Researching the author’s background, I learned that he was a sufferer of anxiety, depression and intrusive thoughts himself. I assume that his perspective was based on his own research and experience rather than being an expert on the matter. This probably made the book easier to comprehend as opposed to some others on the topic.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy does a wonderful job of presenting an overview of the therapy without using terminology that can be lost on the average person without any knowledge of this area. Wallace presents seven steps in the process of behavioral therapy to which the reader can easily relate and put into practice. As negative thoughts and anxiety abound in our society and are experienced with most individuals, there is likely at least some part of the information presented that can benefit most anyone.

Personally, I am Christian, so Wallace’s focus on the areas of the Stoic and Buddhist philosophies were not necessarily ones that I concurred with altogether, but I respected the information provided. I was also prompted to d¬¬¬o further research on them as well. Even though I might not agree with all of the concepts presented by Wallace, I am firm believer that any type of positive influence used to help put one’s mind at ease is beneficial, which is a clear take-away of the author.

Even those who consider themselves “non-readers” will find it worth his or her time to read this concise, quick book. As this area of therapy is becoming more and more utilized, I would recommend anyone interested in the topic of mental health and treatments for same to follow along Wallace’s seven steps. An addition bonus is the journal at the end which makes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy that much more user-friendly.

As someone who has suffered from depression and anxiety for nearly their whole life, I needed natural relief and I found this gem of a book. Not only has this book helped me figure out what I need to do in order to change my way of thinking and therefore my quality of life, but it also explains everything in perfect detail without overexplaining or confusing me. The book is divided into 7 sections and each section explains the different parts of CBT(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and how they work. I highly recommend this to anyone who doesn't want to drop tons of money on a therapist or take medicine with nasty side effects.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: 7 Steps to Freedom from Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts (Training, Techniques, Course, Self-Help Book 1) written by Lawrence Wallace could be an excellent source for those who are struggling with depression, anxiety, or any other forms of a mental illness. Wallace gives simple and easy to understand instructions that can improve your life and mental status with seven simple steps.
The author does recommend that these steps be completed with a counselor to ensure that they are done correctly and that no further harm ensues. This can be difficult for a person that is trying to solve their problems by themselves, but Wallace does give several ways that could help even if there is no counselor available to you. Throughout the book Wallace constantly reminds the reader of the workbook that is in the back of the book that will help one through their problems guaranteeing that the steps that he gives will be done in the way that they were meant to be completed.
At the end of the book the author reminds us all to “Love yourself because we love you!” Wallace not only wrote this book to help create his career, he also wrote it to try and reach out to as many people as possible with his method that just might work for those who need it.
This book was a fairly easy read and Wallace made sure that it was completely unbiased as he mentions several different religions and makes sure that he does not highlight one religion over the other. He also includes links in the eBook that can take you to certain YouTube videos to help achieve your goals as well. At the end of the book there are additional readings that he gives to ensure the quality of education that he is informing the public.
I would recommend this read to anyone who is struggling with any form of mental illnesses. The skill level of the book would be at least a high school level as there are specific steps that need to be followed and understood to the highest possible ability. I would give this book five out of five stars. Lawrence Wallace has done his research and proves it in his writing, this is a fantastic tool for anyone that might be struggling.

While this book is written scientifically to help with “Anxiety, Depression, and Intrusive Thoughts”, I recommend it for EVERYONE! Scientifically written in language that is easily understood. The author reminds us that we are not “bad or weak” and has a wonderful definition of sin.
Chapters are well laid out to take you through steps of CBT all while exploring history, techniques, and examples. I especially appreciate the way differing religions, philosophies, spirituality are presented without bias. Their possible benefits and effects on our mental health are explored.
The included workbook is wonderfully designed for deep introspection and problem solving. This book could be used independently or in conjunction with therapy. Changing your mind truly does change your perspective, which changes your life!

This book is an excellent overview of CBT, making it very accessible for the everyday anxiety sufferer. Reading Wallace’s explanations of why anxiety occurs, what kind of anxieties benefit from CBT, and ways to cope with anxiety symptoms like intrusive thoughts helped me understand why my brain works the way it does. I found the mantra section to be particularly helpful, and repeating my mantra when I feel anxiety creeping in has helped me to calm myself much faster. If you’re curious about CBT or want to learn more about anxiety and treatments, pick up this book. You won’t be sorry!

This book was not only refreshing to read, but it was inspirational and motivating. There are many people that experience tumultuous moments that lead to depressive and arduous stage(s) in their life. I for one experienced depression at a dark moment of my life and really wished that I would have read this book years ago! The detailed steps in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has now has prepared me to know what actions I should do to avoid any other dark moments in my life going forward. The most resonating lesson that I gained from the book was that our emotions and thoughts (not the event) are what drives our overall feelings, thoughts and memory of an experience. Maintaining positive thoughts along with clear optimistic goals are essential! Such an amazing read!

An excellent and smooth read. This book is absolutely for everyone, whether you're actively looking for the help it offers, to simply gaining a better understanding of the power of positive thought. A self help book in a sense, it addresses the different negative thought processes that can weigh us down and cause unfavourable behaviours, and how to change that way of thinking, having a positive outlook and reinforcing positive behaviours instead. It touches base with incorporating spirituality, setting small, achievable goals, ways to achieve them, and examples to help you navigate the initial steps in getting started. Insightful quotes and mantras, along with a workbook to get you organized really make this book the ultimate package in starting a journey to a happier, healthier, more positive you. Don't pass up this inspiring read!

This book gives insight without making it so complex that it's not understandable. Breaking down is a way of breathing through stereotypes and mental health myths. Kudos to the writer for putting this together. I would suggest this be used in psychology classes across the US. Mental health is such a huge issue in the general population and this highlights ways to cope and also ways to diagnose. Not everything is always so black and white when it comes to the mind.

An excellent book. This is a very thought provoking, well laid out, easy to ready book. The author walks you through the steps to do self guided CBT in a 7 step process with many different perspectives to offer a relevant approach to everyone. Along with recommendations for further reading based on what appeals to you, there is also a very helpful workbook in the back to use as you read along with the book to get the most out of your self guided cbt practice.

As someone who suffers from anxiety on a daily basis, I found the information in this book to be very helpful in a practical way. I was a bit blown away by the amount of extensive research the author has definitely done. If you are looking to gain a deeper understanding of your minds relationship to emotions, then I definitely recommend this book. Great read.

This book was a decent overview of cognitive behavioral therapy. It was easy to read and understand. It didn't use technical language and put things in a way everyone can understand.

There were some grammatical errors I noticed as reading. I also wish it would have more citations. There were only a few throughout the entire book! That gives it less credibility.

I also didn't love how it had a huge section on religion. It seemed a bit off topic. I was ok with the first little bit. It seemed to be useful even if a bit weird. But it went on too long. It felt like religion was talked about more than CBT was.

Overall, a decent book to give you an idea of how cognitive behavioral therapy works and what it means. There are also a lot of concrete ideas for how to help improve your mood, which I found useful.