Rewire Your Anxious Brain for Teens

This book was truly a pleasure to read. The authors did a tremendous job of explaining the relationship between the brain and anxiety in very user-friendly language. The inclusion of exercises throughout the book provided a hands-on opportunity to begin using the strategies discussed. I would highly recommend this book. --Brian J. Schmaus, PhD, clinical psychologist at the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago--Brian J. Schmaus, PhD There are many good informational sources to help teens decrease stress, worries, and anxiety. This one stands apart in its recognition that habitual trouble with anxiety resides in the ways your brain seeks to protect you, rather than some flaw in your personality or being. It also stands out for its creation of ten simple and specific ways you can retrain your brain, much as you might use specific exercises to retrain your abdominal muscles. If you're looking for a guide which offers CBT exercises to coach you to a path of less anxiety, here it is! --David Carbonell, PhD, author of Panic Attacks Workbook, The Worry Trick, Fear of Flying Workbook, and Outsmart Your Anxious Brain--David Carbonell, PhD Researchers know more about the processes that produce anxiety disorders in the human brain than they do about any other disorders. This should be the best news for teens suffering from anxiety disorders, but the problem is, can the average teenage anxiety sufferer understand the brain processes that need to be changed in order to overcome an anxiety disorder? Based on over one hundred combined years of working with anxious teens, these authors have put together an amazing book that not only explains the anxious brain in language a teen can understand, but also provides exercises and strategies that give teens the resources they need to change their brains in order to have needed control over their anxiety. With clear examples and explanations, the book pulls readers in, preparing them to engage in the process of taking charge of their lives. This book is a dream come true for anxious teens and the therapists who help them. It will change millions of lives. --Catherine M. Pittman, PhD, HSPP, coauthor of Rewire Your Anxious Brain, and professor in the department of psychology at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN--Catherine M. Pittman, PhD, HSPP For teens experiencing the challenge of anxiety, this book is a treasure trove of valuable tools, presented in an effective and easy-to-understand style. What makes this book especially valuable for teens is the format: the reader is prompted and encouraged to bring powerful tools on board through specific exercises, many of which take only a few minutes. Specific tools empower the reader to: understand and befriend the experience of anxiety become a 'positive coach' for oneself practice mindfulness and meditation build resilience learn to 'dial down' intense emotions overcome procrastination enhance one's ability to focus and to move toward fulfilling goals overcome social anxiety --Neal Sideman, self-help advocate, internationally known coach and teacher for people recovering from anxiety disorder, member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and cochair of the ADAA Public Education Committee--Neal Sideman As I read the book, I automatically thought of many of my own patients who could benefit from the exercises and examples presented in it. The exercises show young people how to relieve themselves of negative and futile self-judgements. Instead, alternatives are offered to guide a teen on an optimistic, self-directed journey toward mastery of troubling anxiety by literally 'rewiring' an anxious brain. Most teens will easily be able to see themselves in the examples, and gain a more realistic understanding of anxiety. They will also see that following the exercises will ultimately result in greater self-esteem. --Judith T. Davis, PhD, president of Performance Development Associates, and psychologist in private practice--Judith T. Davis, PhD Rewire Your Anxious Brain for Teens is an excellent resource for teens who want to conquer anxiety. Packed with useful tools and practical suggestions, the authors bring together the best of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), neuroscience, and mindfulness in a clearly written, comprehensive workbook. Read this book, practice the strategies within, and you will rewire your brain! --Kevin L. Gyoerkoe, PsyD, director of The Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center in Charlotte, NC; and coauthor of 10 Simple Solutions to Worry--Kevin L. Gyoerkoe, PsyD Rewire Your Anxious Brain for Teens is a refreshing approach to helping young people understand anxiety and how to master it. By often offering two examples of teens with anxiety at a time, the reader is able to clearly see the difference between skillful and unskillful approaches to anxiety. Rather than talk down to teens, the authors appeal to teen skepticism with credible reasoning backed by science. The book is full of practical see-for-yourself exercises with easy-to-understand explanations of how these new skills literally impact the brain. I learned a lot that I wish I had known when I was a teenager. --Jon Hershfield, MFT, director of The OCD and Anxiety Center of Greater Baltimore, and author of When a Family Member Has OCD and Overcoming Harm OCD--Jon Hershfield, MFT This workbook for teens suffering from anxiety offers lessons, examples, and exercises. Ten chapters instruct readers in rewiring their brains in various ways to reduce or eliminate the limitations imposed by symptoms of anxiety on daily life. The chapters address self-denigrating thoughts, staying in the present moment, coping with emotional pain, developing resilience, recognizing negative biases, handling intense emotions, moving past procrastination and avoidance, developing confidence, and consolidating gains over the long term.... Readers will learn how symptoms of anxiety stem from useful bodily responses gone awry as well as many useful thoughts and actions to interrupt their anxiety. Practical, challenging, informative--positively worthwhile. --Kirkus Reviews--Kirkus Reviews There are many books about teen anxiety, but this guide is approachable, informative, and empowering. The authors take on the role of coaches, and the book is designed as a 'mind gym, ' with 10 chapters filled with exercises for rewiring the brain to move past anxiety and emotional pain, end self-recrimination, defeat procrastination, and be more present, confident, and resilient. The authors clearly know their audience. There is an effective mix of neuroscience, relatable examples of teens responding to emotional discomfort, and an array of tools, including online worksheets. VERDICT: Although some readers may show resistance to doing the actual work offered in this book, the strategies, offered by seasoned professionals, suggest new perspectives on anxiety not only for teens but for stressed parents who might pick it up. --School Library Journal--School Library Journal