10 Steps to Mastering Stress: A Lifestyle Approach, Updated Edition

by David H. Barlow, Ronald M. Rapee, Sarah Perini

Overview

We know that stress is bad for us. We see evidence of this in the news, we hear it from our doctors, and we feel it at the end of a hectic week. Health professionals have learned that stress interferes with our lives-it increases missed work days, can lead to relationship difficulties, and can increase the risk of turning to drugs and alcohol. It has also been shown that in some cases, chronic stress can increase our risk of developing certain serious illnesses. We know of all these negative effects that stress can cause, but, realistically, for most of us there's no end in sight-stressful events will crop up throughout our lives and even daily. We can't stop stressful events from happening, but we can change our lifestyles to better handle stressful situations. The authors of 10 Steps to Mastering Stress, renowned stress and anxiety experts David Barlow, Ronald Rapee, and Sarah Perini, have designed a proven step-by-step program that will help you identify what is causing your stress, teach you calming techniques, and provide you with a realistic approach to reducing your daily stress. This updated edition now includes: *detailed case studies based on real clients the authors have treated, so you can see how every stage of the program is implemented. *new material incorporating mindfulness-based stress reduction strategies and added information on how to deal with real-life problems. *streamlined steps that make the program more efficient and even easier to follow. Based on nearly two decades of research, 10 Steps to Mastering Stress has been scientifically developed and tested to ensure that it is the most effective way to control stress. Readers will learn valuable new skills-new ways of thinking, acting, and organizing their lives to reduce stress to a manageable level.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199359080
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/03/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

David H. Barlow, PhD, is Professor and Founder and Director Emeritus of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University. He has published over 500 articles and chapters and over 60 books, and his research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for 40 years. Ronald M. Rapee, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Macquarie University, Sydney and Director of the Centre for Emotional Health. Professor Rapee's primary research focuses on the understanding and management of anxiety and related disorders across the lifespan. He has established a number of internationally used treatment programs and was recently awarded the Order of Australia for his contributions to clinical psychology. Sarah Perini, MA, is Director of the Emotional Health Clinic at Macquarie University in Australia, where she teaches post-graduate psychology students how to conduct effective treatment. She is an experienced clinical psychologist who has treated hundreds of stressed and anxious patients. She has also worked in a range of clinics and hospitals and has published several academic articles.

Table of Contents

Introduction Step 1: Understand your stress Step 2: Relax your body Step 3: Think realistically Step 4: Evaluate consequences Step 5: Test predictions Step 6: Stay present Step 7: Take control Step 8: Be assertive Step 9: Manage your time Step 10: Problem solve

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2014
The authors, renowned medical specialists in the area of emotional health and psychology, present a systematic approach to help readers learn and integrate relevant tension-reduction techniques into their lives. Their ten-step system involves keeping a daily stress record, practicing deep muscle relaxation, learning to think realistically, and managing time effectively. As readers adopt the methods they can chart their progress and follow along with four case studies who suffer from an array of stress-related problems. VERDICT Offering more than a variety of tips for random usage, this book will be appreciated by readers for providing structure within which transformation can take place.

Library Journal

"The authors, renowned medical specialists in the area of emotional health and psychology, present a systematic approach to help readers learn and integrate relevant tension-reduction techniques into their lives. Their ten-step system involves keeping a daily stress record, practicing deep muscle relaxation, learning to think realistically, and managing time effectively. As readers adopt the methods they can chart their progress and follow along with four case studies who suffer from an array of stress-related problems. Offering more than a variety of tips for random usage, this book will be appreciated by readers for providing structure within which transformation can take place." -Library Journal

"This book provides an easy-to-implement, step-by-step approach for managing stress that is backed by years of science. It's an exceptional guide from world-renowned researchers who bring the best available evidence to those in need." -Michelle G. Craske, PhD, Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Psychology, UCLA

"This is an excellent, concise, and right-on-target guide to coping with your daily stress. With clear self-help tools, forms that you can use immediately, and helpful practical tips, readers will find this to be a good guide to dealing with stress. Highly recommended." -Robert L. Leahy, PhD, Director, American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, and Clinical Professor of Psychology, Weill-Cornell University Medical College, New York Presbyterian Hospital

"10 Steps to Mastering Stress provides a refreshing and unique approach to helping those who tend to react to unpleasant events with worry, tension, and anxiety. It is head and shoulders above any other self-help book in a number of ways— it is based on years of research with respect to the techniques it promotes, and it provides guidance on how to integrate and apply the techniques within your lifestyle." -Michelle G. Newman, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, The Pennsylvania State University

"Written by world leaders in the field of anxiety, this is an accessible, engaging, and practical guide for transforming one's lifestyle and increasing one's well-being." -Richard J. McNally, PhD, Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, Harvard University, and Author, What is Mental Illness?

"10 Steps to Mastering Stress offers a systematic, effective, and highly pragmatic program that will dramatically change how you deal with the stresses and pressures of 21st-century living. If you could read only one book on stress management, this would be it!"-David A. Clark, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Canada

From the Publisher