The Practicing Happiness Workbook: How Mindfulness Can Free You from the Four Psychological Traps That Keep You Stressed, Anxious, and Depressed

by Ruth Baer PhD, Mark Williams PhD (Foreword by)

Overview

Are you looking for a better life—one filled with true contentment and joy? Everyone wants to be happy, but somewhere along the way, we fall into “traps” that prevent us from reaching our potential, our goals, and the lives we want. Sure to be a classic in the self-help genre, Practicing Happiness utilizes a cutting-edge transdiagnostic approach at the forefront of contemporary behavioral therapy to help you break free from these psychological traps, once and for all.

In this important and groundbreaking workbook, internationally-recognized mindfulness expert Ruth Baer discusses the four most common psychological traps that people get stuck in: rumination, avoidance, emotion-driven behavior, and self-criticism. To help you get past these traps, Baer provides powerful, proven-effective mindfulness strategies, exercises, and worksheets to guide you, step-by-step, to the life that you deserve.

Chapter by chapter, you will learn how to apply these mindfulness skills in everyday situations. And with practice, you’ll find yourself taking control of your thoughts and feelings in a new way. Instead of falling back on familiar habits, such as self-criticism, you will learn to foster an attitude of kindness and curiosity toward both yourself and the world around you.

By following the exercises and tips outlined in this clear, helpful guide, you will learn to truly transform your mind—and your life!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608829057
Publisher:	New Harbinger Publications
Publication date:	04/01/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Ruth Baer, PhD, is professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where she conducts research on mindfulness and teaches mindfulness-based treatments. She is the editor of two books: Mindfulness-Based Treatment Approaches and Assessing Mindfulness and Acceptance Processes in Clients.
 
Foreword author Mark Williams, PhD, is professor of clinical psychology at Oxford University, UK. He is a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a fellow of the British Academy. He is author of many books and articles on the psychology of depression and its treatment, focusing on mindfulness-based approaches.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

Foreword vii

Part 1 Introduction

1 How This Book Will Help You 3

2 Welcoming All Visitors to the Mind 13

Part 2 Psychological Traps

3 Rumination 23

4 Avoidance 37

5 Emotion-Driven Behavior 51

6 Self-Criticism 67

Part 3 Mindfulness Skills

7 Values and Goals 85

8 Mindful Observation 103

9 Mindful Observation with Labeling 117

10 Acting with Awareness 135

11 Acceptance and Willingness 151

12 Self-Compassion 165

Part 4 Putting It All Together

13 Exercises for Combining the Skills 185

14 Mindfulness and Happiness 203

Resources 215

References 219

Interviews

Baer lives in Lexington, KY.

Editorial Reviews

Ruth Baer is an experienced clinician, internationally-renowned researcher, mindfulness practitioner, and brilliant teacher who combines warm humor, deep intelligence, and empathic gentleness of heart.”
—Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology, Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at Oxford University, and coauthor of Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in aFrantic World and The Mindful Way Through Depression


“This book is like a mindfulness walk. It seamlessly integrates the best of mindfulness training from the major evidence-based care approaches, giving it a sense of breadth of vision, as if you can see across vast distances on your walk. It gently and calmly steps through many domains of self-exploration (rumination, emotion, self-criticism, values, and so on) and yet it never wanders. Each step is small, but each step is purposive, as if you are being guided on your walk by a very wise person who knows where she is going but is willing to let you set your own pace in getting there. And when you are done, you feel alive and whole, as if you have come home, and you are simply happy to be there. This is a walk worth taking—and a book worth reading. Highly recommended.”
—Steven C. Hayes, PhD, foundation professor of psychology at the University of Nevada and author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life



“Anyone who struggles with difficult emotions or gets trapped in rumination will benefit enormously from this book. Written by one of the leaders in the secular approach to mindfulness, this book guides readers through the different facets of mindfulness and explains how these can be used and practiced to help us find inner calmness, reduce self-criticism, and attain happier states of mind. Knowledgeable, accessible, and practical, this book will be of immense help to many people in how to deal with our rather chaotic, emotional minds.’
—Paul Gilbert, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Derby and author of The Compassionate Mind and Overcoming Depression



“ThePracticing Happiness Workbook, Ruth Baer’s latest book, is an open invitation to find out for yourself how mindfulness can add immeasurably to your quality of life. Written with a reassuringly supportive tone, this workbook moves seamlessly between the problems and the promises each of us encounters as it describes how awareness, willingness, and kindness can open truly new vistas of well-being.”
—Zindel V. Segal, professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Toronto and coauthor of The Mindful Way through Depression



“Bringing attention to our experience with compassion, patience, and equanimity can be radically transformative. You will be in the hands of a gentle, authoritative guide as Ruth Baer draws on her extensive clinical, scientific, and personal experience to set out a path of mindfulness practice and inquiry. The Practicing Happiness Workbook is an accessible and practical guide to the transformative power of mindfulness in everyday life.”
—Willem Kuyken, professor of clinical psychology, cofounder of the Mood Disorders Centre at the University of Exeter and the Exeter Mindfulness Network, and coauthor of Collaborative Case Conceptualization



“In this wise and compassionate book, Ruth Baer integrates up-to-date research, effective and contemporary mindfulness-based approaches, and her own deep knowledge and understanding of the psychology of human distress and mindfulness meditation practice. Lucid and compelling, the book offers a practical step-by-step guide to awareness, insight, and transformation through mindfulness, enlivened by vivid personal stories and delightful touches of humor. A pleasure to read.”
—Melanie Fennell, author of Overcoming Low Self-Esteem



“This is one of the most carefully designed and written handbooks on mindfulness to date. The author is a senior mindfulness researcher who has sifted through the burgeoning scientific literature to present the essential psychology and practice of mindfulness in a palpable, jargon-free, and highly accessible manner. Strongly recommended for anyone, regardless of background or experience, who wishes to live a happier, less encumbered life.”
—Christopher Germer, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion


“For many, happiness is an elusive state. Each fleeting moment leaves us clamoring for more. Chasing after happiness can become an exhausting and discouraging enterprise, as our most familiar strategies often backfire. Fortunately, this book offers an extremely effective alternative. Drawing on her extensive experience practicing and researching mindfulness, Baer provides compassionate and practical advice to those seeking to enhance their sense of satisfaction and purpose. Full of extremely practical tools and engaging case examples, this book provides us with the guidance we need to truly enjoy all that life can offer.”
—Susan M. Orsillo, professor of psychology at Suffolk University and coauthor of The Mindful Way through Anxiety

From the Publisher