5 comments about SOS Help for Emotions: Managing Anxiety, Anger, and Depression.

1. As a clinical psychologist I wrote "SOS Help For Emotions: Managing Anxiety, Anger, And Depression" to help people to increase their emotional intelligence and to more effectively manage their emotions and behavior. Emotional intelligence matters more than IQ in obtaining success and contentment in life.
   
   The five abilities of emotional intelligence are: 1. knowing our emotions, 2. managing our emotions, 3. recognizing emotions in others, 4. managing relationships with others, and 5. motivating ourselves to achieve our goals. I believe that people can increase their emotional intelligence using the methods of cognitive behavior therapy as presented in "SOS Help For Emotions."
   
   Dr. Albert Ellis, the best known therapist in the United States says regarding SOS, "Beautifully captures the spirit of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (cognitive behavior therapy) in concise, evocative, and humorous language. A gem of an introduction to REBT." The director of professional education at Albert Ellis Institute says, "It's spectacular! SOS is the best self-help book on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy that I have seen." Dr. Donald Beal, a practicing cognitive therapist says, "SOS is a beautiful work! The use of cartoons, figures, and illustrations is quite engaging." SOS is available in Turkish, Chinese, and Korean, as well as English.
   
   I am eager to share insights from cognitive behavior therapy with people (including older teens) who are not seeing therapists but who want to learn on their own, how to improve their emotional intelligence and their ability to manage their emotions and behavior. I used 100 illustrations and boxes in SOS to make reading interesting and easy for busy people. Seeing SOS in print is a dream I have had for over 15 years. Currently I am working on a video-based education program based on SOS Help For Emotions.
   
   Written by Lynn Fred Clark, Ph.D., author and clinical psychologist



2. This is a fun, easy-to-use book! Humorously challenge your belief system (what you expect of yourself and others, whether reasonable or not) and the results will astound you. A great tool to find contentment in your life and your relationships.
   You will keep this book forever to go back to when those old habits try to sneak back up on you! It is amazing to be able to maintain happiness and tranquility even when the world and people around you do not. Best dollar investment and personal investment you'll ever make.



3. This is an easy to read self help book for any age!



4. The book arrived in a timely manner and was in brand new condition. I was pleased with this experience. The book has been an interesting read.



5. This is an amazing book that teaches simple skills that make a big difference! After struggling with OCD and depression for nearly 9 years this has been an amazing tool, and stepping stone! Very easy to read. Don't get discouraged by the repetition. It is repetative because it is important, and it helps you actually learn the material.

5 comments about Pass Through Panic: Freeing Yourself from Anxiety and Fear.

1. The advice Dr. Weekes provides is just as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. Nothing has changed. I have returned to Claire Weekes' work time and again. I don't mind her "old fashioned" wording and no nonsense approach to this condition. Everything she says is God's truth... and she does it in a non-frightening way. I've tried other programs, including Lucinda Bassett's. I still think Weekes' tapes are superior. I also recommend David Johnson's Freedom from Fear program, which is entirely based on Claire Weekes' work.



2. Dr. Weekes seemed to know that her job was not to motivate or inspire people, but instead, to help those who were suffering get well. In her books and tapes, she offers real hope to people, many of whom (as she acknowledges) might not have the energy to hope - yet. In these days of pop psychology
   
   and trendy motivational products, Dr. Weekes goes right to the heart of the matter: that people suffering from panic attacks don't do so because of defects in their personalities, but because they've been sensitized to certain situations. Dr. Weekes helps us learn techniques to get past that sensitivity.
   
   Her genius was in understanding exactly what her audience was going through emotionally. I've never heard any other doctor speak with such empathy. And by her example, she teaches us to be patient with ourselves while we're getting better.
   
   I usually HATE self-help materials, but I love Dr. Weekes' work. She's one of my heroines.



3. I have used Dr. Claire Weekes' books on nervous suffering and agoraphobia for over 20 years, I highly, highly recommend them to fellow sufferers. I didn't have her audio, Pass Through Panic, so I purchased it. Delightful hearing her Australian accent as she 'walks' sufferers through their difficulties. Simple, easy to understand, in laymen's terms.



4. This set of CD'S is just so wonderful and easy to listen to, the information explained by Dr Weekes is done so in a basic, no nonsense approach, as if she is talking to you, the listener, in the same room, anticipating your questions and giving the answers as she proceeds. For sufferers of 'nervous illness', -anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and even depression, this is a 'must have'! There is a simple and easily understandable method that Dr Weekes explains in detail how to practice. It is very possible that this method could be the 'cure' that so many people, including myself, have been searching for for many many years to help relieve their unfortunate anxiety symptoms. Highly reccommended.



5. I am so happy that I bought this CD !... It has helped me in so many ways.. I never thought it was possible but my panic attacks are almost non-existing after listening to this CD and applying what I've learned.
   Thank you Claire Weeks!

5 comments about The Courage to Be.

1. Tillich gathers strands from stoicism, theistic existentialism, dialectical thought and fideism in an attempt to weave a unifying belief-system. I don't think he completely succeeds in doing that. However, he does manage to express some spiritual insights. And it is in the mining these spiritual gems that makes the book a worthwhile read.
   
   Many reviewers have voiced the opinion that Tillich's writing style is very difficult to read. I do not necessarily agree with this assessment. Tillich employs paradoxical language in an attempt to explain that which is beyond all words. At times, his writing is dry. But it is not terribly difficult to follow.
   
   Here are some of the insights that I have gathered from the reading of this book:
   
   - The human predicament is the estrangement of one's existence from one's essential being. This estrangement is sin.
   
   - God is understood as "being" itself. And "being" is a "creative process."
   
   - There's a dialectical tension between being and nonbeing. And "the courage to be" is the power of being to will itself, to overcome the threat of nonbeing.
   
   - "Courage needs the power of being, a power transcending the nonbeing" pg. 155
   
   - Existential angst takes on three distinct forms: 1) the anxiety of fate and death, 2) the anxiety of emptiness and meaninglessness and 3) the anxiety of guilt and condemnation.
   
   Tillich discusses at length the sociological implications of these three forms of "anxieties" as they played out in history.
   
   At the heart of Tillich's discussion is the dialectical tension that exists between the individual and the group of which the individual is a part. Both the individual and the group are affirmed and denied. By affirming the self, the individual denies the group; by affirming the group, the individual denies himself. How does one overcome this conflict? By "the courage to be," and the "courage to be" is none other than faith itself.
   
   "The 'courage to be' is the courage to accept oneself as accepted in spite of being unacceptable." pg. 164 This is Tillich's interpretation of the doctrine of "justification by faith."
   
   I found Tillich's discussion of death to be very interesting:
   
   "The courage to die is also the test of the courage to be. A self-affirmation which omits taking the affirmation of one's death into itself tries to escape the test of courage, the facing of nonbeing in the most radical way." pg. 169
   
   We must learn to embrace death by taking death into ourselves. And it is with this acceptance that we affirm the "courage to be." It is only by dying, by dying to the self, that we are reborn to eternal life. Faith defined as the "courage to be" is where we derive the power of God, who is being itself.
   
   Here are some examples of Tillich's paradoxical statements or aphorisms:
   
   - "He who participates in God participates in eternity. But in order to participate in him you must be accepted by him and you must have accepted his acceptance of you." pg. 170
   
   - "The courage to be is an expression of faith and what "faith" means must be understood through the courage to be." pg. 172
   
   - "Faith is not an opinion but a state. It is the state of being grasped by the power of being, which transcends everything that is, and in which everything that is, participates." pg. 173
   
   The major criticism that I have of Tillich's thought as represented in this book is that he failed to link the "courage to be" or faith with love. Ultimately love is the power of being. And God is not only being itself but also love. They are inseparable.



2. TILLICH'S BASIC IDEAS OF GOD AND THE GOD-ABOVE-GOD ARE NOT CLEAR IN THE COURAGE TO BE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE HE STATES AS THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTION OF CHRISTIAN CLERGY KEEPING PEOPLE FROM REALIZING THE NATURE OF "GOD" FOR WHICH PURPOSE HE IDENTIFIES THE "GOD-ABOVE-GOD" THE NATURE OF "GOD" IS
   THE GREAT MACHINE WHICH IN ALBERT EINSTEIN'S VIEW FOR EXAMPLE OBVIATES HUMAN FREEDOM. THAT IS: THE UNIVERSE IS MACHINE GOVERNED BY FIXED LAW; WE ARE ALL PARTS OF THE UNIVERSE, NO MORE FREE THAN A ROCK TO HAVE FREEDOM FROM, SAY, GRAVITY. TILLICH SAYS THAT TO REALLY GRASP THIS IS
   BEYOND HUMAN ENDURANCE. IF ONE IS A SERIOUS STUDENT OF THE BIBLE, ONE CAN SEE THAT THE "GOD" OF TILLICH IS PRESENTED TO THE JEWS, BUT WITH A SET OF ILLUSIONS, AS CHOSEN, THE NEED FOR AN ENEMY TO DEFINE AS OTHER THAN AS THE "GOD" OF TILLICH THE NATURE OF THE JEWISH INDIVIDUAL, THE LONG-TERM ETHIC OF GHE GOOD DEFINED AS WHAT IS BEST FOR JEWS THROUGH CENTURIES. EINSTEIN CALLED THE JEWISH GOD (THE "GOD" OF TILLICH) AS THE
   NEGATION OF SUPERSTITION AND WITH IMAGINARY CHARACTERISTICS ADDED.
   THE "GOD-ABOVE-GOD" IS AN INTELLECTIZED JUSTIFICATION FOR IGNORING OR NOT PERMITTING OTHERS TO COMPREHEND THE MECHANICAL NATURE OF REALITY. TO IGNORE INVOLVES RISK. A MAN WHO IGNORES THE MECHANISTIC NATURE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT IN FAVOR OF COURAGE, HOPE, ROMANTICISM OR WHATEVER EXERCISES EITHER HIS IGNORANCE OR HIS COURAGE.



3. It seemed at the beginning that it would be too abstract. Too involved in a history of philosophy in its discussion of the Stoics. That Tillich was asserting too much, as if "ex cathedra". But even in the early chapters, I sensed something special and by the time I reached Chapter 4 ("Courage and Participation: The Courage to Be as a Part"), I began to feel the my current situation was being directly and wisely addressed. That feeling only grew stronger from that point on.
   
   There's so much value in this book that I feel somehow unworthy of reviewing it. It doesn't seem that any amount of time I spent preparing a review could do justice to "The Courage to Be". I had heard so much of Tillich but this is the first time I have read him. I have missed a lot and I am grateful I finally turned to him. I had been concerned about religious myths and whether Christianity retained any value for me. Gnostic Christian myths seems fascinating and they made me wonder if Christianity might offer more to me than I had suspected. That concern with myths and Christianity led me to read several books by the progressive Christian Bishop John Shelby Spong (e.g. Jesus for the Non-Religious)). Spong mentioned in at least one of his books that he had been a student of Tillich's. Tillich had challenged Spong with the concept of nontheism, a position that Spong has moved to. That has been my own understanding since my teens but I had turned to nontheistic Eastern religions and to unorthodox, nondogmatic Western religions. Only recently had I been open to reconsidering liberal Christianity. To some extent I had already done that with such postmodern thinkers as Thomas Altizer (The Gospel of Christian Atheism and Living the Death of God: A Theological Memoir) and recently Spong. Following up with Tillich and this book has been literally a godsend.
   
   In much of "The Courage to Be", Tillich applies his knowledge of Western Existentialism. This meant all the more to me as in my teens I had devoured such existentialists as Sartre, Camus and to a lesser extent even Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. But it was difficult to apply it to my situation. Altizer had helped by tracing developments from Christianity into postmodern movements including atheism but he was difficult to follow.
   
   Here now is Tillich who ties together Western Existentialist topics such as anxiety and meaninglessness and a postmodern concern to rediscover the relevance of the Christian tradition. Is one's self in danger today of being a thing, or as he writes "a matter of calculation and management"? As Tillich points out, the Existentialist Revolt strongly opposed such objectification. But by transcending the theistic way of understanding the sacred ,by turning to "the God above God", Tillich shares a hope ( at least in finding courage) that speak to those Existentialism addressed but recovers something from Christian roots. It is a project that seems to take better advantage of Western history and Christianity's role in it as it was than Spong's dependence on speculations to salvage an acceptable image of Jesus.
   
   This is not a book for a single reading. I've started already on my second reading and I am also reading more of Tillich, already The socialist decision and am planning to read soon A HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT Edited By Carl E. Braaten. I somehow overlooked Tillich all these years and I am eager to make up for lost time. The timing is good because, as Spong has described, I seem to be "a believer in exile", raised a Christian and, although having questioned much about it, still influenced by my Protestant upbringing and by the many writings such as those of the Existentialists, that proceeded directly from or in reaction to Christianity.
   
   Finding "A Courage to Be" and Tillich may be a way for me to accept my background without rejecting what I have learned and felt since.



4. I purchased two books written by Paul Tillich for one dollar a piece at Half-Price books. One is this book particular title. I have heard of the author because RC Sproul has often argued his thoughts as a mischaracterization of Christianity and the relationship possible between God and man. Paul Tillich's philosophy is clearly contradictory to Christianity. The author clearly states his thoughts are not biblical; he plainly does not believe in a greater being nor does he like the Being described in the Bible. This book is about man's relationship to the universe absent God. It is an argument that one needs to have courage absent the security of traditional religion; there is no God in his philosophy describing right and wrong; there is no higher Being protecting you. His perspective is part pantheism. Man does not die to be part of a conscience state, but pure dust and part of the whole of creation. One may have a social conscience but there are no arbiters to determine what one think is correct. This book is about the implications of this Worldview and the implications of grasping this `truth".
   
   I believe the author could have made a more organized and clearer argument. The language is clear and easy to understand, but the thoughts could have been more organized.



5. Tillich believes that modern man's predominant anxiety is a sense of meaninglessness leading to despair. This is the Existentialist's plight. Tillich states that meaninglessness has not always been the predominant concern. In prior ages it had been death and later guilt.
   
   In order to resolve the angst of modern man, Tillich imposes upon himself that "The answer must accept, as its precondition, the state of meaninglessness." This precondition creates the cul-de-sac for his rational argument.
   
   Tillich himself, offers the naïve solution of "The faith which creates the courage to take [meaninglessness/anxiety] into itself has no special content. It is simply faith, undirected, absolute. It is undefinable, since everything defined is dissolved by doubt and meaninglessness."
   
   In other words, Tillich suggests that to resolve meaninglessness and despair one should resort to having faith without subject matter.
   
   Tillich further explains himself by stating the requisite courage/faith is not without subject matter but rather is in "pure being" or "the God above God". This is nonsense. The God of the Bible is the great "I AM", pure being. There is no God above God.
   
   By giving the proposition "God above God" Tillich is either:
   
   a) making a substitution identical to that which is being substituted, making the proposition gibberish
   
   b) removing God from the equation, replacing Him with the power of being within ourselves as the basis for our courage (what an ersatz this exchange would be, a finite force within ourselves, leading to certain death, rather than a personal God who could be implored that held the power to gift eternity).
   
   or
   
   c) replacing the definition of God handed down through the ages and substituting it for one, more amenable to his existentialist philosophy. In so doing he is falling into the trap of creating god in his own image. One also would have to ask the question why he feels he should be trusted with elucidating to mankind who God is, using his reason alone? The credentials of Jesus and Moses are likely more qualified for this which is likely why their assertions are believed more than those of Tillich.
   
   If you were not certain before reading this book that Existentialist philosophy has no real legitimate answers for meaning in life this book should provide another nail in the coffin towards that conclusion.

5 comments about The Anxiety Cure.

1. If you or someone you love is suffering from panic attacks or severe anxiety that makes them anxious enough to get ill, GET THIS BOOK!! It is excellent!! Very informative from a medical standpoint. It is also very easy reading and will relieve the severity of symptoms as you read it. It offers so much help and hope. I can't say enough good things about it!



2. This book is amazing... I feel like it was written for me. I highly recommend it, whether you have anxiety or are trying to understand someone who does. I even gave it to several people as gifts. A friend suggested that I read it, and said it is the best book on the subject. I agree!



3. I've studied and read a lot about worrying/anxiety, but had never before thought of some of the ideas in this book.....they were very, very helpful to me in my battle against anxiety.



4. Excellent. I would recommend it for others like me who have had anxiety problems. I especiallly liked the idea of listing worries and then determining whether they were "concerns" or "worries".



5. This is an excellent book written from a Christian perspective in helping people to deal with anxiety, especially panic attacks.

5 comments about Women Who Worry Too Much: How to Stop Worry & Anxiety from Ruining Relationships, Work, & Fun.

1. Endorsed by some of the leading researchers in the field of anxiety, this book is firmly rooted in a long tradition of scientific research. It gives the reader a clear understanding of what worry is all about, as well as many useful and easy-to-do techniques for managing one's own anxiety and worry. It's a chance for people of both genders to better understand themselves, and learn specific skills for bettering their own lives.



2. This is a really good book that I would reccomend to all women, not just women suffering from anxiety. It teaches us to cope with huge stressors along with the every day decisions and burdens that women face. The thing that I really liked about this book was that unlike other psychology books it was written for all audiences. I have studied psychology and social work in my college career and have had to read some really good books, but they were very difficult to read. This book was an easy and enjoyable read.



3. This book is very well-written for a range of audiences. Even into the first few chapters you start to become more aware of how worry affects your life. I really enjoyed how manageable and applicable the recommended exercises were found in each chapter. Trying these exercises allows for practice of new ways of dealing with chronic worry and anxious thoughts that can make life so stressful.



4. Dr. Hazlett-Stevens' manages to make use of the most recent advances in clinical research in creating easy-to-follow and straightforward exercises in reducing worry. Traditionally, worriers tend to not make great use of treatments that focus on the specifics of the worry at hand. That is, when one worry seems to be dealt with, it feels like another has popped up in its place. In contrast, the strong focus of Hazlett-Steven's book is at reducing stress and total amount of worry overall (with examples of specific worries in Part III). If worry is a problem for you, I think this book could be a great asset.



5. A great book to help with over-worriers. Though the title reads, "Women who worry..." I believe a lot of the tips can be useful to men as well. After reading only a couple of chapters, I found myself with less anxiety. It has made a difference in my everyday life.

5 comments about When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism.

1. I've struggled my whole life with a number of issues: perfectionism, low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviour.
   
   This despite the fact that I'm intelligent. Intelligence isn't always enough. Some of us need practical help to see where our thinking patterns and actions are flawed or self-defeating. Without external help it's difficult to be objective about this.
   
   "When Perfect isn't Good Enough" is a practical self-help book to assist you in identifying and changing perfectionistic thinking patterns. I only bought the book recently, but I've already been bowled over by the number of insights I've gained from its pages. I plan to study and fully integrate the info over time. I can only imagine how doing so will contribute to my productivity!
   
   Other exceptional self-help books that I would like to recommend are:
   * The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
   * The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden
   * Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
   
   None of these books are quick-fixes. Integrating their contents takes a lot of work and courage, but the results are of inestimable value!



2. This book contains exactly what I was looking for the past 10 years. I've learned much about myself. I would probably not read the last section b/c it's just a repeat of what's in the book, but being a perfectionist, I had to. If you can stand it, only read what applies to you in the last section and save your time for something else.



3. After reading Leman's "The Birth Order Book" and seeing that my wife and myself have been struggling with the predicted first-born power struggles and head butting for the last 10 years, both of us as "discouraged perfectionists" were looking for a book to offer pragmatic solutions for change.
   
   In looking at the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this book, I purchased it. The book has some major draw-backs:
   
   1. The text addresses perfectionism according to Hewitt & Flett, and Frost; however, the typical treatment of perfectionism is one usually of an aggressive perfectionist, such as a "nag" or a critical boss; this is not reflective of the "discouraged perfectionist" and often leaves one thinking "ok... this would be a good strategy if I was a freak-out, but it doesn't really apply to me"
   
   2. The authors have an ideological bias that is evident throughout the text which I would describe as "open-minded liberalism" combined with "anti-religious," which is really quite disturbing. Examples that stick out in my mind include:
   p46 - a comparison of "the right way" to wash dishes is compared with "wrong" ways leads to reader to accept that "washing" may entail soaking dishes in water without soap is somehow equally acceptable (as if sanitation is invalid as a basis for a "right way")
   p50 - Attending church services are an outlet of attempting to confirm perfectionistic beliefs rather than seeking out experiences that "challenge" those beliefs
   p180 - where a therapist convinces a patient that the daughter comes home from college with a lip-piercing isn't as big of a deal as it feels
   
   3. The demeanor the authors use is almost as if they are not addressing a condition that affects people in very personal ways which causes internal conflict and real heart-ache. They might as well be addressing bicycle repair, how to implement work-arounds in Chebyshev filter design software, or dog-training. These are exactly the kinds of individuals I strongly suspect of total hypocrisy, and I wonder how screwed up their own marriages and children are
   
   In conclusion, this book may be very good for a certain cross-section of people (which is why I gave it two stars instead of one), i.e. perfectionists who are obsessive, angry, controlling neat-freaks. But for the rest of those who might be considered relatively "normal" or who are just looking to relate better with others, this book will probably be inadequate.



4. It was a blow for me when I learned that I am a perfectionist. I started reading about it, and this was my first book. It was hard from time to time to face the truth that this book was presenting me.



5. Hardly user friendly, though it attempts to be a book for a lay audience, it fails miserably succeeding only in writing a watered down academic article. If you are a fan of superficial platitudes masquerading as strategy, then this is book for you. Might as well save your 10 or 13 dollars, google perfectionism, and read the ehow version--you're getting the same thing minus the money and the time wasted sifting through bad writing and even worse style.

5 comments about The Anxiety Cure for Kids: A Guide for Parents.

1. The Anxiety Cure for Kids is an important resource for any parent or mental health professional in dealing with an anxious child. The suggested strategies for handling the "dragon" are very helpful and are easily understood. This book is user friendly.



2. I have read many books on anxiety as I have a 12 year old who has suffered with Anxiety for years. This book was by far the most useful, and well thought out. It gives you detailed information on what causes anxiety. It also gives you lots of infomation on the different solutions: When to seek professional help, what different medicines do. It includes specific tips to help your child. The use of the Dragon (Your Anxieties) and the Wizard (the smart guy that can help you overcome them) helped explain in my son's terms the feelings he as been having. Its like the light bulb went off for him. The journal keeping has been a huge help to him as he tackles his dragon. This book is a must have for parents of children suffering from Anxiety.



3. I can attest first-hand that the authors' methods of dealing with situational or specific anxiety in children works. My oldest son, now 14, had many fears, including thunderstorms and severe separation anxiety. We tried traditional "talk" therapy for many years with several different therapists, with no success. We finally found a cognitive therapist who was able to work with him with great success. My middle son has recently been in therapy with Elizabeth Spencer to handle anxiety about sleeping away from home, a problem he continued to have despite talk therapy with three different therapists. Elizabeth was able to get to the meat of my son's anxiety, help him understand why his brain was reacting the way it was, and what to do to overcome it. I'm please to report we had our last appointment today, and my son has had a summer of successful sleepovers and a week-long vacation, all without any anxiety.



4. My daughter (now 12) was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive disorder at age 9. Given that OCD is an anxiety-type disorder, and my daughter had always had fears and anxieties around certain things, I bought this book. We found it even more helpful than the OCD-specifc books. The etiology of anxiety and OCD are similar, and this book helps the child evoke the power of their own though process. By becoming the "boss" of their thoughts, they can reduce the power of their anxieties/obsessions. Basically, it takes the foundation of cognitive-behavior therapy and puts it into a kid-friendly context. Read the opening "Letter to Kids with Anxiety" to your kid. That's what I did, and she was hooked.



5. My 6 year olds therapist recommended this book to me to understand anxiety and different ways to handle it. Boy the Dragon is such a wonderful and easy way to deal with it. The therapist said "This is the anxiety Bible for young children" and I can see why she says that. I have never experienced anxiety in children or adults so this is starting me off from the beginning and I am getting a hold of it and tackling it quick. Great read for parents that do not understand anxiety!

5 comments about The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things.

1. The vast majority of fears in The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things are irrational. People who are deathly afraid of plain crashes are probably a bit paranoid, considering their rarity. People who are very afraid of black men are probably racist, considering how much more common it is for black men to be victims than perps. The biggest new insight I received from Glassner's work was on Gulf War Syndrome. Glassner, a Sociology Professor at USC, convincingly demonstrates that improbability that GWS is the result of exposure to chemical weapons or any other destructive war technology. I will not delve into the specific reasons for GWS, but it is a common thread for a certain percentage of veterans in all modern wars.
   
   Chapters on teen motherhood, AIDS, violent youth and homicidal mothers manage to be dull, despite public fascination (my own included) with such topics, covered ad nauseum in the media. The best part of the book is the cover, which is well done with the inventive title prominently featured. What should have been an excellent concept turns into a rehashing of known contradictions to common stereotypes. There must be dozens of people who could do this better, including the authors of Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.



2. Some things haven't changed in the last ten years since this book was written. I do believe that the media has gotten worse over the years since this book was written. After reading this book, I am about ready to boycott the newspaper/TV medias but ... they still do provide a service to the public, so I can't just write them completely off yet. But this book has made that idea a temptation.
   
   I orginally gave this book a four star but upon further reflection, I had to give it a three-star rating. I do believe it was well-written, researched as thoroughly as possible, but there's a taint of bias in his studies, or at least in the first half of the book. He mentioned his anti-guns bias repeatedly and after the third time of reading about it, I want to say, ok, I get your point. That bias left a shadow over the entire first half of the book that it made me weary of his points before I even finished the book. The bias would have been better if it was left alone after the first time he mentioned it.
   
   Other than that, he validated his points with examples after examples throughout the entire book. The reader doesn't necessarily have to agree with his reasonings, but he does make good points about how the media ignores the facts and runs away with the scare tactics. After reading "Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over For Bush" and this book, I am even more inclined to think less of the media. There is a point that someone who works in the media said that rings true even back to my newsroom days: "News is what happens to your editors." (page 201)
   
   But that doesn't excuse reporters and editors from creating scare tactics or sensational news to frighten people. Yes, sensational news sell copies, and it does seem that the media has forgotten their responsibility to the people as a whole, which is to provide unbiased reporting of facts and news to the public. I know that it is almost impossible to keep your own opinions out of it (which is why they have columnists), but to constantly provide news that frighten Americans without checking all the facts of the story, is in my opinion, just wrong.
   
   This book is a must-read for aspiring journalists or for anyone who wants to be in the know. It is detailed and insightful. It will disgust the reader in spots and provide more information in other spots. It is not an entertaining book but one that will provide thoughtful musings on the state of the media these days. Some things just haven't changed in the last 10 years.
   
   7/9/08



3. This book is great for the social and cultural notions of the last 20th and early 21st century. It speaks to an important and growing discourse of critiquing the media.



4. I finished this book, considering I hate reading and haven't read a book since high school, that should mean something. I'm not a fan of people shoving their opinions down my throat, but I picked this book up out of curiosity. And I had a feeling the author and I would agree on more things than disagree.
   
   I really do place most of the blame of this countries problems, fear, irrational paranoia, and emphasis that we are all alone and need to depend on the government for protection on the media- the news programs specifically. They chose what to report on, they chose what slant to bring to the story, they leave out details, and hardly ever report on the honesty, humanity, and morality of man.
   
   This book just confirmed what I already believed. Although it was refreshing to know that I'm not the only one that finds the media destructive. He touches on good points. Even things I wasn't scared of, but the American public may be concerned about. Some of his statements, seem to be unfounded and he could have backed them up more with facts. He can sometimes assume facts because of his personal beliefs. But overall the book was good. I don't feel the need to read it more than once though.



5. I had heard pretty good things about this book but was disappointed in it (and actually gave up on it with about 60 pages to go.) The chapters each cover different subjects but they all are making the same point: media plays up a new fear periodically by bending statistics and using sensationalized reporting. Even with new subjects as examples, the theme was repetitive with no new insights.
   
   Also, the author does have his own pet fear: he is afraid of guns. And he is willing to use the same type of incomplete (and/or discredited) statistics he accuses media of using in other subjects in an attempt to inspire his fear in readers.

5 comments about Overcoming Fears.

1. she is an angel on earth her books fill my shelves this cd will make you see life from a different light, it will show you the light within she makes you feel calm just listening to her voice, the affimations, truely work helps you feel better about your life,
   a book the calling of your true self also made me look at life in a new way both uplifting and inspiring helps you understand what we can change with our thoughts by sending them out



2. What ever you do don't listen to this while you drive! It will put you right to sleep. It did not speak to me at all. This was not useful. I prefered the what the bleep do we know.



3. I found this to be somewhat of a duplicate of some of her other works.



4. Thank you for sending the CD so promptly. I really appreciate the price.
   Sincerely,
   
   Lynn



5. I listen to this CD at least once a week, especially when old issues come up. It's always astounding to me how the media and even friends and family can perpetuate the Fear Factor, but like Louise would probably say, When an issue arises, it's there to be released. Thought is power and we can create a safe place in the world by changing our thoughts (which then change our actions). We can create our world. We are safe, secure and protected by love at all times. Blessed be!

5 comments about Tapping the Healer Within : Using Thought-Field Therapy to Instantly Conquer Your Fears, Anxieties, and Emotional Distress.

1. My job requires me to speak in front of large groups of people at one time and I would get so sick to my stomach that I knew I'd either have to do something about it or get a different job. I ordered this book and what a difference it made in my life. It's easy to follow, no tricks involved and it really took the edge off and I was able to talk more comfortably in front of people. I also travel for work and flying always makes me extremely nervous but when you learn how to tap, you can learn how to calm yourself down and keep your fears at bay. It basically works like this. Prior to tapping you need to be in a state of feeling whatever fear, anxiety, etc that has control over you when it's happening. You can visualize this state of emotion or the best way is if it's actually happening so you truly are in that real state of emotion. You grade that feeling on a scale of 1-10, the higher the number the greater the feeling the lesser the number the lesser the feeling. Than you use the tapping techinque's (there are a variety of tapping techinque's depending on what your issue is) and than ask yourself again after you perform the tapping on a scale of 1-10 how you feel about the issue. This is where you will see the number decrease. I performed this on my boyfriend who faints at the sight of blood and he went from 10 to 6 and than down to 3. Amazing.



2. The must-have book for healers and therapists. Forget Brief Therapy...this one gets results using cutting-edge concepts that escape many practitioners stuck in the Old Paradigm medical model. Roger Callahan's TFT approach offers genuine relief of symptoms and old issues which cause distress in a simple, but NOT simplistic manner. It is a miracle, and this book is a user-friendly manual that anyone can use effectively. As a former marriage counselor and family therapist, I appreciate jargon-free solutions that really help! Anyone with any kind of pain can benefit from using the methods offered here. A self-help book that really helps!



3. Whether this works as the author claims, or whether it's one of those "we don't know why it works, it just does" (imho the more likely explanation) sort of things, it doesn't hurt to try the program, and you are only out the price of the book.
   
   That said, this book is very repetitive (it is about 50 pages too long) and plodding. It should have come with a CD of the instructions for each tapping sequence, which would make it much easier to use.



4. Easy reading and detailed instructions. Written for emotional distress, but I use it for physical pain and it works. I first read it from the local library and followed the instructions and was surprised it alleviated the physical pain. I suffer from fibromyalgia and sometimes even Tylenol doesn't work. One treatment does not necessarily work for life but takes little time to repeat. Great book for those seeking answers in alternative medicine.



5. It's a brilliant book, very simple and easy to use technique (it actually works), which wipes the whole psychiatric establishment of the table! Do not bother going to university and study CBT, get involved in this!