No comments about The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear.

5 comments about A Boy and a Turtle: A Children's Relaxation Story to improve sleep, manage stress, anxiety, anger (Indigo Dreams).

1. Great! My 3 yr olds love it.



2. The book has poor drawing quality and pictures. My 5 year son did not like this book at all because of pictures and was always visualizing the same when we played the CD. He doesn't want to hear the CD or see the book anymore.



3. This is a wonderful story to teach my ADHD daughter simple breathing exercises and visualization relaxation techniques in a simple and straight forward manner. She loves listening to this story every night before going to sleep.



4. What a beautiful book! This is so very child friendly. It teaches in such a bright, colorful way HOW to relax your body. Both my children love to follow along relaxing each part of their bodies as they prepare to relax for bed. As a pediatric occupational therapist I have also used this book and its wonderful methods to teach relaxation to some of my clients and their families. GREAT! Kelly Giaquinto



5. I bought this book based upon my 7 year old son having a lot of anxiety issues with school related issues. I read this book to him the first night, and I have not been able to put it down since. EVERY night around bedtime he asks me to read him his relaxation book. He goes through the motions of closing his eyes, and really trying to relax. After about 1 week of reading it to him, he can start relaxing on his own.

5 comments about Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness Stories And Techniques Designed to Decrease Stress, Anger, Anxiety While Promoting Self-esteem ages 5-10 (Indigo Dreams).

1. My eleven year old son's ADHD Doctor recommended Lori Lite's relaxation techniques to help my son relax so he could sleep. I purchased the book A Boy and A Bear as well as the Indigo Dreams: Relaxation and Stress Management Bedtime Stories and Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness Stories and Techniques Designed to Decrease Bullying, Anger, Anxiety & Obesity, While Promoting Self-esteem & Healthy... CDs. Of the three products I purchased the Garden of Wellness is the CD my son picks to listen to every night. It is his favorite.
   Many nights my son would still be awake at midnight distraught that he could not get to sleep, because he was unable to quiet his mind and body. The last two weeks I have seen a change in my son for the positive. He has yet to hear the end of the CD because he is asleep before the CD ends. His anger has diminished; his dread of going to school has diminished; his self-consciousness of being different has also diminished. The Garden of Wellness CD has truly helped my son on many levels of his life and I am truly grateful to Lori Lite.
   I must also add the CDs have been very beneficial for me also and the children I work with on a daily bases. The two CDs and the book have helped all our lives become much more peaceful!



2. I originally bought for my daughter who has some anxiety and anger issues.After listening to the CD she was practicing some of the techniques and understanding their values, I listened to the CD myself this morning and I can see why she was so positive about it! Also there is the "Light Shield" technique in which children learn to imagine an inner light shield to protect themselves from external situations where others may be making them uncomfortable emotionally. This has also help her to deal with 2 deaths close to her in our family!



3. I bought this for my six year old son who has difficulty handling frustration, and sometimes has a hard time getting to sleep. He absolutely LOVES the stories on the cd, the only problem is there are only two stories. The rest of the cd talks about ways to cope with negative feelings, which were mentioned in the previous stories, and then there are a few tracks of music. My son ends up listening to only 1/4 of the cd. The stories are entertaining, but he's missing out on learning the strategies. What should have been done was to incorporate more of the instruction of the coping strategies within the body of the stories. I may eventually buy the other cd's because the stories help to keep him in bed and feeling content, but I cringe at the idea of paying money, to then use only a portion of what I paid for.



4. I bought this for my eight year old to relax her and decrease her anxiety before bed. She is used to listening to soothing music before she falls asleep. She said the stories caused her to " stay awake" rather than fall asleep, because she had to hear the end! She said the stories were " too drawn out and repeated themselves." ( yes, her words!) My suggestion would be to alternate a story with soothing music, that way after one story they could fall asleep to the music. Then the next night they could choose a different story to fall asleep by. All the stories together is too long.( she can't stay up that late!) I did listen to the stories and felt like they were well written. The alternation with music would be better though. She does love the soothing song at the end!



5. My daughter really loves the "Garden" cd. She has enjoyed all the Indigo Dreams in fact. She gets the message too. I found her talking w/her Nana about the music and how relaxed she feels.

5 comments about In Pursuit of Peace: 21 Ways to Conquer Anxiety, Fear, and Discontentment (Meyer, Joyce).

1. It was my first time buying an audiotape and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but I loved it. I had never heard the subject of peace explained so well. The CD itself was very soothing. I listen to it everynight for the first two months. The voice of Pat Lentz works very well with the title of peace. I had to other 4 CDs for friends. The CD teaches you how not to be too busy, learning to relax and to rely on God, truly receiving the peace of God that surpasses all understanding in the midst of chaos. It teaches you how to handle stressful situations as well as valuing friendship and following God's plan. This is a very comprehensive CD that talks about behavior to even living a healthy life. I would say everyone should buy this CD.



2. The audio tape contains useful information; however, I was disappointed that Joyce Meyers was not the actual speaker. I have listened to other audio cds of hers and found them to be not only useful but entertaining as well. I found my mind wandering often as I listened to Pat Lentz speak on the CDs.



3. In whatever you are struggling with in life, you will find that it all begins with seeking the peace of God. In learning to trust in Him and rely on Him completely, you can find a peace that surpasses all understanding. This is one of Joyce's most well written books and it is packed with the steps that you will need to find peace in an ever-changing, unstable world. Jesus came and died to give us HIS peace and it is up to US to pursue it! This is a must read for anyone desiring to enter the rest of God.



4. Very true and helpful...Not an 'overnight' cure but a great start!



5. I had hoped to give this audio book as a gift. Now I am praying about who to give it to that will appreciate it. The reading by Pat Lentz lacks the life, impact and zest that flows from Joyce herself. I am dissapointented and wish I had not purchased this CD.

5 comments about The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old.

1. I have not read this whole book but what I have read is pretty good. My problem is I am not much of a book reader.



2. It wasn't the wonderful, magical cure that I had heard about. My toddler was no happier with me acting like a "cave man" than she was with me acting like myself. It is informative and give you some good info on reflecting feelings back to children, but overall, there isn't much there that most of us do not already know.



3. It felt unusual to do what the author suggests, but every child in my family & day care responded/responds so well to the ideas presented. Children are not little adults, their brains work differently. The adult who assumes the concepts in the book won't work & who therefore practice with obvious cinicism are going to have trouble. Give yourself & the child a fair chance with the suggestions made in this book & the rewards will be awesome!



4. I admit I've not read the book, so take that as you will. However, after reading all the reviews positive and negative, all the information on this book provided by this site and the first page option, I have come to the conclusion that this book will help a small group of people, but on the whole is not useful. I am almost saddened to see so many positive reviews advocating that one lock their child in their room at night to make them sleep on their own. In the same breath this man insists that we speak "toddler-ese" because the child won't understand more? How will a being that doesn't understand more than primitive language (supposedly) understand the concept of being locked in their room, albeit "lovingly".
   
   I also find fault in the idea that one should "talk like a cave man" to a toddler because that's what they will understand. From day one we didn't do baby talk, we didn't shorten words or sentences for ease. We just spoke to her. Normally using proper grammar. At 15 months old her vocabulary was reaching over 150 words. Now, my daughter is almost 3 and is quite articulate. I've never once in her life hear her say, "Kiara need milk". It's always "Mommy, I need some milk." (Please is optional, but we're getting there.) I feel that the cave-man talk stunts their growth and understanding of the way people are to talk and interact with one another. It supports the laziness that we're finding in our children's studies as evidenced by flagging test scores and general apathy regarding education. Give your child the tools to express themselves rather than dumbing down the world. People underestimate the intelligence of babies/toddlers far too much. Quite sad, really, as children are amazing and incredible creatures.
   
   Tantrums happen. Kids want to cuddle before bed. The lack of these things doesn't necessarily make them "happy" nor does the inclusion of these "stumbling blocks" indicate an "unhappy child".
   
   This book is not for our family.



5. Gave this to my daughter who has a 2 year old. Seems to be working well. She read the happiest baby on the block which I love to give as a gift to new mothers.

5 comments about Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior: A Guide for Parents of Children with Behavioral, Social, and Learning Challenges.

1. This book is an amazing resource for any parent who is struggling to make sense of their child's complex and unusual behavior. Dr. Curtis' step-by-step approach is empowering! Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior gives clarity where so often there is vagueness. The information in this book is easily understood. The worksheets and parent resources are invaluable. Everyone should have a copy of this book!



2. There are numerous "how to parent" books available, with each having their unique twist to the age old problem of raising children. None however, have placed the responsibility upon parents who ultimately know their child better than anyone! This book is a practicle guide for the parents to identify the problems and how to address them. Their teacher? The parents of troubled children know their child better than anyone could hope to. This book is their practical guide to putting their knowledge to work.



3. Trying to find your way through the myriad of advice about how to parent your child can be overwhelming on the best of days. The actual child can get lost in all of the ideas/philosophies/beliefs. That truth is amplified if your child has any sort of behavior that seems to be outside of the "norm". Dr. Curtis guides parents in an honest, nonjudgmental way toward the avenues which can best help them and ultimately, most importantly, help the child get the support he/she needs. His assurance that positive progress can be made is a gift. That these are not "problem" children who have something wrong with them... a message those of us with atypical children are confronted with all too often, but that they are children who merit more support, understanding and sensitivity. Dr. Curtis knows that children with puzzling behavior operate within a family, and that the parents, who love these kids more than anything and are trying to help them to the best of their ability, need guidance and support too. His holistic approach is truly a relief to those of us who deal daily with the beauty, challenge, heartbreak and joy of raising these unique little beings.



4. At what point do you seek professional help when a child is acting, by his parent's standards, weird? "Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior: A Guide for Parents of Children with Behavioral, Social, and Learning Challenges" is a parent's guide to understanding a child's strange behavior and whether they should intervene or it is simply another kind of normal. Suggesting that parents never go for short term solutions, how to look at why the child acts the way they act, and when is the line to seek psychiatric assistance? "Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior: A Guide for Parents of Child with Behavioral, Social, and Learning Challenges" is essential for any concerned parent who doesn't get their child's behavior and for community library parenting collections.



5. Dr. Curtis has written an excellent book that can be a great resource for parents and processionals in supporting their efforts with children. Written in a clear, concise, and straightforward manner this book provides resources for working with children who are frustrated and parents who can be frustrate with the child or the world around them that is designed to support them. I have purchased copies for parents I work with and utilize it in a parent support group for children with processing challenges. I also have recommended it to professionals I work with as it fills a void left by too many other books that do not accomplish what Dr. Curtis has.

5 comments about Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders.

1. I am a second year MSW student who works in a mental health clinic. I have found this book to be extremely helpful and practical in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders. My supervisor even purchased a copy of this book after she saw my work. Clients respond well to the interventions suggested, and they feel like they are finally being understood. It also forces the worker to be thorough in their work.



2. Essential material and systematic paths of therapy by the experts' experts.
   Dr. Leahy is simply the best in his field. And it is a very important field indeed.
   Thank you for this book.



3. I wish that I had found this text years earlier. I especially liked the CD that accompanied the book.



4. Thanks for the book - it was in excellent condition and arrived in good time.



5. This book is an excellent guide for beginners, spelling out CBT techniques clearly and in a practical way for each disorder. Treatment plans are easy to follow. CD with extra information is brilliant with many useful client handouts.

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 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.

1 comments about Managing Social Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach Client Workbook (Treatments That Work).

1. Written by pre-eminent researcher-clinicians in social anxiety, this workbook takes the reader step-by-step through their straightforward cognitive-behavioral treatment program. It is replete with examples, exercises, and homework assignments. For the therapist and client alike, this is a valuable adjunct to therapy.