Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors


Book Description

This book is essential for those who are prone to high-achieving, self-starting, and perfectionistic actions; people who relentlessly, persistently, and determinedly pursue their dreams, goals, and aspirations; people who hold their high standards, principles, and values close to their heart. Chapter by chapter, you will learn acceptance and commitment skills to harness the power of perfectionism and high-achieving behaviors while living the life you want to live. You will learn how to be yourself, keep your fears in perspective, and do meaningful things without dwelling for hours on the different ways to make things right, postponing things because they aren’t ready, struggling for days with rumination, anxiety and stress, or wrestling periodically with harsh criticisms. This book will show you how you can give your best, work hard, and push yourself when you deeply care about things without sacrificing your well-being, hurting your relationships, or compromising your health. You will learn when to engage in high-achieving actions in an effective, life-expansive, and skillful way. You will develop a new workable relationship with all those narratives about not being good enough and treat yourself with kindness, compassion, and caring. Most importantly, you will find that you can be yourself without losing yourself.




The Anxious Perfectionist


Book Description

Is your perfectionism causing you anxiety, stress, and worry? If you identify as a perfectionist, you may not see your perfectionism as a problem. But striving for unrealistic standards, basing your self-worth on meeting those standards, and engaging in persistent self-criticism will ultimately lead to anxiety, stress, worry, burnout, and unhappiness. So, how can you distinguish between “helpful” and “hurtful” perfectionism and stop holding yourself and others to unrealistically high standards? Written by two clinical psychologists, The Anxious Perfectionist shines a much-needed light on the hidden costs of “being the best,” and offers essential skills based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you cope with the anxiety that is driven by your perfectionism. You’ll learn how your “need to be perfect” can actually hinder your productivity, and keep you from reaching your goals. You’ll also learn skills to help you gain distance from negative self-talk and criticism, let go of unhelpful and self-limiting labels such as “success” or “failure,” and give yourself and others permission to make mistakes while still honoring your high aspirations. If you’re struggling with feelings of anxiety and stress, and suspect your perfectionism may be to blame, this guide will show you how to stop getting in the way of your own success, and live a life guided by your deepest values.




ACT with Love


Book Description

Build more compassionate, accepting, and loving relationships with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Let’s face it: Picture-perfect storybook romances don’t exist in real life. Couples fight. Feelings of love wax and wane through the years. And the stress and tedium of everyday life and work can often drive a wedge between even the most devoted couples. So, how can you reignite passion and intimacy in your relationship, cultivate greater understanding and compassion between yourself and your partner, and bring the joy back to your love life? In this fully revised and updated edition of ACT with Love, therapist and world-renowned ACT expert Russ Harris shows how developing psychological flexibility—the ability to be in the present moment with openness, awareness, and focus, and to take effective action in line with one's values—can help you and your partner strengthen and deepen your relationship. Also included is new information on attachment theory, powerful mindfulness and self-compassion techniques, and assertiveness and boundary-setting skills. ACT with Love will show you how to: Let go of conflict, open up, and live fully in the present Use mindfulness to increase intimacy, connection, and understanding Resolve painful conflicts and reconcile long-standing differences Act on your values to build a rich and meaningful relationship If you’re looking to increase feelings of intimacy, love, and connection with your partner, this book has everything you need to get started—together.




The ACT Workbook for Perfectionism


Book Description

An innovative approach to help you maintain your high standards while also accepting mistakes with compassion and kindness. If you’re a perfectionist, you know there’s a helpful upside to pushing yourself toward excellence: achievement, success—and, hey, it can be fun and rewarding to work hard! But unhelpful perfectionism can just as easily work against you. It can prevent you from taking risks or trying new things out for fear of failure, judgment, or rejection; cause you to procrastinate; and make you feel like no matter what you achieve, you’ll never be good enough. Grounded in evidence-based acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this workbook will help you discover what drives this ‘dark side’ of perfectionism, and develop the skills you need to overcome it—without lowering your standards. By leaning in to your values and treating yourself with kindness and compassion, you’ll learn to put mistakes in perspective without wallowing in self-criticism. Most importantly, you’ll find that you can allow for imperfection, without losing your drive to achieve. If you’re ready to stop unhealthy perfectionism from paralyzing your personal growth—and start embracing yourself as perfectly imperfect—this book will introduce you to a whole new you!




Breaking the Rules of OCD


Book Description

It’s time to break the rules of OCD—and take charge of your life! If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you may feel like you have to follow a rigid set of rules to successfully get through your day. And if you’re like many others, your OCD rule list may look something like this: You must always control your internal experiences! You must be absolutely certain! The presence of any anxiety means you are in danger! You alone are responsible if you fail to prevent harm! Pay attention to every single thought you have! Everything must be just right! Always keep your OCD hidden from others! These rules can keep you feeling stuck, anxious, and unable to move forward in your life. The good news is there are tools you can use to free yourself from these self-imposed rules—so you can start living a more expansive and flexible life. This book will help you break ALL your OCD rules, and will help you understand why that’s a good thing. Written by an OCD expert, and grounded in evidence-based exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), this book addresses the seven most common rules that people with OCD create for themselves, and shows you how to break each one—so you can find freedom from the repetitive thoughts, compulsions, and shame they generate. You’ll learn to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity, stop avoiding the things that make you uneasy, and start recognizing your anxiety for what it is—a false alarm system. With practice, you’ll be able to move beyond your OCD symptoms and behaviors, and start thinking more flexibly. If you’re ready to toss the OCD rulebook aside and start living with more freedom than ever before, this book can help you, step by step.




Mindfulness Workbook for Perfectionism


Book Description

Embrace mindfulness and make peace with imperfection It's easy to think of perfectionism as a positive attribute. But the pursuit of total excellence can come at a cost; many perfectionists deal with anxiety, depression, or a general sense of disconnection. This perfectionism workbook encourages you to explore your own relationship with perfectionism and shows you how mindfulness exercises can help you overcome it. Understand perfectionism—Learn why perfectionism often takes root, from parental demands to societal expectations, and how it can manifest in different ways, like having unreasonable standards and low self-worth. Explore mindfulness—Discover why mindfulness is so effective at managing perfectionist tendencies and how it can cultivate patience, acceptance, and nonjudgment. Build your practice—Gain insight into your own perfectionism with thoughtful writing prompts, and develop mindfulness strategies through meditation, breathing exercises, and more. Rethink your relationship with perfectionism and adopt a healthier mindset through mindfulness.




"Pure O" OCD


Book Description

Let go of the struggle and obsess less. With this unique guide, you’ll find the tools you need to get unstuck from obsessive thoughts, overcome fears, feel more grounded, and live a life that truly reflects your values. Pure obsessional obsessive-compulsive disorder, or “Pure O” OCD, is a subtype of OCD that is characterized by intrusive thoughts, images, or urges without any visible compulsive symptoms. Instead, obsessive worry, regret, or uncertainty is accompanied by “hidden” compulsions like reassurance seeking, avoidance, or complex thought rituals. This can lead to decisions based on fears and compulsions rather than grounded in your values. The efforts to stop or change obsessive thoughts only leads to more anxiety and fear. So, how do you break this obsessive cycle? Grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and written by a renowned ACT and anxiety expert, “Pure O” OCD explains the process of “cognitive fusion” that leads to obsessive thinking, and how efforts to avoid or control our thoughts reinforce the fusion in an unhelpful, positive feedback loop. Using the five skills in the book—labeling, letting go, acceptance, mindfulness, and proceeding with purpose—you’ll learn how to finally break free of the struggle, worrying, and avoidance that keeps you stuck. With practice, you’ll find that you can change your relationship to anxiety and obsessive thoughts, responding with your own values-based choices, proceeding purposefully toward a life that reflects what matters most to you.




Worrying Is Optional


Book Description

Worry happens. Worrying is optional. We live in an increasingly uncertain world, and if you struggle with worry, you aren’t alone. You should also know that there’s nothing wrong with worry. Worry happens to all of us—and it can even be helpful at times. But excessive worrying—the kind that keeps us up at night, interferes with our thinking during the day, and hijacks our ability to make decisions—is a big, big problem. The good news is that, while worry is inevitable, worrying is completely optional. This book will show you how to break free from the unhelpful thinking habits that keep you stuck in a loop of rumination and anxiety. With help from this upbeat guide, you’ll learn to build your own customizable, anti-worrying toolbox using skills and strategies from metacognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). You’ll discover the science behind why you worry, and how to put the brakes on unhelpful rumination and anxious thoughts—before they kick your worry and anxiety into high gear. With this go-to guide, you will: Gain a better understanding of worry Learn why worry happens Know when to draw the line at disruptive worrying Challenge perfectionism and accept uncertainty There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for anxiety and worry, but by assembling an arsenal of tools, skills, and strategies, excessive worry can be managed effectively. This book will help you get started now.




Thriving in Relationships When You Have OCD


Book Description

Don’t let OCD be the third wheel in your relationships! This practical guide will help you build and nurture the connections you deserve. If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you may seek constant reassurance from others, lose time to compulsions, struggle with unwanted thoughts and intense emotions, or act out in ways that are ineffective. These symptoms can put a major strain on your relationships—whether it’s with family, friends, partners, or other relationships. And you may feel alone, embarrassed, and ashamed of your symptoms, which can lead to further withdrawal and social isolation. So, how can you reduce the impact of OCD on your relationships? Drawing on evidence-based practices grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindful self-compassion, psychologist Amy Mariaskin offers a comprehensive guide for managing your toughest symptoms—before they hijack your relationships. With this book, you’ll find hands-on skills to move toward what you truly want in your relationships and strengthen feelings of intimacy, trust, and connectedness. And finally, you’ll learn how to cultivate self-compassion, mindfulness, and curiosity—all while challenging the beliefs and behaviors that keep you feeling stuck in isolation. If you’re tired of OCD sabotaging your relationships, this book will help you take control of your symptoms—and your life.




Out of My Shell


Book Description

Look around you at all the people connecting and socializing. And you are just standing here alone, like a social reject, again. Nobody likes you. Why would they want someone like you around? For years, social anxiety whispered its way into Natasha Daniels' mind and quietly sabotaged her life. Even while working as a therapist, helping children to cope with their own anxiety, insecurity lurked in the shadows pointing out the stares, the rejection, the vicious comments from online strangers. In this memoir, Natasha takes on the therapist's role with her past selves to drag her social anxiety into the open. From feisty Miss 6, lonely Miss 14 reeling from a tumultuous childhood, and defiant Miss 18 pushing back against a world where she didn't fit, through to her present self, Natasha explores the way social anxiety colored her experiences and finds healing through self-acceptance.