Anxiety and Phobia Workbook: A Creative DBT Journal for Teens with Intense Emotions

I worked through this book over 4 months- I read it fast once to get an overview of the book, then read through it slowly and did all the exercises as I went along. According to me that would be the best way to work through it, as it is essentially a workbook. I really like the open-mindedness of the author in considering a more holistic view of anxiety disorders, in that it wasn't just 'take this pill and get done with it'. It took a more comprehensive approach to get at the *root cause* of all the anxiety disorders. I also liked how he was hopeful, as it is reiterated multiple times throughout the book that a complete recovery is possible. I tried the exercises that he suggested, and I am already less disregulated during arguments and my resting BPM is down by 10 points even without a fully integrated exercise program. No doubt, it's still early days for a full recovery for me, but already from my journal entries, there is a sea change in how I speak to and about myself. This book definitely makes you go deep into your experienced life so far and root around even the most buried of emotions. I, at times, took week-long breaks because I was overwhelmed, sobbed, raged but came out on the other side the better for it . Go for it if you've been suffering from mental health issues, psychosomatic illnesses (and don't have any physical reasons for them).