Mary Welford

Growing up is a juggling act. Our bodies and hormones change, usually at the same time as important decisions about our future need to be made. We often put extra pressure on ourselves, compare ourselves unfavourably to others and excessively worry about what other people think. Add in exams, interviews, relationships, social media, peer pressure, celebrity culture and everyday stressors, and it's no wonder our wellbeing can take a nosedive. The Kindness Workbook is a modern-day guide to help people navigate such complex times and combines amazing ideas and practices from a variety of therapies including: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Counselling and Expressive Therapy. Using creative exercises, examples and prompts, The Kindness Workbook teaches the skills of problem-solving using guided imagery, mindfulness, mind maps, vision boards, letter-writing, music, physical activity, drama and art. It has a number of icons to help signpost different sections and has eye-catching illustrations and worksheets, all of which aim to give your wellbeing a boost. A must-have book for young people and anyone working with young people to enhance wellbeing. Your kindness journey starts right here. So, it's time to become your own best friend, instead of your own worst enemy.

Don't be so hard on yourself – use compassion focused therapy as your guide It's often said that we're our own worst critics—and it's true. Compassion Focused Therapy For Dummies offers straightforward and practical advice that helps you view yourself through a more sympathetic lens. This motivating text covers the key principles of compassion focused therapy, which guide you in caring for your wellbeing, becoming sensitive to your needs, recognising when you are distressed, and extending warmth and understanding to yourself. This transformative resource provides you with metrics that you can use to monitor your progress, including sensitivity, sympathy, empathy, and overall wellbeing. Initially developed to assist people experiencing high levels of shame and self-criticism, compassion focused therapy increases your awareness of the automatic reactions that you experience—and motivates you to combat negative reactions with kindness and affection. Used on its own or in combination with other therapeutic approaches, the value of compassion focused therapy is supported by strong neuropsychological evidence. Understand how to handle difficult emotions with greater ease—and less stressTransform difficult, potentially damaging relationships into positive aspects of your lifeEncourage and motivate yourself to continually meet your goals, rather than criticise yourself for perceived failuresStop being so hard on yourself, and appreciate yourself for who you are Compassion Focused Therapy For Dummies is a wonderful resource if you are seeing—or thinking about seeing—a therapist who utilises compassion techniques, or if you would like to leverage the principles of compassion focused therapy to manage your own wellbeing.

Mange av oss måler vår egen selvfølelse ved å sammenlikne oss med andre. Når vi ikke klarer å innfri «idealene» våre egne, familiens, omgivelsenes eller samfunnets kan vi ofte kjenne på utilstrekkelighet og en opplevelse av angst og lavt stemningsleie. Noen blir sterkt selvkritiske, skamfulle og føler at de skiller seg ut fra alle andre. Selv om vi ofte kunne ønske oss en sterkere selvfølelse, er det ikke nødvendigvis det vi trenger. En god selvfølelse er noe vi har når alt går på skinner, men den fordamper idet planen ryker. Selvtillit basert på selvmedfølelse, derimot, styrker oss både når livet er bra og når ting butter imot. Denne boka beskriver hvordan ideer og praksis fra medlidenhetsfokusert terapi kan brukes til å bygge opp selvtillit. Boka tar også opp problemer som ofte ledsager dårlig selvtillit, så som angst, depresjon, stoffmisbruk og sinne. Mary Welford, DClinPsy, er klinisk psykologspesialist. Hun bor og jobber sørvest i England. Welford har vært engasjert i utvikling og bruk av kognitiv atferdsterapi (KAT) rettet mot en rekke lidelser, som angst, lavt stemningsleie, psykose og selvfølelse. Mary opplevde imidlertid stadig at KAT ikke fungerte like godt for alle. Hun la merke til at nye tankemønstre ikke nødvendigvis endrer hvordan ting føles og oppleves. BEKJEMPE-bøkene er en serie selvhjelpsguider mot ulike psykiske problemer skrevet av spesialister innenfor hvert sitt felt. Bøkene bygger på kognitiv atferdsterapi. De inneholder konkrete teknikker og metoder som kan brukes i en lang rekke situasjoner, og som forebygger tilbakefall.