Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety: A CBT Guide for Moving past Chronic Indecisiveness, Avoidance, and Catastrophic Thinking

Review\n“Another fantastic book from Winston and Seif! If you have an active imagination and a nervous system wired for anxiety, you will learn from their eighty collective years of expertise the mindset and strategy for conquering worry and fear. Their book perfectly captures the inner dialogue of the chronic worrier and explains how to retrain the anxious brain to live a life focused on the present; not the past or future.”
—Ken Goodman, LCSW, Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) board member, and creator of The Anxiety Solution Series\n“Do you struggle with indecisiveness, catastrophic thinking, or avoidance? Then Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety was written for you. Winston and Seif leverage forty years of expertise empowering all of us into the ‘therapeutic attitude,’ becoming more observational and metacognitive so we better separate ourselves from our emotional pitfalls. The road map is clear: make cognitive shifts, break the cycle of paralysis through analysis, and you’ll no longer fall victim to anticipatory anxiety.”
—Josh Spitalnick, PhD, ABPP, licensed psychologist, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) specialist board certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, and practice owner/CEO of Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta\n“Sally Winston and Martin Seif have written another excellent book—Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety. Traditional efforts to ‘cope with anxiety’ often mean ‘how to get rid of anxiety,’ which paradoxically leads to more anxiety. They suggest that allowing and accepting anxiety is a more helpful approach—and I completely agree! I’m thrilled Winston and Seif have written this new book, and I look forward to being able to give it to my patients.”
—Robert W. McLellarn, PhD, founder and director of Anxiety and Panic Treatment Center, LLC\n“Anxiety can be an uncontrollable, bewildering form of emotional distress that diminishes life satisfaction for millions. Now in this illuminating self-help manual, Winston and Seif unravel the mysteries of anxiety, giving the reader a rare insight into the core processes that drive this unrelenting emotional disturbance. The insights gained from Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety will supercharge the therapeutic strategies of those experiencing or treating anxiety, so they are better able to subdue the debilitating effects of anxiety.”
—David A. Clark, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of New Brunswick; and author of The Anxious Thoughts Workbook, The Negative Thoughts Workbook, and The Anxious Thoughts Workbook for Teens\n“Sally Winston and Martin Seif have written another compelling and informative book that should be essential reading for those suffering from anticipatory anxiety and chronic indecisiveness. Using evidence-driven principles, the authors provide a unique and clear road map to help people fundamentally change their relationship with anxiety—rather than just managing it—so that they can live fuller, happier, and more meaningful lives.”
—Stacia Casillo, PsyD, psychologist; and director of The Ross Center in New York, NY\n“Winston and Seif have written another excellent book for people suffering with anxiety and worry! This one offers a terrific explanation of the inner workings of anticipatory anxiety and avoidance, and shows you how to make changes that empower you to live—and thrive—with life’s uncertainties. Their description of what anxiety recovery is really like, and answers to common questions, help make it clear how you can change your relationship with anxiety and live the life you want.”
—David Carbonell, PhD, Chicago, IL-based psychologist specializing in treating chronic anxiety for over thirty years; author of Panic Attacks Workbook and The Worry Trick; and “coach” at www.anxietycoach.com\n“Can you learn to manage your anxiety without practicing hours of exercises? Absolutely! Winston and Seif will persuade you to adopt a simple, powerful mindset that releases you from anxiety’s hold. You’ll learn as you foll