Struggling With Difficult Thoughts And Feelings? ‘Thoughts and Feelings’ by McKay
NOTE – I’ve updated this article to include the new 5th edition in 2021.
The links will go to the updated version.
Thoughts & Feelings
Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk
Many of us struggle with difficult thoughts and feelings. Maybe you feel anxious, worried, depressed, suffer panic attacks, have ongoing obsessional thoughts and behaviours, or feel angry, lost and confused. If you feel any of these things then this well-researched book could prove to be invaluable to you. Now in its Fifth Edition, Thoughts and Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life by Matthew McKay (PhD), Martha Davis (PhD) and Patrick Fanning, offers all of the latest cognitive behavioural techniques (CBT) to help you to deal with difficult thoughts and feelings.
The value of CBT in the area of thought management is now well-known. The cognitive therapy movement was founded on one simple principle: our feelings are created by our thoughts. Once that simple, yet revelatory, point was developed it became clear that most of us have the power to alter and control our thoughts. As a consequence of this, we can control and alter how we feel. It is not always realised that problems managing feelings are usually caused by problems managing thoughts. Knowing this, and knowing how vital this area is for all of us, I recommend this book highly. It interweaves all of the current, proven, CBT techniques in an understandable way and applies them with great expertise to a variety of problems. If you are battling away alone with distressing thoughts and feelings, or even if you are currently receiving some counselling, this book can offer you help, comfort and hope.
I must stress, though, that this isn’t a passive book, it does require you to do some work: keep a ‘Thought Journal,’ learn various exercises and techniques and practise them diligently. But the rewards for your efforts could be life-changing. It has an easy to use structure and a simple presentation which means that if you are able to devote a little time, and you really want to actively tackle your own troubling thoughts and feelings, then this excellent book could help you.
CBT should be a compulsory course of therapy for everyone as they reach the age of 12 with bi-annual boosters 🙂 What a change we would see in this cruel world.
I haven’t read the book, but know the basis of the principle which can be applied in other therapies such as meditation and art therapy.
Lesley, we are at one – I completely agree with you. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such an insightful comment. There is plenty of inspiration over on your blog which I love following. All my best to you, Ruth.
Ruth, it is my honor to share the One Lovely Blog Award with you! Stop by and pick it up if you like 🙂 http://wp.me/p2wxQT-9B
Hi Christina, thanks so much for thinking of me and mentioning me! I appreciate it. 🙂
I havent read this particular book, but I would say there are many who would benifit from its pages.. We do not realise what thoughts pass through our minds as we allow them to grow and overtake, letting them swing our moods ..
If people could understand, the power thoughts hold and have upon our health..
Many years ago I became very stressed, and had a nervous breakdown, this was due to many factors a stressful job at the time, and family teenage blues didnt help with my children.. trying to juggle many irons in the fire came to a point of meltdown.
It was through the book of Louise Hays You can Heal your Life, that set my mind on a different track to see the thought patterns and how they were affecting my life..
We know more today than way back then about how our brain-waves react and so any book and anyone who is outthere such as yourself who is helping people understand we do not need to live with stress in our lives gets the thumbs up with me..
So well done .. and thank you for following Dreamwalker’s Sanctuary..
At last I can repay the visit.. Thank you
Sue
Hi Sue, thanks so much for your heartfelt and very helpful comment. Your site is a thing of beauty and I’m glad that Louise’s book helped you. We need these books and the information they give to us. Thank you so much for your encouraging comments too – really appreciated them as I am such a newbie! All my best to you, Ruth 🙂
Newbie or not Ruth, your own blog comes across very professional and is a pleasure to read, you may have to bare with me as I tend to live in Native American Indian Time! lol.. meaning I visit when I can.. But you will not be forgotten.
Thank you for your kind comments and own encouragements, Yes Books on self help are to be read and we should all try to see WE are our own Healers at the end of the day… with Good people such as your Good-self helping us along that pathway.
Keep up your own most great work, as healer and writer..
Love to you~ Sue x
I’m really touched by your words Sue and appreciate them so much. Whichever time zone you are on and however long between visits I will be thrilled to see you here! I can only urge others to visit your blog for its beauty, serenity and inspiration. Much love to you too, Ruth
Hi! I have nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.Congratulations! http://wp.me/p27eXb-8Y
Hi there Blazing Trail! Thanks so much for thinking of me and mentioning me – I really appreciate it. All my best to you Ruth
You’re welcome Ruth.Wish you a most wonderful week!
I haven’t read that book, but love your review of it. I do believe that our thoughts affect our behavior. We are what we think about. I’ll have to look into it. Thanks for your kind comments on my blog. I look forward to reading more from you.
Thanks so much for the comment Charissa – great to see you here. You are so right, the things we think about influence everything we do, or don’t do, and how we feel about ourselves, others and life in general. Thoughts are so vital! Looking forward to your blog posts too. Ruth
This looks like a good book! Thanks for posting. I want to do a better job controlling my emotions.
Hi Koni, Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts – really appreciate that. If you get a chance to look at it, it is a very useful book. Hope that I can recommend more which you will find interesting as the months roll on. Thanks so much for following and great to meet you! Ruth
“Troubled thoughts and feelings”…”OH” what complexities arise, when Heart and Mind are thrown into turmoil . What blood spills from the darkness there.
My old G/father SGT. Arthur (hurricane) Hutch. Told me, whenever a dark thought creeps into my mind. I should instantly click to another thought, a nice thought. I remember practicing doing this. It seemed to me the trick was, not only to instantly think another thought. But to “hold” that thought and not go back to the dark thought. But the mind has an uncanny way of making you think what it wants you to think. Then like a thief in the night, that one thought steals your day away.
I have not read the book and I am not sure if it could help me in anyway. I am sure though if a person dwells on only troubled thoughts, then his physical and mental health shall suffer. I am very pleased to inform you that , I don’t dwell on negative subjects.
🙂
Hi Kenny, Yes, I agree with you, dwelling on the negative thoughts is not good at all. Thanks so much for popping over – always enjoy reading your comments and thoroughly enjoying following your site. My best to you! Ruth 🙂