Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors
A Workbook of Hope and Healing
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- $69.99
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- $69.99
Publisher Description
Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors offers inspiring, hopeful, creative resources for the millions of male and female adolescents and adults who struggle with eating disorders, addictions, any form of self-mutilation. It is also a workbook for the clinicians who treat them. Using journaling exercises, drawing and collaging prompts, guided imagery, visualizations, and other behavioral techniques, readers will learn how to understand, compassionately work with, and heal from their behaviors rather than distracting from or fighting against them, which can dramatically reduce internal conflict and instill genuine hope. Techniques are provided in easy-to-follow exercises that focus on calming the body, containing overwhelming emotions, managing negative and distorted thoughts, re-grounding from flashbacks, addressing tension and anxiety, decreasing a sense of vulnerability, strengthening assertiveness and communication skills, and accessing inner wisdom.
This workbook can be used in conjunction with Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Trauma Survivors, 2nd ed, also by Lisa Ferentz, to allow therapists and their clients to approach the behaviors from the same strengths-based perspective. Workbook exercises can be completed as homework assignments or as part of a therapy session. In either case, the client is given the opportunity to process their work and share their insights with a compassionate witness and trained professional, making the healing journey even safer and more rewarding.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Targeted at adolescents and adults struggling with severe behaviors eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm this workbook is a valuable resource. "The healing journey often begins with... courage and curiosity" clinical social worker Ferentz explains, inviting readers to start by discovering the "why" of their behaviors. From the outset, she warns that this journey is best taken with a trained mental-health professional's support. Each set of exercises which include journaling and drawing therapy is accompanied by anonymous testimony about significant negative life experiences from a diverse group of respondents, ranging in age from 11 to 63. As this well-organized book progresses, the brief quotations become more positive, reflecting the speakers' increasing nearness to recovery. By its end, Ferentz has laid out a clear script to help people "reframe the experience" at the root of problem behavior. For anyone struggling to recover from a traumatic event, Ferentz offers a consistently compassionate and encouraging voice. Her approach, the multitude of exercises, and the accompanying professional expertise all contribute to making this a valuable recovery tool.