Managing Anger with CBT For Dummies Paperback – January 14, 2013

This is a good baseline book with CBT presented in very understandable language. It helps the CBT therapist pull together topics and concepts to explain to a client as well as providing exercises to send home for a client to do on their own as homework. The reason it's not a "5" is, in my opinion, although all the required information is present, it is not presented in a logical linearfashion and I must look in a lot of different areas in order to put together each individual session plan.

After 60 years of destroying relationships and creating havoc, this book was somewhat of a miracle. Within 2 weeks I started to see significant changes and after a month, I was starting to become much happier and my body had less pain. This book is so clear, concise and comprehensible. I have never had so much success so fast and during the entire process I have learned so much. This book is a life changer.

As one of the other reviews said, it's not a linear approach and so although the information is very good, it lacks direction in some sense.

Breaks it down to the simplest degree so that anyone can understand the concepts stated. Give it to clients undergoing this issue and it greatly helps. Book arrived within a matter of days.

Brilliant. Communicates the latest research and scholarship in a down to earth, practical way. Highly recommended for people struggling with anger as well as to therapists and counsellors who help people with anger issues.

This book has very clear and easy to understand language-charts that are clear and very helpful-information presented in a concise and easy to manage format-it was shipped as scheduled-and arrived without a scratch-

Good information

With tempers flaring during COVID 19 crisis, it has been a good time to enhance my skills in this arena. When I saw this title, it seemed to be an attractive choice as I was also interested in learning about CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) as a leading therapeutic approach as indicated in Kennedy’s “Common Struggle”” and Morton’s “Are You OK” (see my reviews).The book does provide beneficial background and assistance in both regards, although one can see where the help of a skilled therapist and/or support group would be important for assistance and the follow through for truly effective treatment. British Psychologist Bloxham does her best to lay out the different aspects in a clear and straightforward manner (thus the UK spellings).In particular, the book consists of an Introduction, and 11 chapters divided into 4 parts. Part I deals with “The Knowledge: Anger, CBT and Change:” (1) Things You Need to Know About Anger, and (2) Knowing About CBT and Making Changes. Part II addresses “Managing Your Anger: Putting CBT into Action:” (3) Investigating Your Own Anger, (4) Cooling Down Your Angry Thinking, (5) Dealing with Your Real Feelings, (6) Changing Your Angry Behaviour, and (7) Using Assertiveness to Bypass Anger. Part III concerns “Changing for the Better, Changing for Good:” (8) Changing Old Habits for New, and (9) Getting Past Setbacks and Finding Support. Finally, Part IV offers “The Part of Tens:” (10) Ten Tips to Put Out the Fire When You're Angry, and (11) Ten Tips for Dealing with Angry People. There is also a useful Index.At around 200 pages, the text reads easily and moves along with many insights and nuggets along the way. For instance, Bloxham makes clear upfront, “CBT is to help you change your behaviour by making changes to your thinking style and automatic beliefs.” She explains that “CBT studies for over more than 40 years show that human thinking and behaviour are learned;” and that “The world you grow up in, your culture and family teach you what CBT calls a script – a set of reactions to anger…” A little later, the author details that “Because your thinking and beliefs are learned, you always have choices and chances to learn new habits . . . CBT explains human problems by showing how your thinking and the ways you see life affect your feelings, reactions and behaviours. Thinking about people and situations differently is what reduces, manages or changes your reactions.”The books goes on to aid in describing and managing angry reactions. As an example, the author states “Tuning in to your automatic thoughts and underlying beliefs is part of using CBT to manage anger.” More specifically, she indicates, “CBT gives you ways to tackle anger better by recognising your typical anger triggers, spotting angry thoughts and beliefs, tracking how they’re affecting your feelings, and choosing behaviours with the best long-term effects.” Later, she advises “When feeling attacked, suspicious or resentful. . . own up to how you feel and admit that the results of your angry behaviour are within your control.” Her advice includes to “search for facts or evidence . . . [to] give you helpful, calmer ways to see the situation. [Such actions] CBT calls balancing your thinking in this way rational reappraisal” (see my review Rucker’s “Mind Tools” as it also deals with different aspects of brain use as does Joseph on “The Trivium”). In this regard, she also includes that “CBT studies show that mindfulness helps to prevent relapse in depression, which, like anger, involves unhelpful negative thinking” (see also Kolt’s “The Compassionate-Mind Guide to Managing Your Anger”).As indicated, the real time consuming and high yield parts of the book lie in the exercises that appear throughout, but never the less reading and doing what one can provides a good start towards better emotional control.

I bought this book for my bother-in- law who has a short temper. I wanted to help him. I read through a few pages and it looks the perfect book for people with anger and anxiety issues.

I found this first book I've read on the subject helpful and enlightening. As with many books of this nature it does get a little repetitive for my taste, the key information could have been imparted in about half the lenght

Happy with product. Very interesting

Great to dip into, handy tips, easy to read

Good clear text , easy to read not too technicle , easy to dip in and out of chapters , good as a starter book