Binge-Eating Books

I have read many books on the subject of diets and dieting and I have to say this book was by far the best. It is written in an informal and personal yet intelligent way. I believe there isn't a dieter/former dieter out there who couldn't relate to Linda's story and all the thoughts, feelings and emotions behind chronic dieting. If your tired of struggling with food and diets, or if you feel like you just don't know what to do next... then How to Survive Your Diet and Conquer Your Food Issues Forever is a great choice.

I don't know what exactly I was expecting from this book, but I didn't get it.

I certainly wasn't expecting a magic fix-it, but was hoping for something new. There is nothing new here.

The author's groundbreaking discoveries include:
-The reason people gain weight are from greed eating and stress eating.
-The way to lose weight and keep it off is to learn portion control.

Why this information was life-changing to some people, I'll never understand. The only reason I gave this book 2 stars instead of 1 is that she summarizes and compares many diet plans. So basically, others have done the work for her and she's just compiled it.

I'm happy Mrs. Moran found a way to lose and keep off her weight- a whopping 22 lbs.

Yes, her high weight was 142 at 5'2, and she is now 120. Good for her. Yes, 142 is a bit heavy for a woman of her stature, but I wonder how many women with serious weight problems will buy her book expecting to read about someone who actually had the kind of weight problem they do, only to be told in the last chapter that this is not true. Again, I am happy she is at a healthy weight, I just feel that this book had practically nothing to offer the targeted audience, or anyone else for that matter.

Linda Moran's suggested "self talk" is so simple and works when you do it (yes...this is the catch...you have to actually DO IT!).

Before eating, one of the things Moran suggests you ask yourself is "Am I hungry or am I eating out of "greed?" There are also other examples of self talk that deal with stress, guilt, etc.

Eating intuitively worked for me up until the holidays (Yes...I've been greedy!).

I do feel that mastering the self talk as prescribed by Moran can be a key to losing weight and keeping it off--I will attempt to refocus and see where her guidance takes me!

This is one of the most clear and concise presentations of intuitive eating I have come across so far. The author shares her experience and insights with regard to re-establishing a normal relationship with food. It's clear that she understands the whole dieting mindset/lifestyle that many of us have experienced, with multiple cyles of on-again, off-again, self-blame, looking for that magic pill, etc. In this book she offers a way to become free of obsession with food and actually just live a life.

i read the book in one day and think it is amazing how many books you can read on the same issue and still always find something you haven't read before. Amazing.
I liked Linda's book, it is very easy to read and Linda is very down to earth about the whole issue.

When I heard about this book, I couldn't wait to get a copy and read through it. As someone who has struggled with binge eating disorder for quite some time, and only recently was able to put a name to the problem, I've been discouraged by the lack of books written for men who deal with this issue. Most of the books I've read so far are written by women, for women.

Saxon's story is remarkably like mine (except no one has ever asked me to be a fashion model), and I read through the book eagerly, enjoying the story and looking forward to when he would begin to describe how he overcame the problem. Only ... as I neared the end of the book, I realized I only had a handful of pages left to read, and the problem hadn't yet been resolved. His description of his recovery takes only three or so pages out of the entire book. For Ron, health came when he got into a happy marriage, found a great job, got control of his finances and when he abandoned "extreme dieting and forbidden foods."

So, the story is good, and I'm glad he's found a resolution to his problem, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed by the lack of more specific advice. In short: this book describes the problem well, but doesn't explain how to overcome the issue.

That's okay. It's good for me to know that someone with this problem overcame it. Everyone finds his own way to mental health. I'm writing this review so that other men in my position -- men looking for specific advice -- can read the book without the wrong expectations.

Too often we read and hear of women with eating disorders. This book was very enlightening. I think it took a lot of courage for Ron Saxen to write this book and disclose so much of his life -- the good as well as the bad. Thank you, Ron, for taking the time to write. I hope many women and men that deal with the same issues will find answers, hope and help for themselves reading this book.

When I read a blurb in NEWSWEEK a few months ago about Binge Eating Disorder and Ron Saxen's book, I was quick to pre-order the book. Binge Eating Disorder (BED)is becoming more and more common, yet, very few books address this problem. I expected THE GOOD EATER to be the salvation that held all the keys to unlock the mysteries of BED. THE GOOD EATER was a very different book than I expected. It is really the story of Ron Saxen's life and struggles and his use of food for comfort. A very difficult childhood left him emotionally vacant and lacking in self-confidence. He turned to food and gained and lost weight for years. At one point, he lost enough weight to be signed with a modeling agency and the chance for a promising career. Despite the successful start to his career, he was still overweight and unattractive in his mind. For an emotional eater, handling success can be harder than handling failure. Ron turned to food and gained weight and left his modeling career behind him. For the next 20 years he struggles with various careers, including as a stand up comedian. He even briefly joins the Marines. In a search for love and acceptance, he enters into an unhappy marriage. 20 years after his modeling career, he finds the strength and the love to turn his life around and have a proper relationship with food. The book really is not self-help in nature but the brutally honest story of one man's struggle with food. Ron tells it like it is and rarely is the story pretty. There is hope in his dedication and determination. It's hard to let go of the past and our childhoods can haunt us forever. Only in the last few pages is the issue of binge eating addressed. If you suffer from binge eating disorder, THE GOOD EATER isn't your salvation but there is comfort in knowing you are not alone. It's easy to relate to Ron's downward slide into uncontrollable binge eating. Food was his best friend and gave him temporary relief from the emotional pain of life. His journey is heartbreaking but there is hope around the corner for all of us.

Ron Saxen's The Good Eater is one of the first, if not first, books written about binge eating from the perspective of a male. When reading the book I could vividly see the events playing out and the impact on Ron and his family.

Ron's work has inspired me to move forward in my own personal journey to confront binge eating and the emotions that drive me to binge. That alone should be the true test of the book and in my opinion it passes with an A+.

This book is about a man who grows up in a dysfuntional home and tries to make something of himself by going after all the wrong things. Number one being food and then girls, sex, jobs and even marriage. In the end though he realizes that the only thing that makes him well is realizing he will never be perfect and learning to accept himself with his flaws. I found the book very interesting. The only reason I gave it a 4 is becuase of the constant swearing. Ok, I am not a prude and I understand that at times swearing can get across the point of pain. But, the F word was used constantly and I got tired of it in the end.

It is hard to believe that so much information can be packed into such a handy dandy little notebook! The more I look into it, the more amazed I am that there are so many fantastic tips, charts, graphs, references, definitions, sample assessment questions and so much more...
Its almost like taking the internet along with you every day, it is that thorough. Thanks, Jessica, for putting this together for those of us RD's who encounter clients/patients with eating disorders and could use such a convenient, thorough source of information at our fingertips all the time!

As a RD I do not work with ED all the time and I found this reference invaluable- of course the seminar was even better! The reference provides necessary formulas and information needed to assist your patients with ED. Great book to share with a referring MD as well!

As a registered dietitian who works with those who struggle with eating disorders and disordered eating, I needed a quick and easy reference for providing the best care to my clients. Since the first day I received The Eating Disorder Clinical Pocket Guide, I have found it helpful and useful for referencing treatment recommendations, formulas, and food recommendations for specific nutrients. A very handy tool!

As the owner of Momentum Nutrition and Fitness, this guide is fabulous to use if you work with eating disordered individuals. I find it handy for quick look-up while writing notes, on the phone with docs or even to help enhance an explaination for a patient or parent. Highly recommended!!!

I have been providing nutrition counseling to individuals with eating disorders for the past 14 years. My areas of practice have included inpatient, IOP, day, college health centers and private practice. I have found Jessica Setnick's book, The Eating Disorders Clinical Pocket Guide to be one of the most useful references in my practice. Written by a knowledgeable and experienced dietitian in the field of eating disorders, this book covers everything any health care professional needs to know about eating disorders-right at your fingertips. I particularly like the sections on Assessing Eating Disorders, Medical Complications, and Meal Planning. This book also includes a section on special groups such as those who have undergone bariatric surgery, have diabetes, and are athletes. Because of its small, convenient size, it often sits right out on my desk and can easily fit into a lab coat. I highly recommend this book as a must have resource for any health care professional who treats individuals with eating disorders.

Angela Grassi, MS, RD, LDN, author of The Dietitian's Guide to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. [...].

I generally do not admit that I am obese and have been for most of my life nor do I write reviews. I do not think of myself as having an eating disorder as I am definitely not anorexic nor am I bulimic. However, I noticed that binge eating was included so I purchased this book.

Having read it from cover to cover, I would recommend it to anyone with weight issues. At a time when the news reinforces guilt in regards to obesity, this book does just the opposite. The author is compassionate and obviously knowledgeable. She examines the issues behind the eating (or non-eating) without blame and many of her points resonated for me. I was left feeling I could find an easier way to deal with life. That it would take work and committment but not dieting or will power.

It's been nearly two months since my first reading and I have found myself continuing to think about why I am eating and what I might do about why I am eating or, at least, instead of eating. I'd like to thank Susan Schulherr and let her know I'll be looking forward to another book.

This impressive book is a comprehensive resource for anyone, laypersons and professionals alike, interested in eating disorders. The book is organized and written beautifully, and is a cornucopia of facts, suggestions, and hope for recovery. Reading the book is like taking a graduate course in Eating Disorders! I recommend it without qualification.

If you're suffering from an eating disorder, care about someone who is, or even happen to be a mental health professional like myself, who'd like a state of the art sense of what's happening in the world of eating disorders, you've come across a gem of a book. Extremely comprehensive, practical, realistic, user friendly & hopeful, this book is a real find. The only thing that doesn't feel right about it is the words "for Dummies" in the title. Although she's wonderfully clear & easy to understand, the author is no dummy. And anyone who appreciates the wisdom of years of experience & even handed presentation of helpful information, as well as the wealth of resources, is no dummy. One of the many great aspects of the book is it's consciously designed so you don't have to read it from cover to cover, you can easily pick & choose what is of interest to you & feel like you've gotten exactly what you wanted from the book. If you could only select one book on eating disorders, this would be the one to choose.

This book is not only filled with practical down-to-earth wisdom on steps to take if you or a loved one suffers from an eating disorder, but the author makes us smile and laugh in the process. For example, she compares the person with an eating disorder to a magician--"who gets us to look over here" (at the food behaviors and fixations) "when the real action is over there" (with the difficult emotions or life problems the ED person vainly attempts to soothe or solve with food). Or, "it takes a village to create and eating disorder"--the author's way of introducing us to the cultural forces encouraging women and more and more men to become thinner and thinner contributing to the rising toll of eating disorders. Or, "what happened to make us think being thin is naturally superior?" Great question!

The author helps us visualize recovery as a process of integrating balanced eating without 'forbidden foods' or food restriction diets, attention to enjoyable exercise and your body's own set-point, and avoiding the mental minefield of thoughts like "everything will be better when I'm thin". She's not afraid to tell us that willpower "never works with eating disorder symptoms".

As a pychotherapist who often encounters eating issues in my practice, I wholeheartedly recommend Ms. Schulherr's book to anyone who wants to find hope for recovery from an eating disorder, and also to professionals in the field who would like a comprehensive guide to eating disorder symptoms, and treatment options.

Gail Woods LCSW, LMFT

What a superb and greatly needed book this is !! Ms Schulherr has written a complete, comprehensive, thoughtful and incredibly well organized explanation and exploration of eating disorders. Her book is easy to read and anticipates every possible question one might have about all aspects of eating disorders. Although she is direct and does not soft pedal the facts, she also presents her information in a form that is digestable (no pun intended) and useable. The serious scholarship employed in writing this book is evident. Clearly, an enormous amount of research and experience went in to writing it. Yet, it is human and reassuring; you feel Ms Schulherr is holding your hand and walking you through your reading. This book is a must for anyone with concerns about eating disorders or who is concerned about someone who might be struggling with one.

I have been dieting for years. Johnny Flynn's light hearted approach tothis difficult subject just made me feel better about my own fight to lose weight and keep it off.

In Heavy Lettuce: Adventures Of A Journeyman Dieter, author Johnny T. Flynn draws upon a fifteen year struggle with respect to losing weight, and offers a humorous approach to understanding and dealing with the complex issues associated with dieting. Presenting "user-friendly" observational advice about simple weight-loss tactics, Heavy Lettuce provides the reader with a practical and strategic approach to dieting by addressing such relevant issues as responsible food choices, motivation for the long run, self analysis of eating behaviors, thinking outside of the box for variable strategies, winning the psychological struggles of dieting without therapy, creating a self-supportive system, exercising at a comfortable pace, and resisting the temptations of holiday seasonal meals and foods. Heavy Lettuce is very highly recommended -- especially for anyone in need of an intelligible, accurate, "reader friendly" book one dieting and weight-loss.

In Heavy Lettuce: Adventures Of A Journeyman Dieter, author Johnny T. Flynn draws upon a fifteen year struggle with respect to losing weight, and offers a humorous approach to understanding and dealing with the complex issues associated with dieting. Presenting "user-friendly" observational advice about simple weight-loss tactics, Heavy Lettuce provides the reader with a practical and strategic approach to dieting by addressing such relevant issues as responsible food choices, motivation for the long run, self analysis of eating behaviors, thinking outside of the box for variable strategies, winning the psychological struggles of dieting without therapy, creating a self-supportive system, exercising at a comfortable pace, and resisting the temptations of holiday seasonal meals and foods. Heavy Lettuce is very highly recommended -- especially for anyone in need of an intelligible, accurate, "reader friendly" book one dieting and weight-loss.

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (7/06)

There is nothing worse than a skinny person writing about the trials and tribulations of being `fat'. How would they really know what it's like? Have no fear, as "one of our own" from the Growing Up Chubby Club has finally found the way to not only share ideas, techniques and facts but has managed to mix in a good dose of humor at a not always quite so funny subject.

You will thoroughly enjoy the stories of the author as he grew up `fat' and all of the crazy ways he tried to change himself for various reasons. Spoken like a true dieting guru, Johnny Flynn not only touches on some of the most detailed moments of his life, young and old, but shares some of the most successful ways to go about finally losing that weight and keeping it of.

Using facts and figures to show you the way, he includes some insights to various fad diets and some not so `fad' dieting programs, including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and eDiets. While he never bashes any of the programs mentioned he does comment on a time when he visited a Weight Watchers meeting with his sister. He tells of one woman who had finally reached her goal and gives quite a comical overview of his desire to boo her off the stage when she said absolutely nothing into the microphone but cried intensely. While the actual event itself isn't comical, the comedy itself comes from the fact that poor Johnny sat there wanting so badly to boo her off the stage for her meager attempt at sharing her ideas and ways but the fear of his sister smacking him into oblivion kept him quiet.

While Flynn never gives you an out and out, step by step diet plan; he does arm you with knowledge and techniques. He shows you how to manage your daily calorie intake, make healthy choices based on labels and knowledge and forces you to begin taking responsibility for your own decisions when it comes to food.

A wonderful, knowledgeable book of facts combined with a humorous look at not only growing up as a `fat kid' but laughing at ourselves at a nation filled with obesity and taking on the responsibility of changing our ways. Dieting tips, enlightening stories and my most favorite stories of chocolate (that demon so many of us fall to) that will leave you laughing calories away as you finally decide to take charge of your life and become what you've always wanted to become, a thinner, healthier you.

At 224 pages, I began reading this coincidentally at a time where at 224 pounds, I felt overweight. Heavy Lettuce takes a very unique approach in providing information to the reader on the subject of weight loss. Instead of providing the reader with a boring weight loss routine and a diet that we all know, Flynn discusses the pitfalls of going on any diet: gaining more weight when all is said and done.

The book's title, "Heavy Lettuce" is the perfect title to describe the "heaviness" of doing the right thing: eating right and staying healthy when there's a lightness or carefreeness in just eating one more slice of pizza or just one more twinkie, or "just" 4 more weight watcher diet chocolate ice creams.

The book takes a unique approach for a diet book in that it takes strong analysis of one's "obligation" or habits that lead to splurging on food and ultimately killing one's diet plan. It delves into the habits we develop over the years and helps the dieter understand why a diet that seems to shed pounds eventually fails.

Unlike other weight loss books written by people who probably never had to go on a diet to begin with, Flynn's "expertise" at having, at one point, looked beyond his belly to see his weight at around 265 pounds, gives the reader a sense of realism and a new friend with an author whose words of wisdom give hope to the futility of dieting.

When you read a weight loss book from a person who was at where you, the reader, are currently at, the author's tone comes off as one of true empathy and integrity, even as an encouraging friend trying to brainstorm with you the correct manner in losing weight that is perfect for you.

Flynn delves into his life from when he was a child to when he began dating to explore the complexities of both weight loss and weight gain. It looks at how the "weight issue" affects one in college, the professional life, and looks at people's perception of a person on a diet both prior to losing weight and after losing weight. Then it looks at the contibuting factors to gaining weight: stress, greed, changes in lifestyle, proximity of 7-11 locations, and excuses.

He provides many humorous real life anecdotes that everyone can identify with.

There are many heart felt passages that the reader, who is trying to lose weight, will identify strongly with: for me, his theory on the inflated weighing scales at all doctor's offices made me laugh.

Then there are moments where Flynn looks at the dark side of gaining weight: how depression sets in when one cannot lose weight, how the world treats one when heavier than normal, how obsessed one becomes with food, and in those dark passages, he successfully manages to rescue the reader out of these difficult moments with excellent wit and humor such as his passage on giving his weighing scale a name and how he gives real life attributes to one of the book's major antagonists: the television!

The book provides excellent online resources and tools in the appendix section; and the author goes into specifics of various weight loss programs that allows one to look at the options out there.

Ultimately, the book does not corner you into taking any weight loss program, but provides the dieter with the proper mindset and mental framework to succeed in dieting.

Having lost 16 pounds since I read this book, I'd say Flynn's guidance is the best I've gotten from any weight loss book.

This will not be a weight loss book that will get lost in your pile of books. It will be one that you will refer to often, especially when you find yourself at a crossroads between exercising or eating that extra slice of pizza. Instead of pondering like Hamlet, "to eat or not to eat", get this book and suddenly the perspectives are much clearer: "do what is the best for your health."

Great read. A permanent one in my collection of reference guides.

It's about time we have a fresh outlook on eating disorders from an activist's perspective. This is not your run-of-the-mill eating disorder book. It is an empowering call to action with fresh analysis and discussion. Read it, think, be inspired, and take action!

This is an extremely well-written, thoroughly researched, and carefully argued work, and the topic is important and has been neglected for far too long. I consider it essential reading for anyone interested in furthering his or her understanding of "Disordered Eating".

Dr Kraatz probably intends for his work to stand on its own, but nevertheless potential readers may be interested in his qualifications as a writer and researcher, so I offer the following: Dr Kraatz holds a BA in Philosophy and Psychology, an MA in Philosophy, and a PhD in Philosophy. He has been a teacher for nearly 18 years, and is currently a Senior Lecturer with the Philosophy Department of Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis. In addition to his work as an instructor, Dr Kraatz has championed under-represented and disadvantaged groups for many years.

This book is filled with statistics that are actually accurate! I've done plenty of personal research and none of the studies publshed in the last 30 years have come even close to what I have seen. As someone who has the "inside track," I know how financially and logistically difficult it is for someone to seek treatment. There are government-run agencies to track every problem from the most common cold to the more rare mental illness (one of which my child has) and all of them have an office at NIMH and NIH and the CDC to track both! But nobody is bothering to track what is no longer a white, upper middle-class, female, over-achievers' problem. It is crossing every single "boundary," such as it is. This book calls for an organized and well thought-out political movement to achieve the medical research and treatment that is so sorely needed. As things stand at this time, I myself was only able to receive treatment because my grandmother was willing to help with costs. The absolute lowest price I was able to find was $13,000 down with payments lasting well into the future. This is completely prohibitive for most people and it shouldn't be that way. As a result of this book and my own recovery, despite this government, I am trying to carry through with this book's suggestions~ a sound political movement. I'm trying to bring positive body image classes into the middle schools and educate the educators about how kids who have an eating disorder think. I applaude this author for putting himself "out there" and calling for what some would think is such a RADICAL idea!!!

Dr. Kraatz' book is not only filled with research and relevant facts
on the pervasive, yet primarily ignored, epidemic of eating
disorders, but it also offers his personal perspective and experience
with the problem. This combined perspective makes the book a 'must
read' for not only those who treat, but also those who struggle with,
eating disorders.

Kraatz says "...it is more healthy for me to affirm who I am than it
is for me to think that my unhealthy outward behavior indicates an
inner defect." Being sensitive to, and dissatisfied with, matters in
the world can be affirmed as rational (and not, as often implied,
'mentally ill'), then only the disordered behavioral ways of dealing
with that dissatisfaction can be treated as in need of correction.
Kraatz suggests that through affirmation of the legitimate root
causes of those emotions, a sense of pride can replace the feelings
of shame, and those emotions can find positive, and productive,
redirection.

This has been an invaluable tool in my weight loss. I love (and have been following the Action Plan) and tremendously enjoy the daily readings. I recommend this book with enthusiasm. (Down 40 punds to date).

This is the best book EVER for daily motivation to stick with your diet, or weight-management program, even better that the books put out by Over-Easters Anonymous. I have used this book many times, over a number of years, and continue to be motivated again EVERY TIME I read it.

The book is filled with specific, concrete suggestions of new ideas to try to keep yourself motivated, and sticking to your program. It gives new, specific things to consider and work on that are REALLY USEFUL, unlike many other books.

i recently started reading this book and it is very motivational. it makes you think. only then can you succeed in weight loss and MAINTAIN which is the bigger challenge. i can't say enough about it. buy it!

This is far and away the best book on compulsive eating I have read. Every paragraph contains a nugget of wisdom, a motiviational statement that shoots straight to the heart, or an insight that will leave you breathless if you share this affliction.

If you have a problem controlling your eating -- if you eat from stress, from boredom, from emotion, or if you just find it difficult to resist temptation, or stop when you start ... you HAVE to read this book. Rather than start ANOTHER "diet" next Monday like you always do, grab a copy of this book and start a new way of life.

The book is another step in the clinical march of the CBT camp as it prolifically designs and field-tests problem-specific applications.

The volume introduces the CBT in application to Binge-Eating Disorder (BED) and offers a detailed, ready-to-use clinical curriculum for applying the CBT paradigm to this population. The curriculum is well suited for groups and individuals.

The approach sets primarily behavioral goals (reduce binge-eating behavior) and offers behavioral (relaxation, trigger/cue control, habit modification) strategies as well as cognitive strategies (ranging from classic reframing to emotional self-regulation), as well as elements of exposure/decensitization experiential exercises, coupled with skills training (stress mng, etc.).

The book offers a brief review of other approaches to BED (e.g. offers minimal coverage of DBT, Interpersonal, etc.). The volume summarizes efficacy research and positions CBT as the best empirically supported tx strategy for BED to date.

Well compiled, well designed, well presented, well priced - another CBT power tool (with the added benefit of being generalizable to other compulsive-spectrum clinical presentations).

Pavel Somov, Ph.D., author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, Nov. 2008)

This book is a great companion for anyone trying to lose weight. As a health professional that has worked for years with people losing weight, the hardest part is getting people to understand that for the weight to come off you need to tackle inner issues along with it. This book helps you do that. I have read it myself and recommend it to all my clients who find it a fantastic help and tell me they read it once through and then continually revisit it for support, guidance, and motivation.

I read and enjoyed the book, and interviewed Dr. Edelstein on my podcast "The Joey Panto Show" earlier this year, you may listen free on [...].

Three Minute Therapy is based on REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy) developed by Dr. Albert Ellis, and advanced in practice and in this book by Dr. Edelstein in a very understandable way (see also [...]).

Dr. Edelstein rightfully puts the responsibility for irrational behavior on the person doing it. Then he gives the person responsibility and tools for identifying and eradicating the irrational beliefs behind the behavior, thereby making it much easier to eliminate the bad behavior altogether.

Each chapter addresses a different type of destructive behavior: volatile relationships, addiction, irrational fears, etc, but all use the same investigative and therapeutic technique: identifying irrational beliefs, which are nearly always based in "Must" or "Should" beliefs. There are 3 main types of "musty" beliefs:

"Must" #1, demands on oneself
"Must" #2, demands on other people
"Must" #3, demands on the situation (or on the Universe)

Then he presents a 6 step process for identifying and replacing the irrational thinking with rational thinking:

Example: Mary is obsessively angry because she is not admired by men she thinks should admire her. ABCDEF steps are presented for developing a 3 minute routine for eliminating the anger:

A. (Activating event): Jake doesn't admire me.
B. (irrational Belief): Jake MUST admire me.
C. (emotional Consequences): Anger.
D. (Disputing) or questioning your "must," and involves asking "Why?" or "What's the evidence for my MUST?" Or in our example, "Why MUST Jake admire me?"
E. (Effective new thinking): I prefer that Jake admire me, but I can survive quite well if he doesn't.
F. (new Feeling): regret or disappointment, but no anger.

Dr. Edelstein shows how this technique works to eliminate many behaviors, as long as the exercises are done regularly.

What I like best about the therapy is the self-responsible philosophy behind it. Freud's therapy was more based on blaming others for your bad behavior and learning to forgive them to get better. Still other popular thinking like Moral Relativism and Emotionalism ("I'm angry or sad, therefore I must be right") shift blame from ourselves and the real issues at hand to others or irrelevant issues.

Three Minute Therapy does a great service by being more focused on changing the underlying irrational beliefs and taking responsibility for the emotions and behavior that result from beliefs. I found it very insightful to apply this analysis to my own life and understand the role that thinking and rationalizing has in creating healthy and manageable emotions and behaviors.

This book is just what I wanted. Not a lot of re-hashing of the past, just a succinct description of common thought patterns that result in depression or pain, and effective exercises that can help. Dr. Edelstein is clear and concise with both his description of how our thinking contributes to our problems and what to do about it.

I also appreciated the perspective on 12 step programs. Interesting to say the least and worth considering.

I have found TMT helpful and effective in identifying some of my 'musty' thinking and alleviating the misery I cause myself.

I like this book and how it is written. It now has a home in the 'keep always and refer to often' section of our bookshelf. I recommend it.

I do use the basic ideas of this book (and this type of therapy)in my therapy groups for a partial hospitalization program with a major mental health provider. Are they useful? Yes. But I feel strongly that these techniques MUST be adapted for that population. These types of books were written (and REBT was invented)for people without genuine mental disorders and/or mental illnesses. This kind of therapy was originally designed for people who had minor adjustment problems. It will not cure major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, etc. (This REALLY needs to made more clear in the chapter on depression, especially!!)Severe and persistent mental illnesses cannot be "reasoned away", or the symptoms "controlled" by labelling them irrational. Only ONE thing will do that-- psychiatric medications.

That being said, these techniques are very useful and I do teach them. Medications are absolutely necessary and no improvement will take place without them. That's all there is to it. However, the question is how we help the person with the SPMI to cope with life after the meds have done all they can do. That's where REBT comes in. But it's so important to understand that it's NOT the first line of defense in this situation.

I have a friend in the UK who had a long history of trouble making important decisions, and then endlessly reconsidering them afterwards for fear he'd made a bad choice. Various attempts at treatment hadn't helped.
After learning about Three Minute Therapy, I purchased a copy for myself and one for him.

At the time, my friend was finding it extremely difficult to function and very depressed, as they'd been going through an intensely esteem-crushing, massively bureaucratic re-organization at their work. There was no certainty they'd even remain employed, though they occupied a position with a significant amount of responsibility, and had to apply for various possible new positions, while competing against co-workers and colleagues.

After three weeks of using Three Minute Therapy and its exercises, he sent me an email that read:

"It confirmed my resolve to stay in the field I'm in now.
That is if I have a job! Starting to feel anxious
again as apparently we will hear tomorrow if we've
been slotted in or not. But am doing the 3 minute
therapy and not feeling half as bad as before - mildly
anxious but not depressed and low. Need to get on some
more with my Norwich application this evening if I'm
not too knackered".

It isn't often that a book can make such a fundamental and genuine contribution to changing someone's life for the better, much less with such a clear effect. Thought the dust-jacket color scheme may be one of the least attractive I've encountered, it's one of the very most valuable gifts I've ever bought for a friend.

most (troubled) people think that what happens to them in the world (things that they have little control over), determines whether they will be miserable or not. this book teaches you, in a magnificent manner, that what determines your happiness or misery, to a GREAT degree, is NOT what happens to you, but how you think about these events. And, here, the individual has great control, thanks to Edelstein. Read this book, do its homework assignments (heck, they only take 3 minutes!) and banish 95% of your unhappiness.