Managing Worry and Anxiety: Practical Tools To Help You Deal With Life's Challenges

Written by Jean Holthaus, LISW, LMSW

Narrated by Ann Richardson

Scripture says "be anxious for nothing," yet most of us find ourselves increasingly worried and anxious-about our families, our jobs, our finances, our security, and so much more. We're even worried about our level of anxiety!

Integrating both the psychological and spiritual aspects of anxiety, therapist Jean Holthaus offers this research-driven and faith-informed approach to understanding why we experience anxiety and shows us how to effectively manage it by developing three essential skills:

- living in the present moment

- suspending judgment

- believing yourself to be competent and equipped by God

Our world is never going to be a completely safe and understandable place. But with Holthaus's help, our hearts and minds can experience greater and lasting peace.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ChristianAudio.com
• Release date: Jan 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781545913406

Reviews for Managing Worry and Anxiety

[hes7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Therapist Jean Holthaus blends her expertise, research, and faith to deliver exactly what the cover promises: practical tools for dealing with worry and anxiety. She writes in an easy-to-read way meant to heighten understanding and facilitate application. As I read, everything she explains felt useful and relevant. I had a lot to consider as I finished, and I intend to revisit this book in the future. It is easy to recommend this book to readers struggling with worry and anxiety, as well as those simply hoping to understand the issues better.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[stardust_fiddle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ubiquitous in our twenty-first century society, worry and anxiety are a plague driven by busyness, the struggle to succeed, and an increasingly secularized culture. In a scholarly yet highly readable book, Jean Holthaus uses a combination of medical science, psychology, and Christian theology to give readers insight into what causes anxiety, how to identify different types of anxiety, and how to seek help. Whereas most self-help books promote a certain protocol or fad diet routine, Holthaus takes a multilayered approach. She not only allows for but also discusses how metal illness affects the body and mind. I appreciate that she discusses prescription medication without discounting natural remedies, as different people respond to some treatments better than others. Graphics and charts enliven “Managing Worry and Anxiety” and make the text easier to comprehend. Even the scientific phrases and data are able to be understood by the average adult. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[mizroady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Worry and anxiety are things I have struggled with on and off throughout my life. When facing those times it can be overwhelming. I was interested in reading this book not only for new insight and ideas but also because with anything in my life I want to approach from God’s point of view, spiritual and scriptural. The author is definitely through in covering the subject from all angles. She knows what she is talking about. I liked how she explained the difference between anxiety and worry, two things I had always clumped together. The book also had several graphics throughout that did a wonderful job in helping me understand concepts discussed. Reading about all the various aspects of life that affect anxiety opened my eyes to sources I had not thought of before. Of these the most surprising was misconceptions in how I view God!Ms. Holthaus covered all areas that are a part of anxiety: Biological, mental, emotional, social, environmental, and spiritual. This allowed me to see the big picture instead of clumping my ideas into one or two areas. She doesn’t leave you hanging! At the end of the book she gives necessary skills to overcome and control your emotions in daily living and when life throws those unexpected curves. I particularly liked “Feeling Words” in the back of the book. This is not a quick fix or a quick read, but a very informative and helpful writing. It is almost like having a series of appointments with a therapist just for the price of a book!I received this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my own.

[medwards429 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thank you in advance to the publisher, Revell Books, for providing a complimentary copy to review. A positive review was NOT required, and all words are my own.

Believe it or not I got this to gain some insight into what exactly anxiety is.

While I do have “concerns” or small worries, anxiety is something I cannot wrap my head around. And, I also wanted to know if there were ways in here I could help others I care about who struggle with it. It also reinforced some things I already knew.

This is like an intense therapy session as the writing combines the science behind worry, anxiety, and depression with some spiritual references. Due to the scientific/medical aspect, this can be an overwhelming read for some people who might not understand or know about some of the terms that the author is using. There are diagrams which might help readers understand or see where the problem might be. This is done more or less to examine the cause and understand anxiety as well as to help with managing it.

While this is from the Revell line, which is known for their spiritual and faith books, this was light on the “God” talk. There were some scriptures and references to the bible as to how it would apply in our daily lives, so the author doesn’t come off preachy. Depending on where people are in their faith journey, they may appreciate a lighter tone, others may not.

As Holthaus points out, there is no simple explanation or solution. Thus, this is not going to be a “one & done” read either. As she explains, part of the reason for the confusion is how the word has been and is continued to be used.

She examines the healthy anxiety (flight/flight/freeze) mode, versus the worry zone, such as thinking about future problems.

The book is useful for those who might not understand what a loved one is going through with anxiety, which is what most of the book covers. It covers some aspects of OCD, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and agoraphobia. She is also careful to examine what might cause each one with both medical and spiritual aspects being explored.

The author also explores why our childhood is important to us. One example is that a child whose emotions or concerns were invalidated might not be able to express themselves as an adult. She also states that in managing our own emotions we sometimes ignore, minimize, or discount the feelings of others.

Another key factor was “assuming”. We shouldn’t assume what others are feeling, but ask.

Holthaus is honest and uses her own experiences to try to relate to the reader that certain things do happen, and how she was able to overcome them.

A very interesting part was the word “judgment” and how it applies to ourselves and how we view others. I was shocked to discover how many words can apply: opinion, estimation, a belief, an idea, thoughts about something, or criticism. Whether or not the reader agrees will be up to them.

The book also provides “tools” to help lessen the anxiety, not that we won’t have it, but it is the author’s intent that the tools well help it to not overwhelm.

This is definitely a relevant read, especially with social media overwhelming our lives.

I particularly enjoyed the author having an appendix with “feeling” words at the back to help the reader self-assess and get in touch with their feelings.

A recommendation is difficult for this as it depends on the reader’s “faith” level, their familiarity of medical/psychological terms, as well as their personal preferences.

I do feel as though the book was informative, if overly so. There were enough Christian references to make the author’s point. I also enjoyed the medical/psychological aspect too.