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Retrain Your Brain

Retrain Your Brain

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks: A Workbook for Managing Depression and Anxiety
by Seth J. Gillihan 2016 236 pages
3.80
1k+ ratings
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Key Takeaways

1. Understand CBT: A Powerful Tool for Managing Anxiety and Depression

CBT is an umbrella term for many specific types of therapy.

What is CBT? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, time-limited approach that focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors to improve emotional well-being. It is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected, and by changing one, we can influence the others.

Key principles of CBT:

  • Evidence-based: Techniques are well-tested in research studies
  • Goal-oriented: Focuses on moving toward specific objectives
  • Collaborative: Therapist and client work together as a team
  • Present-focused: Emphasizes current issues rather than past events
  • Skills-oriented: Teaches techniques to manage problems independently

CBT has been shown to be highly effective for various mental health conditions, often surpassing medication in long-term efficacy. It empowers individuals to become their own therapists, providing tools to manage anxiety and depression throughout their lives.

2. Set Clear Goals and Identify Your Values

Values can extend through our entire lifetime.

Self-assessment is crucial. Begin by taking stock of your life, examining areas such as relationships, career, physical health, and personal growth. Identify what's working well and where you're struggling. This process helps pinpoint areas for improvement and sets the stage for meaningful change.

Develop SMART goals:

  • Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve
  • Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress
  • Achievable: Ensure goals are realistic and attainable
  • Relevant: Align goals with your values and long-term objectives
  • Time-bound: Set a timeframe for accomplishing each goal

Your values serve as a compass, guiding your goal-setting and decision-making processes. Unlike goals, values are ongoing principles that shape your life. Identifying and living in accordance with your values leads to greater fulfillment and resilience in the face of challenges.

3. Get Back to Life: Engage in Rewarding Activities

Any small step in the right direction beats a big step not taken.

Behavioral activation is key. Depression and anxiety often lead to withdrawal from activities that once brought joy or satisfaction. Counterintuitively, the path to feeling better often involves doing things before you feel motivated to do them. Start by creating a list of activities that align with your values and goals.

Strategies for successful behavioral activation:

  • Break activities into small, manageable steps
  • Schedule specific times for each activity
  • Create accountability by sharing your plans with others
  • Reward yourself for completing activities
  • Track your progress and mood to identify patterns

Remember that the goal is not to feel good immediately, but to gradually increase engagement with life. Over time, this approach can lead to improved mood, increased energy, and a greater sense of accomplishment and purpose.

4. Recognize and Challenge Negative Thought Patterns

Not everything you think is true.

Identify cognitive distortions. Our thoughts significantly influence our emotions and behaviors. In anxiety and depression, thoughts often become biased, irrational, or distorted. Common cognitive distortions include:

  • All-or-nothing thinking
  • Overgeneralization
  • Mental filtering (focusing only on negatives)
  • Jumping to conclusions
  • Catastrophizing
  • Emotional reasoning

Challenge and reframe thoughts. Once you've identified negative thought patterns, the next step is to evaluate their accuracy and helpfulness. Use the following techniques:

  1. Examine the evidence for and against the thought
  2. Consider alternative explanations
  3. Ask yourself what you'd tell a friend in the same situation
  4. Assess the usefulness of the thought
  5. Generate more balanced, realistic thoughts

By consistently practicing these skills, you can develop a more adaptive thinking style that promotes emotional well-being and resilience.

5. Manage Your Time and Tasks Effectively

If we wait till we feel well enough to be more active, we may be waiting a long time.

Implement a structured approach. Effective time and task management is crucial for reducing stress and increasing productivity. Follow these steps:

  1. Identify tasks: Make a comprehensive list of what needs to be done
  2. Prioritize: Determine the relative importance and urgency of each task
  3. Break down large tasks into smaller, manageable steps
  4. Schedule specific times for each task in your calendar
  5. Use reminders and alarms to stay on track

Overcome common barriers:

  • Procrastination: Address underlying fears and break tasks into smaller steps
  • Feeling overwhelmed: Focus on one task at a time and practice acceptance of discomfort
  • Lack of motivation: Use rewards and accountability to increase drive

Remember that perfection is not the goal. Consistently taking small steps toward your objectives is more important than doing everything flawlessly.

6. Face Your Fears Through Gradual Exposure

Exposure needs to be done on purpose to be most effective.

Understanding exposure therapy. Facing our fears is one of the most powerful ways to overcome anxiety. Exposure therapy involves gradually and systematically confronting feared situations or objects in a safe, controlled manner. This process helps to:

  1. Reduce anxiety through habituation
  2. Challenge and correct faulty beliefs about danger
  3. Build confidence in one's ability to cope with fear

Creating an exposure hierarchy:

  • List feared situations or objects
  • Rate each item on a scale of 0-10 for anxiety level
  • Arrange items from least to most anxiety-provoking
  • Start with lower-anxiety items and progress gradually

Keys to successful exposure:

  • Face fears intentionally and repeatedly
  • Stay in the situation long enough for anxiety to decrease
  • Eliminate safety behaviors that maintain anxiety
  • Embrace discomfort and uncertainty

Remember that the goal is not to eliminate anxiety entirely, but to learn that you can manage it effectively and that the feared outcomes often don't materialize.

7. Integrate CBT Skills into Daily Life for Lasting Change

By finding what works for you and learning to be, in a way, your own therapist, you can find that peace as often as you need to.

Maintain progress through consistent practice. The skills learned in CBT are most effective when integrated into daily life. Develop a personalized wellness plan that incorporates the techniques you've found most helpful. This may include:

  • Regular mood and activity monitoring
  • Scheduled time for challenging negative thoughts
  • Ongoing behavioral activation
  • Continued exposure exercises
  • Mindfulness practice

Prepare for setbacks:

  • Identify potential triggers or challenging situations
  • Develop a specific plan for addressing obstacles
  • Practice self-compassion when facing difficulties
  • Return to core CBT skills as needed

Remember that progress is not always linear. Setbacks are a normal part of the journey and provide opportunities for further growth and skill refinement. By consistently applying CBT principles and adapting them to your unique needs, you can build lasting resilience and improve your overall quality of life.

Last updated:

Questions & Answers

What's "Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks" about?

  • Workbook for CBT: The book is a practical workbook designed to guide readers through a seven-week program using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to manage depression and anxiety.
  • Structured Approach: It provides a structured approach to understanding and applying CBT techniques, focusing on changing thought patterns and behaviors.
  • Interactive Exercises: The book includes interactive exercises and activities that readers can complete to practice CBT skills.
  • Goal-Oriented: It aims to help readers set and achieve personal goals related to improving their mental health.

Why should I read "Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks"?

  • Effective Treatment: CBT is recognized as one of the most effective treatments for anxiety and depression, often surpassing medication.
  • Self-Help Resource: The book offers a self-help resource for those who may not have access to a therapist or prefer to work independently.
  • Practical Tools: It provides practical tools and exercises that can be applied in daily life to manage mental health challenges.
  • Empowerment: Reading the book can empower individuals to take control of their mental health and become their own therapist.

What are the key takeaways of "Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks"?

  • Understanding CBT: Readers will gain a clear understanding of what CBT is and how it can be used to treat anxiety and depression.
  • Identifying Thought Patterns: The book teaches how to identify and challenge negative thought patterns that contribute to mental health issues.
  • Behavioral Activation: It emphasizes the importance of engaging in activities that align with personal values to improve mood and reduce anxiety.
  • Facing Fears: The book provides strategies for facing and overcoming fears through exposure therapy.

How does "Retrain Your Brain" structure its seven-week program?

  • Week 1 - Goal Setting: The first week focuses on setting personal goals and understanding the basics of CBT.
  • Week 2 - Behavioral Activation: Readers learn to engage in rewarding activities that align with their values.
  • Week 3 - Identifying Thoughts: The focus is on identifying negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression.
  • Week 4 - Challenging Thoughts: Readers practice challenging and changing unhelpful thoughts to more realistic ones.
  • Week 5 - Time Management: The book covers strategies for managing time and tasks effectively.
  • Week 6 - Facing Fears: Techniques for facing and overcoming fears are introduced.
  • Week 7 - Integration: The final week integrates all the skills learned into a cohesive plan for ongoing mental health management.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) according to Seth J. Gillihan?

  • Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors: CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, aiming to change unhelpful patterns.
  • Evidence-Based: It is an evidence-based approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for various mental health conditions.
  • Goal-Oriented: CBT is structured and goal-oriented, with a focus on achieving specific outcomes in a limited time frame.
  • Collaborative Process: It involves a collaborative process between therapist and client, or in this case, between the reader and the workbook.

How does "Retrain Your Brain" help with anxiety and depression?

  • Identifying Triggers: The book helps readers identify triggers and thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression.
  • Behavioral Strategies: It provides strategies for engaging in activities that improve mood and reduce anxiety.
  • Thought Restructuring: Readers learn to challenge and restructure negative thoughts that exacerbate mental health issues.
  • Exposure Therapy: The book includes techniques for facing fears and reducing anxiety through exposure therapy.

What are some practical exercises included in "Retrain Your Brain"?

  • Daily Activities Form: Readers track their daily activities to identify patterns and areas for improvement.
  • Values and Activities Form: This exercise helps readers align their activities with their personal values.
  • Identifying Thoughts Form: Readers practice identifying and recording negative thoughts that arise in various situations.
  • Challenging Thoughts Form: This exercise guides readers in challenging and restructuring unhelpful thoughts.

What are the common thinking errors addressed in "Retrain Your Brain"?

  • Catastrophizing: Assuming the worst possible outcome will happen.
  • Overgeneralization: Making broad conclusions based on a single event.
  • All-or-Nothing Thinking: Viewing situations in black-and-white terms without recognizing the gray areas.
  • Personalization: Taking responsibility for events outside one's control.

How does "Retrain Your Brain" suggest managing time and tasks?

  • Task Breakdown: Breaking large tasks into smaller, manageable steps to reduce overwhelm.
  • Prioritization: Identifying and prioritizing tasks based on importance and deadlines.
  • Scheduling: Planning specific times to complete tasks and using reminders to stay on track.
  • Accountability: Building accountability by sharing plans with others or setting personal rewards for task completion.

What are the best quotes from "Retrain Your Brain" and what do they mean?

  • "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than one's fear." This quote emphasizes the importance of facing fears to achieve personal goals.
  • "The key to a depression-free life is to develop healthier patterns of behavior where each day contains important and/or enjoyable activities that help you feel fulfilled and as if your life has a purpose." It highlights the role of engaging in meaningful activities to improve mental health.
  • "People are not disturbed by things but by the view they take of them." This quote underscores the CBT principle that our thoughts about events, rather than the events themselves, influence our emotions.

How does "Retrain Your Brain" address the fear of fear itself?

  • Understanding Fear: The book explains that fear of fear can lead to avoidance behaviors that reinforce anxiety.
  • Exposure Therapy: It encourages facing feared situations to reduce the power of fear over time.
  • Acceptance: Readers are guided to accept discomfort and uncertainty as part of the process of overcoming fear.
  • Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness can help individuals stay present and reduce the impact of fear on their lives.

What resources does "Retrain Your Brain" provide for further support?

  • Online Resources: The book lists websites for learning more about anxiety and depression, finding professional help, and exploring mindfulness.
  • Support Groups: It provides information on finding support groups for individuals dealing with anxiety and depression.
  • Recommended Books: A list of additional books on CBT, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness is included for further reading.
  • Professional Guidance: The book advises when to seek professional help if self-directed CBT is not sufficient.

Review Summary

3.80 out of 5
Average of 1k+ ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

Retrain Your Brain receives mixed reviews, averaging 3.79 out of 5 stars. Readers appreciate its practical approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), breaking it down into manageable 7-week segments. Many find it helpful for anxiety and depression, especially for those unable to access therapy. The book's workbook format and exercises are praised. However, some criticize it for being common sense or too basic. Critics also note that combining anxiety and depression topics may not suit everyone's needs. Overall, it's seen as a useful introductory tool for self-directed CBT.

Your rating:

About the Author

Seth J. Gillihan is a psychologist and author specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). He has written several books on mental health, including "Retrain Your Brain: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in 7 Weeks." Gillihan's work focuses on making CBT techniques accessible to a wider audience, particularly those who may not have access to professional therapy. He emphasizes practical, self-directed approaches to managing anxiety and depression. Gillihan's background in psychology and his experience as a therapist inform his writing, which aims to provide readers with tools to become their own therapists. His approach combines traditional CBT methods with more recent developments in mindfulness and cognitive therapy.

Other books by Seth J. Gillihan

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