Therapy Without A Therapist - Avigail Abarbanel

Are you anxious or low, not doing as well as you think you can? Are you struggling with confidence at work, in relationships, or in parenting? Do you feel triggered and 'lose' yourself? Do you find yourself behaving in ways that you are not proud of, but can't stop yourself? Does your life feel a bit dull, directionless, and do you wonder what else might be possible for you? Have you tried antidepressants only to realise that they don't deal with the causes, only with the symptoms? If, like many, you prefer to live without medication, you might have considered therapy. But the idea of talking to a stranger about your personal life can be off-putting, even scary. Sadly, psychotherapy is still a mystery to many, and people rightly wonder what it can offer them. Therapists can be vague about what they do, and often cannot explain it. Either way, is talking always helpful? What happens when you open a big can of worms and make yourself vulnerable, but then have to carry on with day-to-day life? When you don't know what therapy is, how do you even begin to choose a therapist?

If you are sceptical about therapy, you are not alone, and this short book might be for you. Owing to the development of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), the brainchild of Dr Dan Siegel, human psychology, mental health and therapy are no longer a mystery. Over two decades of clinical practice, I have developed my work within the coherent framework of IPNB in a way that makes it clear and accessible to everyone. This book is a reference to my clients about what we do in therapy, and it can be used by everyone. It explains how our brain structure causes us to feel split between our 'higher', moral, 'adult' self, and our frightened, easily triggered, impulsive, survival-focused, fear based self. This book teaches how we can integrate our brain in a way that leads to healthy inner flow, healing, and growth.

Therapy is much more than just about us as individuals, and this book is not about selfish, individualistic psychology. How we are determines our values, how we treat one another, how we parent and guide young humans, and ultimately how we run our societies and our world. When we grow and develop to our potential, we benefit much more than just ourselves.

This updated edition of the fifth book in the 'Fully Human Psychotherapy Tools for Life Series' is short and accessible. It is for everyone, because good mental health, development, and growth are everyone's business. Therapy Without A Therapist takes the mystery out of mental health and psychotherapy, and places real, effective, and permanent tools in everyone's hands. (It is now accompanied by the journal/workbook, Let's Integrate, which is available separately on Amazon worldwide in paperback and hardcover).

Cover image by Highland artist Mike Forbes (http: //www.michaelforbes.co.uk) used with artist's permission.