Anxiety Sisters’ Survival Guide: How You Can Become More Hopeful, Connected, and Happy

Greenberg and Sarachek, of the Anxiety Sisters blog and podcast, offer practical advice for preventing phobias and thoughts of disaster from interfering with daily life in this useful primer. Using easy-to-understand language, the authors explain how, when the limbic system (which deals with emotions and memory) is in overdrive, normal brain function becomes disrupted and neurons don’t communicate well, which makes it difficult to think clearly. With compassion and common-sense, Greenberg and Sarachek suggest science-based methods to ease anxiety, including learning to “ride the wave” of distress knowing that one has endured attacks before or “naming the monster” (a visualization technique intended to make fears more tangible and manageable). They also suggest “Spin Kit” ideas for thinking through negative thoughts, which include doing activities such as knitting to help ground, distract, and ease symptoms. For anyone with butterflies in their belly or those living with an anxiety-prone family member, this will be an accessible guide to getting one’s anxiety under control. (Sept.)

Correction: Maggie Sarachek's last name was misspelled in an earlier version of this review.