Be Mighty: A Woman’s Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance

Psychologist Stoddard (The Big Book of ACT Metaphors) presents a clear, step-by-step walkthrough of the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) model for changing one’s approach to dealing with anxiety. She lays out the philosophy of the ACT model—to improve psychological flexibility by engaging with the present moment and then choosing actions “in line with deeply held personal values”—and then breaks this down into workable components: understanding anxiety, trading anxious avoidance for mindfulness, cultivating willingness to accept internal experiences that are unpleasant, consciously choosing personal values, and coupling actions to values rather than to thoughts and beliefs. Each concept is integrated with journaling exercises and thought experiments designed to create opportunities for experiential learning. While Stoddard focuses on women, her useful information applies to all. She also lists reasons women experience more stress, including societal pressure to choose cultural rather than personal values. Stoddard is authoritative, but also warm and conversational. Readers willing to work through the experiential exercises and self-reflection questions will be won over by Stoddard’s practical framework for accepting anxiety as part of the human condition. (Jan.)