The Intrusive Thoughts Toolkit: Quick Relief for Obsessive, Unwanted, or Disturbing Thoughts

by Jon Hershfield

Written by a team of mental health experts, Intrusive Thoughts Toolkit provides fast-acting techniques for overcoming persistent, painful, and intrusive thoughts. With this take-anywhere guide, readers will learn on-the-spot, proven-effective tips to get unstuck from negative thoughts and feelings, adopt healthier thinking habits, and increase overall well-being.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Psychology, Health

168 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2022

About the author

Jon Hershfield, MFT, is the director of The Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt in Towson, MD. He specializes in the mindfulness-based and cognitive behavioral treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hershfield is coauthor of the books Everyday Mindfulness For OCD and The Mindfulness Workbook for OCD and is the author of When a Family Member Has OCD, Overcoming Harm OCD, and The OCD Workbook for Teens.

Reviews

[Jami Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through a goodreads contest and leaving a review as a thank you!

As someone with OCD this book is a wonderful tool to have to be able to help you start your journey of trying to heal your OCD. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for helpful and easy steps to start the road to recovery!

[Laura (thenerdygnomelife) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book presented some very helpful tips and unique strategies for managing anxiety. I read it for my teens but actually ended up appreciating it for myself. We all worry at times!

[Paulina Garza · Rating 3 out of 5]

A member of my OCD support group recommended this book, and although it’s fairly short, I found it challenging to get through. The pages felt like they were describing things I already knew but struggle to apply. Do you know that feeling? The book emphasizes that our thoughts aren’t necessarily our own—they just appear automatically, and not all of them are true. It’s up to us to decide which thoughts align with our values and beliefs, and to accept and let go of those that don’t. While it hasn’t been a mind-blowing read, it has helped me notice more of my automatic, anxious responses, which has been eye-opening in its own way.

[Karen (Living Unabridged) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Occasionally conflicting advice and definitely see a therapist if you (or a loved one) is dealing with this issue. But also it's easy to read and there's helpful wisdom to glean so if you're struggling with intrusive thoughts (or anxiety in general) it might be a useful tool.

[Broken Lifeboat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful fast primer for getting immediate understanding and relief to many different types of unwanted thoughts. I picked this up to help work through my anxious ruminating and my compulsion for work and busyness but also benefitted from other sections, including one on social anxiety.

This book approaches many different types of amygdala and cortex-based intrusive thoughts using CBT and mindfulness techniques that are easy to understand and practice.

This book could be useful to pretty much everyone. There's so much acknowledgement and help in this little book, every reader could identify with something in here.

So glad I bought this to reread and share with other sufferers.

[Puff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't a bad book but also was not very helpful. There are like 50 strategies but often go against each other. My brain says give me 5, please, and better explain the different situations in which they can be used because one example that I don't relate to is confusing. Also, it felt like every option focused on how you aren't a bad person for having a bad thought. After the 10th time, it was frustrating to hear the same stuff over and over. This did not help me but I see how it could be helpful to others.

[Madison White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read, quick, and provides concrete tools.

[Lowry Mainereader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed my 1/2 hour paging through this book. It's a worthy reminder of ways to release anxiety - and how it's ongoing good work.

[magda · Rating 1 out of 5]

2 ꙳
doing things from this book is not the best idea!