Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking

by Caroline Leaf

Toxic thoughts, depression, anxiety--our mental mess is frequently aggravated by a chaotic world and sustained by an inability to manage our runaway thoughts. But we shouldn't settle into this mental mess as if it's just our new normal. There's hope and help available to us--and the road to healthier thoughts and peak happiness may actually be shorter than you think.

Backed by clinical research and illustrated with compelling case studies, Dr. Caroline Leaf provides a scientifically proven five-step plan to find and eliminate the root of anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts in your life so you can experience dramatically improved mental and physical health. In just 21 days, you can start to clean up your mental mess and be on the road to wholeness, peace, and happiness.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Psychology, Mental Health, Audiobook, Health, Personal Development

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2021

About the author

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology. Since the early 1980‘s she has studied and researched the Mind-Brain connection. During her years in clinical practice as a Communication Pathologist she developed tools and processes that help people develop and change their thinking and subsequent behavior. Her scientific Science of Thought techniques have transformed the lives of patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), learning disabilities, emotional traumas and released the potential of thousands of young students and adults.

She has presented her unique Switch On Your Brain with the 5-Step Learning Process® and the Metacognitive-Map™ learning tool to thousands of students worldwide.

She developed the Geodesic Learning™ theory (how we think and process information) that has been conservatively shown to increase thinking, behavioral and academic performance by 35-75%. This revolutionary theory explains the Science of Thought, stating how thoughts form, how we process information and the power of the non-conscious mind and the relationship between the non-conscious and conscious. It explains that everything you do is first a physical thought in the physical brain. You think, and then you do, which cycles back to the original thought, changing it, and the thoughts connected to it, in a dynamic interrelationship. Therefore if your thinking is toxic, then your communication and behavior are toxic, and vice versa.

She has published numerous articles in academic journals and consumer magazines and has been widely interviewed in newspapers, on radio shows, and on television shows about her research and theories.

She has her own weekly TV show called "Switch On Your Brain" airing on TBN.

She frequently lectures to both Christian and secular audiences worldwide, linking scientific principles of the brain to spiritual, intellectual and emotional issues in simple and practical ways. She speaks on diverse topics relating to optimal thinking, and hence, brain performance, including:

1. Thinking and learning

2. Controlling your thought life

3. Managing stress

4. Eradicating toxic thoughts

5. Overcoming mental, emotional, and spiritual strongholds

6. Understanding male and female brain differences

7. Applying wisdom

8. Identifying your unique gifts

DR. CAROLINE LEAF’S DEGREES

University of Cape Town South Africa Degree of Bachelor of Science (Logopaedics) - December 1985

University of Pretoria South Africa Masters in Communication Pathology with distinction/cum laude - June 1990

University of Pretoria South Africa Doctor Philosophiae with specialization in Communication Pathology With distinction/cum laude and academic honors - May 1997

Reviews

[Christine Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book seems to offer more in the way of her research then time explaining how to put these exercises into action. I feel like the research is good, that I agree with WHY we want to take control of our thoughts, but I reached the end of the book before truly understanding HOW.

I really want to do these exercises, but she spends way too much time on why (the first 2/3 of the book!) and not nearly enough time on how to do it. There is a gap in her explanation of putting these things into practice.

Most people can agree it’s important, we don’t need convincing, which seems to be the main focus of the book. It’s more important to understand HOW, this should have been the focus of the book.

[Maximizer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If life is a battle, than the concept of neurocycling is like cleaning your sword and shield on the daily basis. Polishing your weapons because the battle of life is in the mind. The Bible tells us no to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Dr. Leaf teaches our how to identify toxic thoughts, uproot them and replace them with healthy thought. What I like about this book is that these are thinking strategies and they require consistency. It’s no quick fix. Once you learn these skills they can be with you forever and become daily habits so your always are in the process of renewing your mind.

[Cecilia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I listen to it on Audible, and didnt like the dull narration. The book seemed very doctory and more scientific than helpful. I also believe I'm more used to an animated voice, that carries more emotion, than not. That most likely affects my ability to keep listening or return!

[Vinay Sutaria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much jargon. No clear steps. Without a professional background in neuroscience, this book doesn’t serve any purpose and seems like a research paper.

[Maura · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @20%

This book is just a pitch for an app.

I am astonished by the author's ability to fill so many pages without saying anything.

Later in this book, I'll talk about new discoveries in the science of Neuroplasticity. This is not self help, it's science. The science of Neuroplasticity. That's right, through science, you can harness your brain's own neuroplasticity. You can neroplsticisze your brain, using the science of neuroplasticity. Which is not self help, but scientifically proven science! I'll talk about the neuroplasticy AND the science later in this book.

This is barely even an exaggeration.

[Jenny Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Too scientific and long-winded. If you're looking for a quick self-help guide, this isn't it. If you want to geek out on the science side of your mental mess, this is more your speed. It's just not what I was looking for, but I still got a few good tips out of it. I suggest watching her interview on Lewis Howes' YouTube channel. They discuss this book, and she covers some of the content.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. I am a fan of anything that promotes positivity and this defnitely has some good points and viable tactics, but nothing particularly original and so much of the book felt like a commercial for the author's app and other books.

[abigailscupoftea · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was written by a neuroscientist, and i love learning about the brain (especially neuroplasticity)!
“thoughts are real things. and, like all real things, they generate energy: little packets of energy called photons, which are the fundamental particles of light.” what we focus on grows, which makes me think of romans 12:2 in the Bible, which says “be transformed by the renewal of your mind”. it’s so fascinating that we can quite literally change our brains and our bodies with our thought patterns.
God’s creation is so incredible! 🧠✨

[Melanie Kilsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a nerd at heart. So, all the scientifically heavy parts of this book was my jam!

For those readers simply looking for practical applications from this book in a self-help format, Part 2 would be what you'll need to skip to and probably could read only that section.

However, I am the type of person that needs to know the "why" and deeper meaning behind things. I'm also dyslexic and understanding how the brain works has really helped me with my own journey to coping with this disability.

I think I still would have loved for more examples on how the practicality may look like in real life. But overall, I absolutely loved this book and really think applying these things consistently in my life on a daily basis would help. I also was very encouraged as I do a lot of these things already.

The most amazing fact that I will take away as an author, is the importance of writing in one's life!!!

[Maria Torres · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sure there are a lot of people that would find this book helpful. For me, unfortunately, it was just a whole deja-vu experience. Like I read this before in Dr. Leaf's other books, like The Switch On Your Brain. I even completed the workbook for it. I don't think I learned one new helpful thing from this new book. But, hey, maybe that's just me.

[Nika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be different from her other books, but it is pretty much the same information.

[Susan Cosden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Leaf seems to have wonderful ideas and methods, backed up by extensive scientific research. It is encouraging that some have been able to use these methods to overcome Trauma, trauma, depression, anxiety, and stop their mental health medications. I appreciated learning the science behind everything. The reason I only gave this 3 stars was because it was both very repetitive, felt at times like an infomercial for her app and her other books, and took way too long before she got to the five simple steps. Personally I would have preferred more time spent on each of the five steps. At the same time, I look forward to starting these five steps myself.

[Lovely Day]

DNFd at 33% because it felt like a promotional pitch for the author's app, and heavily bogged down with statistics and scientific study results

[Olivia Saman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess

5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking
Written by: Dr Caroline Leaf
Narrated by: Dr Caroline Leaf
.
I gave this book a red hot go.... but I really didn't enjoy reading it. It was the first book I've ever returned
.
It was kind of like she was promoting her app which was all about this 5 step thing. And she was talking all about how she did all this research to prove this all worked and talked very Scientifically and on based it on these findings... very boring and unhelpful.
.
It's 8 hours long and I gave it 4 of my hours painfully listening to it hoping and praying that she will stop talking about her research that is proven without actually making it relatable at all. Without giving you a way to use this information to actually make it work in your own life... I don't know maybe she would have In the following 4 hours but I just couldn't do it any more. I might have had a car accident from falling asleep.
.
So for my Liv review it gets
🌱 1 out of 5 for storyline or information
🎨🎨 2 out of 5 for Narration only reason she gets 2 is due to being the author as well as narrator.
.
Not a fan, so glad I could return it.
.
#cleaningupyourmentalmess #audible #sogladicouldreturnit #livnessentially #livsbookreview

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.

This reads like a loooooong promotional ad.

For example “These 5 principals I developed after years of research,.. these 5 principals changed clients life… these five… blah blah” but by chapter 3, you still haven’t heard the principals. The last 1/3 of the book is the principals (first 2/3 is her research 🥴 I skipped most of it 🥱) but that section is thin on explanation.

The audio narration is also meh.

I mistakenly waited weeks for this at the library; only to learn jrs available on hoopla

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea - too much repeating of "5 simple steps" and reads like a science research paper.

[TifFany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Over half of this book is simply telling you why you should read this book. My guess is that if you've taken the time to purchase it, then you already think it could be useful. The second half of the book is basically her reading her research papers to you in a very clinical manner. This is helpful, however, in an audiobook format it just doesn't work well. If I want to go over how a scientific experiment was done, the best way for me to do that is sit down with the actual paper.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have often wondered why, when we know the right thing to do, it is so hard to actually do that right thing. We know all about eating right and exercise yet are overweight and sedentary.

This book provided me with the reason right action is so hard and gave me a strategy to develop it. Changing thoughts is hard work and changing thoughts is required for changing actions. It takes 21 days of mind management work, Leaf writes, to change a thought and 63 days to see that thought into action, forming a habit.

It's hard work to change but Leaf gives us the tools we need. This book contains a clearly defined strategy of five steps from toxic thought to beneficial action. She thoroughly explains the steps, give suggestions how to complete each step, and gives examples from her own life. I really like that her steps and the transition that results have been verified by clinical trials.

I highly recommend this book. Cleaning up toxic thoughts and establishing a well being mindset is not easy work. It will become a daily practice. Everything you need for most work is included in the book, though Leaf does note that some trauma work may require the assistance of a professional.

[marie · Rating 1 out of 5]

First tried the audiobook but the narration was very difficult to stick with. I felt the book probably had some real value so I then purchased the kindle version... didn't help. I found just way too much of the book was spent explaining why we need to do this and it read more like a scientific paper than a useful guide. Concluding this is just not for me.

[Aarthi Padmagirisan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last three chapters were all I needed.. Read the first half of the book if you want to get into all the science of how neurons and neuro plasticity works. Also we get it neurocycling is amazing. I don't need 200 pages on why neurocycling is amazing. I want to know more of how neurocycling can be practiced and incorporated into everyday life.

[˚༚✧˳⁺⁎davm⁎⁺˳✧༚˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going directly into my reread shelf :)

[Prairie Sky Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

For years now, whenever a new book is released by neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf, I am quick to add a copy to my TBR list. Her work has impacted me tremendously, and I have recommended her insights to many people I know. While her newest publication from Baker Books has a bit of a contentious title (it is not something I can easily give as a gift without offending the recipient!) it is powerful and potentially life-changing nonetheless. “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: 5 Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress, and Toxic Thinking” is a powerhouse of a book. Packed with up-to-date brain research from Dr. Leaf’s own clinical studies and the research of other scientists, this book combines science with practical application.

At first look, it may seem like this book is a dry, hard-to-follow narrative that is full of scientific jargon that will go in one ear and out the other... But that is not the case. Dr. Leaf combines her wisdom on the workings of the mind with real-life explanations that show us how all this science really does affect our everyday choices, health, and ultimately our entire life. After all, “We can go three weeks without food, three days without water, three minutes without oxygen - but we can’t even go for three seconds without thinking.” Since that is the case, shouldn’t we be taking control of the thoughts we think about, and detoxing from the unhealthy portions, just as we care for the physical body we live in?

I have just finished this book and I am so excited to begin applying the practices to my everyday routines. The last few chapters of the book were my favorites as they really brought everything together and helped me see how the 5-Step Neurocycle program can really impact my life in exponential ways. There was only thing I was disappointed about... In Dr. Leaf’s previous books, namely “Switch On Your Brain”, a lot of the information was related directly to biblical concepts and truths straight from Scripture - I loved how she tied all of the amazing workings of our mind directly to God as our Creator. In “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess”, this biblical connection is completely absent, and I can’t figure out why. Is it because Dr. Leaf wants to connect with a wider audience, and the mention of God and the Bible turn many people away? Or is it something else? I really miss this component of science being integrated with Scripture. Of course I am still totally able to apply what I learned in this book to my faith and way of life as a Christian, but I do wish Dr. Leaf would go back to correlating the amazing scientific discoveries she has made with the infallible Word of God. Instead, she leaves that part up to us.

Without question I still recommend this book (with a disclaimer about the title to my friends and family, haha!) and do not mean to take away anything by saying that it is not “Christian” enough. In fact, I am planning this afternoon to do some of the brain-building exercises that Dr. Leaf teaches by using a section of Scripture as my input resource. And that is okay too, perhaps this way of not feeding us the connections between science and the Bible challenges us to dig into researching it for ourselves. If you are looking for a well-balanced, scientific, yet practical guide to trade mental chaos and discord for peace and well-being, I highly recommend this new book from the amazing Dr. Caroline Leaf.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”

[Savannah Hendricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is so much in the form of research and explanations about the mental health that it was like trying to read a thesis from Harvard. The first part of the book explains the data behind the study and the second part discusses how you can implement it. To be honest, by the time I got to part 2 I was too exhausted and overwhelmed by the amount of information to follow through on any of it. I might go back and revisit part 2 at some point before the end of the year, because it's clear that it's beneficial.

[Carolina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s nice to read another point of view on how to manage stress and anxiety. But the book is very repetitive and explains some parts in great detail, for example how the trials were done and some other (in my opinion very important) parts are not well explained (for example how to do the excersices on a daily basis) It’s also a very long way to get you to buy their app 😒.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book is very study/science focused, which is difficult in an audiobook. It often refers to an app that I could not find.

The second half where it discussed more practice, was more interesting, but still difficult to really get as much out of it in an audiobook.

[The Lion's Share · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a good process, but it’s not new. She’s essentially copied a schema process, but with neuro science to back it up.

[Riz]

My messed-up mind seriously needs to read this so-called helpful book 😌

[Charity (Booktrovert Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first when I was listening to it, it seemed that there was all facts, promote the her app and would never get to the actual reason of picking up this book on how to clean up the mind.
Spoiler Alert: she eventually did.
She has a lot to say in the importance of cleaning up toxic thoughts and how it can benefit our minds in the short and long term. She gives lots of tips towards the end to implement the process of a daily habit of resetting the mind. What is encouraging and challenging is that it can take up to 60 days for a new habit to form. She encourages you to keep at it everyday to really start seeing a positive change.
I listened in the audio book which I enjoyed listening to the author read the book. But towards the end I did wish I had a physical copy so I could take the the time to dot down notes and the steps as what she calls the nurocycle.

[Allison Berkowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really powerful for me and I took my time reading it a little bit each night over the course of about two months. I also began using the author's app that she references throughout the book and I've found it pretty helpful. Sometimes I was a little thrown off by the author, she could seem a little out of touch in small ways. But overall I found her incredibly wise and I appreciated that she is a doctor and a researcher and can talk about emotional pain from a medical standpoint. It really helped bridge different parts of myself and was the perfect book for where I am in my personal journey. I would definitely recommend reading if you’re in a place where you’re able to make some new habits and mental changes.

[Ramon Tilanus · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very interesting. Completing a 21 day Neurocycle using the app helped me understand the book better. Understanding how old memories are physically altered in the brain by re-conceptualizing them gave me the perfect bridge between the mind and the brain.

A large part of the book is scientific and I imagine would appeal to the scientific community. I'm not a scientist.