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The Freedom from Depression Workbook
You Don't Have To Let Depression Overtake Your Life. The truth is that depression will seriously afflict one in four of us at some point in our lives. And yet, despite its prevalence, we still cling to many misconceptions about depression and its causes. Depression doesn't always mean an overwhelming sense of gloom; it can also be the underlying cause of feelings like To varying degrees, everyone suffers these kinds of feelings. The good news is that depression can be managed. Discover how to identify depression, understand its causes, come to terms with the past and look forward to the future. This 12-part interactive program by Drs. Frank Minirth and Les Carter will help you bring balance to your emotions as you peel back the layers of any situation and develop keys to lasting change.
260 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 31, 2017
Read and Keep as a Resource
The most helpful aspect of this books approach to handling depression was the concept of depression being anger turned inward. That idea is often expressed, but the authors manage to really flesh out the connection in a helpful way. There are also a large number of checklists in this book that help in self-awareness and assessment. Through the lists, a large pattern of traits are collected and you can gain insight into thought patterns and their root cause. This helps in identifying specific things that can be corrected.
The book is mildly written from a Christian perspective. While I appreciated that there were no Scripture references twisted wildly out of their context to support the author's ideas as is common with Christian counseling books, the book stayed in the area of practical wisdom and observation and never brought the significant truths of Scripture to bear on the issues being discussed. There is a brief spiritual dimension on the last pages of the book.
The most helpful aspect of this books approach to handling depression was the concept of depression being anger turned inward. That idea is often expressed, but the authors manage to really flesh out the connection in a helpful way. There are also a large number of checklists in this book that help in self-awareness and assessment. Through the lists, a large pattern of traits are collected and you can gain insight into thought patterns and their root cause. This helps in identifying specific things that can be corrected.
The book is mildly written from a Christian perspective. While I appreciated that there were no Scripture references twisted wildly out of their context to support the author's ideas as is common with Christian counseling books, the book stayed in the area of practical wisdom and observation and never brought the significant truths of Scripture to bear on the issues being discussed. There is a brief spiritual dimension on the last pages of the book.
January 2, 2023
Very helpful.
March 21, 2008
I am still reading this book, but this book by Les Carter, Ph.D. and Frank Minirth, M.D. is truly amazing! Whether one is struggling with depression or anger this book is for you. In fact I think everybody needs to read this book.
This book teaches about making healthy choices in life. It discusses that depression is anger turned inward. This is so true. Most of us either handle anger through 1) suppression of anger 2) becoming passive aggressive, or 3) are open aggressive. Sometimes we are a combination of all three. These lead to depression.
To deal with anger and depression, this book teaches you about 1) Boundaries, 2) Assertiveness, and 3)Forgiveness.
This book is written from the prospective of the psychologist walking through the issues with real clients. It is a great way to identify, and realize that we are not the only ones who feel this way. This book then goes on to talk about why we feel inadequate. It also discusses abuse and grief issues.
I am half way through the book, but this book had done so much good for me. It has helped me understand my problems with depression, and it has helped give me the answers that I need to resolve my issues.
I have read many books by psychologist, therapists, and medical doctors, but I have to say that this book stand out far above the pack. If the last half of the book is as good as the first half of the book, I declare it a hands down winner, and a must for everybody to read.
Even if you are not depressed, it gives great advice for handling people and situations in life that can lead to anger and depression. Nobody is immune to depression. It is better to learn how to handle things now before depression sets in rather than after.
I am so thankful to Les Carter and Frank Minirth for writing this book. The workbook has made me see things that I was not aware of in my life. It has helped me tremendously. I know that I will be a much better, secure, and self-confident person because of these techniques.
I highly recommend this book. While I can only give it 5 stars in the rating system here, it truly deserves 5 million stars. It is the best $15.99 that I have ever spent Thanks !!!
This book teaches about making healthy choices in life. It discusses that depression is anger turned inward. This is so true. Most of us either handle anger through 1) suppression of anger 2) becoming passive aggressive, or 3) are open aggressive. Sometimes we are a combination of all three. These lead to depression.
To deal with anger and depression, this book teaches you about 1) Boundaries, 2) Assertiveness, and 3)Forgiveness.
This book is written from the prospective of the psychologist walking through the issues with real clients. It is a great way to identify, and realize that we are not the only ones who feel this way. This book then goes on to talk about why we feel inadequate. It also discusses abuse and grief issues.
I am half way through the book, but this book had done so much good for me. It has helped me understand my problems with depression, and it has helped give me the answers that I need to resolve my issues.
I have read many books by psychologist, therapists, and medical doctors, but I have to say that this book stand out far above the pack. If the last half of the book is as good as the first half of the book, I declare it a hands down winner, and a must for everybody to read.
Even if you are not depressed, it gives great advice for handling people and situations in life that can lead to anger and depression. Nobody is immune to depression. It is better to learn how to handle things now before depression sets in rather than after.
I am so thankful to Les Carter and Frank Minirth for writing this book. The workbook has made me see things that I was not aware of in my life. It has helped me tremendously. I know that I will be a much better, secure, and self-confident person because of these techniques.
I highly recommend this book. While I can only give it 5 stars in the rating system here, it truly deserves 5 million stars. It is the best $15.99 that I have ever spent Thanks !!!
May 7, 2014
While this is a workbook of sorts it is also a book. And it's a worth it read. As the front covers says, it's for people who: feel sad or discouraged more than they would like, prefer to withdraw rather than be in groups, struggle with feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, have irregular sleep patterns, feel trapped by a sense of duty, find laughter does not come naturally, feel quite often on the verge of crying. All of these and more might be a reason for *you* to pick up this book and read through it. If nothing else it can help you to be more aware to people around you and perhaps the depression they might be struggling with. I read it for me but I also read it with the intention of keeping the info in my mind so I can come alongside of others when they struggle. Depression takes on a lot of different forms and can run the course of a day to years and everything in between. It is not a respecter of persons and it doesn't mean someone is permanently "broken". It enters a person's life for a variety of reasons - some chemical, some situational, some emotional. Carter and Minirth draw from real life cases to provide examples to the ways in which they choose to address depression in this book. And they address many aspects of depression including medical interventions through the use of anti-depressants and when someone has depression so severe they entertain thoughts of suicide. Carter and Minirth are not afraid to go to the dark places of depression in order to expose them to the light for the purpose of wholeness and healing. They do come at the topic with faith as a basis but they do not preach nor do they use any Christianese terms or phrases that are turn-offs to those not depressed much less those who are! I appreciated this about them. I found this to be a very helpful and easy to read book about depression and how I can find freedom from it and even in the midst of it as I work through the black hole moments. I highly recommend this book for those who struggle and for those who have loved ones who struggle so they can have some basis of understanding for what their loved one is experiencing.
June 15, 2016
I'm sad to say that I was often depressed in my teens. After many years I just accepted it as what was normal life. Fortunately, I came back to Christ when I was just about 21, and I remember the one thing that I noticed over the course of the first year was that I no longer had any suicidal thoughts; they were completely gone. In addition, virtually all of my depression was gone. There were weeks when I would begin to get full of anxiety because of the fear of becoming totally depressed like I had been; I expected the depression to come back at any moment and I was afraid. As time went by I did need to fine-tune a few areas of my life where I would slip back into lie-based thinking; then, of course, I would slip back into the grey malaise of depression. But this time it didn't last too long. This book helped me to get a handle on some of these issues within my own mind as well as handle the triggers in my life that dragged me into these bouts of sadness. I now hardly have any depression in my life, but I know where I can end up if I don't live a life with God daily.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews