Anxiety Files

Simple and powerful techniques for coping with anxiety and worry.

Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D., is the author of Anxiety Free and The Worry Cure. He is Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Weill-Cornell Medical School and Director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy. See full bio

May 13, 2009, Anxiety

Listen to a Lecture on How to Handle Your Worries

How to Handle Your Worries

Last October I gave a series of lectures and workshops at the University of Louisville Medical School's Depression Center. One of these talks was on how to handle your worries. I thought that some of you might find it of interest to hear this talk which is now available on-line for free. You can access the several "sections" of the lecture audio at the following hyperlinks:

"Dr. Robert Leahy, the author of The Worry Cure"

Introduction - About Worry Underlying processes of worry.
Steps 1 and 2 - Productive and Unproductive Worry. Acceptance and Change
Step 3 - Challenging your worried thinking.
Steps 4 and 5 - Deeper Threat. Fear of Failure.
Steps 5 (continued) and 6 - How to Handle Failure. Use your emotions rather than worry about them.
Step 7 - Put time on your side.

As you listen to the various steps in dealing with your worry you might ask yourself which specific techniques seem the most relevant to you. I have found that some people find it immensely helpful to distinguish between productive and unproductive worry-and to turn to immediate problem solving if there is a problem to address today. Others find it helpful to accept uncertainty or limitations. Some people find that simply setting aside worry time helps them compartmentalize the experience of worry that has pervaded their day. Still others find that challenging their pessimistic ideas and their catastrophic thinking is helpful. In any case, there are dozens of techniques, strategies and ways of looking at things that can be helpful.

When I wrote The Worry Cure, I wanted to avoid the tendency that some psychologists have that only one approach-their approach-will work. I have been impressed with the work of many of my colleagues in North America and the United Kingdom who have advanced our understanding of why worry persists and how we can change it. So, when you listen to the lecture-or read the book--- you will find that your particular process of worry is amenable with some techniques, but maybe not with other techniques. The key thing is to find what works for you.