Emotional First Aid

June 3, 2013
Clinical psychologist Winch (The Squeaky Wheel) offers valuable advice for bouncing back from life’s disappointments—both big and small—in this outstanding work. While diligently emphasizing the importance of seeking professional advice when necessary, the author also gives readers tools to help themselves overcome everything from excessive and unproductive guilt, to being rejected by a romantic partner. After offering an insightful overview of common psychological issues, such as loneliness and unhealthy rumination, the author lays out potential strategies to cope with each one. Readers learn how to identify self-defeating behaviors, how to appreciate others’ points of view, and, perhaps most importantly of all, how to stop the destructive voice in one’s head from proclaiming inadequacy and failure. But Winch’s approach isn’t simply to avoid all negativity—he points out that even failure, great teacher that it is, can be an important step along one’s journey. This smart tome is a valuable addition to the self-help oeuvre. Agent: Michelle Tessler, Tessler Literary Agency.