Detox Your Thoughts

Detox Your Thoughts: Quit Negative Self-Talk for Good & Discover the Life You’ve Always Wanted

Andrea Bonior. Chronicle Prism, $25.95 (256p) ISBN 978-1-4521-8487-6

Psychologist Bonior (Psychology), who writes the Baggage Check column for the Washington Post, dazzles in this smart, sensible guide to vanquishing negative thoughts. The key step for changing internal dialogue, she argues, is making thoughts less “sticky” by realizing that not every thought should be given equal power. “Negative thoughts don’t cause depression and anxiety disorders—it’s when such thoughts become sticky that they can grow into depression and anxiety disorders,” she writes before offering an easy strategy to dispel them—acknowledge the troubling thought, label it, remind oneself to give space to the thought, ground oneself in the present moment, and visualize the thought passing. She teaches readers to let go of intrusive negative trains of thought—particularly ruminating on the past and thinking about how the world should be rather than how it is—and outlines how to see one’s blind spots and confront one’s discomfort. In an empathetic tone, Bonior invites readers to celebrate even the smallest steps as they seek greater self-compassion. This witty, wise handbook’s outstanding blueprint for achieving lasting happiness will be of aid to any reader prone to self-doubt. (May)

Originally posted on Publisher’s Weekly here