How to control your anxiety before it controls you

Author's name: Albert Ellis

If you're reading this book, chances are good that you or someone you care about suffers from anxiety. Anxiety is one of the most common difficulties people experience at some point in their lives. The good news is that in 1959, Dr. Albert Ellis developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), the original cognitive behavioral therapy, which has been proven effective for anxiety problems.
This book is in many ways a special tribute to Al himself. As he discusses in his book, as well as in most of the self-help materials he developed during his life, Al was also plagued by anxiety. He drew on the principles of behavioral theory to overcome both his public-speaking anxiety and his social anxiety, particularly related to women. All of Al's books were written with passion and purpose; however, I believe this one in particular was close to Al's heart, as he himself had struggled with anxiety and found ways to overcome it. What better testimony than that Albert Ellis himself conquered his own anxiety by applying the principles and strategies he outlines here?
One of Al's main goals was to ensure that his clients and the general public learned the tools to become their own therapists. Reading this book and the many other self-help books he's written, including How to Control Your Anger Before It Controls You (Jarir Bookstore), How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything—Yes, Anything! (Jarir Bookstore), and How to Stop Sabotaging Your Relationships (Jarir Bookstore), will surely put you on the path to becoming your own therapist.
I had the privilege of being a predoctoral trainee at the Albert Ellis Institute and being mentored by Dr. Ellis. After my training, I remained at the Institute as a full-time employee, traveling across the country with Al to conduct professional trainings and lecture to the public. He has dedicated his life to helping individuals with their emotional and behavioral problems. He has treated thousands of clients with anxiety difficulties, many of whom are featured as case examples in this book. As I co-lead therapy groups with Al, I have watched him use the same strategies he recommends in this book with his clients; I have watched his clients improve.