ABSTRACT
Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors offers inspiring, hopeful, creative resources for the millions of male and female adolescents and adults who struggle with eating disorders, addictions, any form of self-mutilation. It is also a workbook for the clinicians who treat them. Using journaling exercises, drawing and collaging prompts, guided imagery, visualizations, and other behavioral techniques, readers will learn how to understand, compassionately work with, and heal from their behaviors rather than distracting from or fighting against them, which can dramatically reduce internal conflict and instill genuine hope. Techniques are provided in easy-to-follow exercises that focus on calming the body, containing overwhelming emotions, managing negative and distorted thoughts, re-grounding from flashbacks, addressing tension and anxiety, decreasing a sense of vulnerability, strengthening assertiveness and communication skills, and accessing inner wisdom.
This workbook can be used in conjunction with Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Trauma Survivors, 2nd ed, also by Lisa Ferentz, to allow therapists and their clients to approach the behaviors from the same strengths-based perspective. Workbook exercises can be completed as homework assignments or as part of a therapy session. In either case, the client is given the opportunity to process their work and share their insights with a compassionate witness and trained professional, making the healing journey even safer and more rewarding.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |30 pages
Tapping Into Your Curiosity And Courage
chapter |5 pages
Beginning The Journey
chapter |3 pages
You Are Not In This Alone
chapter |13 pages
The Top Ten Reasons Why a Therapist Can Help
chapter |7 pages
Is This Workbook Really Right for me?
part |58 pages
Connecting Self-Destructive Behaviors to Past and Present Experiences
chapter |12 pages
It's Not Easy Being a Teenager or an Adult!
chapter |8 pages
How Trauma Can Lead to Self-Destructive Behaviors
chapter |6 pages
Connecting to Others and Managing Your Emotions
chapter |24 pages
What Self-Destructive Behaviors Really Mean
part |46 pages
Why “Letting Go” Is Hard To Do
chapter |5 pages
Learning About The “Cycle” of Self-Destructive Behaviors
chapter |5 pages
What Sets the Cycle in Motion?
chapter |7 pages
Understanding Negative Thoughts and Feelings
chapter |4 pages
Experiencing Tension and Anxiety
chapter |6 pages
What Happens When You “Zone out” and Don't Feel Pain?
chapter |5 pages
Engaging in Acts of Self-Harm
chapter |4 pages
Why it Works in the Short Term
chapter |4 pages
Why it Doesn't Work in the Long Term
chapter |4 pages
How Feeling Bad Leads to More Pain
part |132 pages
Working with and Moving Beyond Self-Destructive Behaviors