How to Cope – The Welcoming Approach to Life’s Challenges

How You Can Turn Distress into Helpful Action

The gentle and powerful way to turn feelings of distress into helpful action

‘Life can be demanding enough without us causing ourselves greater upset because we “don’t feel happy”. Instead, let’s welcome all our feelings of distress, all our thoughts and beliefs about life’s challenges, and focus on transforming these in a way that is helpful for us.’

In How to Cope, psychologist and clinical director of depression awareness charity Aware Dr Claire Hayes takes a good look at our thoughts and how they can affect us, demonstrating how each of us can use cognitive behavioural principles to help us cope. In a very clear, practical way she shows us how to make sense of our distressing feelings, to become aware of our unhelpful thoughts and our core beliefs, and most of all, to focus on what we can actually do to improve things for ourselves. Rather than trying to suppress or ignore negative thoughts and feelings of distress, she invites us to welcome them as messengers asking us to do something helpful to improve things.

Using her unique techniques such as the ‘Coping Triangle’ and ‘Coping Sentences’, Dr Hayes shows us how to proactively manage life’s challenges, such as pressure, rejection, loss, failure, success and change. Real-life case studies illustrate the success of Dr Hayes’s approach, while practical exercises and advice make it accessible to all readers.

How to Cope is the ideal book is for anyone who has suffered from stress, anxiety or depression, and for their friends and family.

’Thoughts, no matter how awful they seem, cannot do us any harm unless we actually believe them! Think it’s not that easy? Well, maybe it is!’

‘A standout volume that will prove a timely resource for those navigating the pressures of daily living in a society that is in danger of burning out.’
Dr Declan Lyons, Consultant Psychiatrist in St Patrick’s Hospital, Dublin