Description:
In "The Mindful Way through Anxiety," clinical psychologists Susan M. Orsillo, PhD, and Lizabeth Roemer, PhD, present a practical, evidence-based approach to managing chronic worry and reclaiming inner peace. The book’s core message challenges the deeply ingrained belief that the only way to deal with anxiety is to fight it, control it, or avoid it—strategies that often lead to addictive behaviors. Instead, the authors guide readers through the process of mindful acceptance.
Drawing on their extensive clinical research, Orsillo and Roemer teach that true freedom from anxiety comes from bringing a gentle, non-judgmental awareness to anxious thoughts and physical sensations. This mindful approach interrupts the habitual cycle of worry and struggle that fuels chronic anxiety. The book provides step-by-step practices, journaling exercises, and meditations to help readers cultivate presence, embrace difficult emotions, and choose constructive, values-driven actions over avoidance. For those in recovery, this book is an invaluable resource for addressing the root anxiety that often drives substance use, providing a sustainable and compassionate method for building emotional resilience.
Study Guide for Recovery
This study guide is designed to help you explore the concepts in "The Mindful Way through Anxiety" and apply them to your own journey of healing from worry and addictive habits.
Key Themes & Concepts
- Acceptance vs. Struggle: The fundamental shift from fighting anxiety (which increases suffering) to mindfully accepting its presence (which decreases its power).
- The Cycle of Worry and Avoidance: Recognizing that the addictive tendency to escape uncomfortable feelings is the same mechanism that perpetuates chronic worry.
- Mindfulness for Sensation: Learning to bring non-judgmental awareness to the physical sensations of anxiety (e.g., racing heart, tight chest), preventing them from triggering a reactive thought spiral or a craving.
- Reclaiming Your Life: Using mindful presence and acceptance to choose a life guided by your values, rather than one dictated by fear and chronic worry.
Discussion Questions
- What is one recurring worry or anxious thought that often precedes a craving for an addictive behavior? How can you practice mindful acceptance toward that thought today?
- Think about the physical sensations of your anxiety. When you feel anxious, what is one way you can bring a gentle, non-judgmental awareness to that physical feeling, rather than trying to suppress it?
- The book advocates for stopping the struggle against anxiety. What is one way you have tried to control or avoid anxiety in the past, and what is a new, mindful response you can try instead?
- The goal is reclaiming your life. What is one small, values-driven action you can take today, even if a feeling of anxiety is present, to move your recovery forward?
- How does understanding the connection between chronic anxiety and the drive to escape help you to be more compassionate with yourself in your recovery journey?
Additional Resources
- Video: "Mindfulness for Anxiety - Authors' Teachings"
- Watch a video or lecture by one of the authors, Susan Orsillo or Lizabeth Roemer, where they discuss the key principles of their treatment model. (Search "Susan Orsillo Lizabeth Roemer mindfulness anxiety" on YouTube.)
- Article: "Mindfulness for Anxiety and Substance Use"
- This article from a mental health resource discusses the strong overlap between anxiety disorders and substance use and the effectiveness of mindfulness in treating both. (Search "mindfulness for anxiety and addiction overlap".)
- Resource: Guided Meditation for Anxiety:
- Access a free, guided audio meditation designed specifically to help you manage anxiety and chronic worry through mindful breathing and body awareness. (Search "mindfulness for anxiety guided meditation".)
- Website: The Authors' Clinical Resource Site:
- Explore the clinical and public resources provided by the authors related to their mindfulness-based treatment approach. (Search "Susan Orsillo Lizabeth Roemer professional site".)