Here are the self-help books I have written that may be of interest to you. Professional and text books are listed in "My Credentials."
HELP FOR WORRIED KIDS: How Your Child Can Conquer Anxiety and Fear . By Cynthia G. Last, Ph.D. Guilford Press: 2006. Available in hardcover and paperback at major bookstores or online at www.amazon.com .
If you are a parent of a 2- to 12-year-old struggling with anxiety, this book's for you. It's also equally useful for mental health professionals, pediatricians, school personnel, and others who work with children and families.
HELP FOR WORRIED KIDS differentiates between normal anxieties- those expected of kids of different ages-and those that have "crossed the line"- problems that are in need of attention. The book includes strategies for preventing episodes of anxiety before they start, demonstrates how to intervene when one is in progress, and offers tips on how to keep anxiety from worsening as children mature. You will learn to be consistent and encouraging as your child develops the confidence needed to face and conquer worries of every kind.
Contents include:
I. Understanding Your Anxious Child
1. Do You Have An Anxious Child?
2. The Many Faces of Childhood Anxiety
3. Nature or Nurture?: The Causes of Childhood Anxiety
Disorders
II. The Anxiety Disorders of Childhood
4. "Will You Still Be There Tomorrow?": Separation Anxiety
Disorder
5. "But Mom, What If?!": Generalized Anxiety Disorder
6. Over and Over Again: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
7. Self-Conscious to a Fault: Social Anxiety Disorder
8. "Mommy, Daddy, I'm Afraid!": Specific Phobias
HELP FOR WORRIED KIDS has been translated into several other languages and has received recognition from valued sources, like Publisher's Weekly.
WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS BIPOLAR: Help and Support for You and Your Partner . By Cynthia G. Last, Ph.D. Guilford Press, 2009. Available in hardcover and paperback at major bookstores or online at www.amazon.com .
When bipolar disorder afflicts the person you love, you suffer too. How have other couples learned to manage the relationship strains caused by this illness? What can you do to provide your partner with truly helpful nurturance and support? No one cares more deeply about these questions than Dr. Cynthia Last, a highly regarded therapist/researcher. Sharing stories and solutions from her own experience and the couples she has treated, Dr. Last offers heartfelt, practical guidance for getting through the out-of-control highs and the devastating lows--together. WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS BIPOLAR shows how you can help your spouse come to terms with a bipolar diagnosis, get the most out of treatment, and reduce or prevent future mood episodes, while also taking care of yourself.
Contents include:
I. Understanding Your Anxious Child
1. Do You Have An Anxious Child?
2. The Many Faces of Childhood Anxiety
3. Nature or Nurture?: The Causes of Childhood Anxiety
Disorders
II. The Anxiety Disorders of Childhood
4. "Will You Still Be There Tomorrow?": Separation Anxiety
Disorder
5. "But Mom, What If?!": Generalized Anxiety Disorder
6. Over and Over Again: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
7. Self-Conscious to a Fault: Social Anxiety Disorder
8. "Mommy, Daddy, I'm Afraid!": Specific Phobias
WHEN SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS BIPOLAR has been acknowledged from respected sources, including The Literary Review.
THE 5 REASONS WHY WE OVEREAT: How To Develop a Long-Term Weight Loss Program That's Right for You. By Cynthia G. Last, Ph.D. Birch Lane Press: 1999. Available in hardcover online at www.amazon.com .
THE 5 REASONS WHY WE OVEREAT offers a psychological, cognitive-behavioral approach to weight loss based on the premise that overeating is a symptom of emotional or behavioral problems. The book is for people who have been on countless diets but still have trouble controlling their weight. Professionals working with individuals who are overweight, compulsive eaters, or binge eaters also will find this book extremely helpful.
Readers are given individualized treatment plans based on the causes of their overeating, the five most common of which include:
- THE IMPULSE EATER who has an inattentive and impulsive eating style;
- THE HEDONIST who uses food as a form of pleasure and entertainment;
- THE STRESS REDUCER who uses food to alleviate tension and anxiety;
- THE AVOIDER who eats to escape dealing with life's problems;
- THE ENERGIZER who uses food as a mood lifter or escape from boredom
Through real cases, self-tests, and psychological exercises you will learn how to take control of the destructive emotions and behaviors that lead you to overeat. If you have tried many diets yet still struggle with being overweight, this may well be the last book you'll ever need to read about weight loss.
THE 5 REASONS WHY WE OVEREAT has had extensive media coverage by magazines, newspapers, radio and television shows, including an appearance by Dr. Last on ABC's "The View."