Book Review

Abstract

Healing Personal Depression and Anxiety for Good: The Only Self-Help Solution You'll Ever Need. Jasenn Zaejian. Huntington Beach, CA: Related Publishing & Consulting, 2011, 384 pp., $32.72Healing Personal Depression and Anxiety for Good offers readers the opportunity to learn self-help strategies in a world that is grappling with ever-increasing num- bers of individuals diagnosed widi mental disorders (World Health Organization, 2012). As stated in the Preface, "... I have seen people struggling with depression and anxiety, often without an understanding that they can heal themselves." This work is an addition to a genre of literature that espouses that when individuals engage in a practice of holistic wellness (Mumber & Reed, 2012; Myers & Sweeney, 2008) they tend to experi- ence higher levels of life satisfaction in the arenas of mind, body, and spirit.Zaejian, a clinical psychologist, has engaged in extensive training experiences to enhance his professional practice. Readers will appreciate his transparency in communi- cating his personal experiences in therapy and in daily life to illuminate the strategies that he provides within his writing, as in Chapter 10 where he writes, "I was occupied with thoughts of having a boring work life and unpleasant personal life, as 'who else would want to get involved with a person like me'. . . my low self esteem [sic] mantra."Dr. Zaejian's personal recollections will likely resonate with readers who have encoun- tered similar experiences. To this end, he offers various techniques that may be met with mixed reviews. Examples of proposed self-help strategies include but are not limited to (a) finishing emotional business, (b) understanding downtime and uptime, (c) mindful- ness, and (d) "tapping." Although individuals may be able to use these techniques, it is difficult to ascertain the effectiveness with which diey could be executed if the actor does not have a better understanding of the theoretical underpinnings that ground them.What I appreciate about Dr. Zaejian's work is that it empowers readers to consider their will or desire to create change in their lives. He clearly elucidates the differences in Chapter 5 when discussing the success rates of those who "try" and those who "do," ". . . 'doing' will result in success, whereas 'trying' will only result in failure." This delivery offers readers a type of confrontation diat is often lacking in the self-help arena. Widiin Chapter 5 and subsequent chapters are many practical interventions that can be useful in daily life, often die things that individuals forget to do or neglect when they are disempowered by psychological symptoms. He is very clear in communicating that although health and relational issues can exacerbate symptoms of mental illness, it is not always necessary to go to a doctor and get a pill to "fix" the problem. It is with this springboard that he creates a forum to discuss die origins of anxiety and depression as well as avenues individuals can use to alleviate dieir symptoms, which includes the following subjects:* Depression and nutrition* Psychological and physiological symptoms that create depression* Sleep and insomnia* Cognitive exercises for decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety* Yoga and mindfulness practices* Physical exercises for decreasing symptoms of anxiety* Relational issues that can create anxiety and depressionThe aforementioned subjects are presented in an eclectic style, using various theories from multiple disciplines diat include psychotherapy, but branch out into other healing traditions, such as energy psychology. …