We know what it's like to worry from time to time, but for some of us, our worrying can take over and have a serious impact on our lives. When our anxiety gets out of hand and starts to dominate our lives, affecting how we function and our general sense of wellbeing, it's time to do something about it.

This accessible self-help guide provides the reader with a clear understanding of how problem anxiety develops, the kinds of problems it's causing them and sets out ground-breaking Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) techniques to overcome their anxiety .

CFT was initially developed by Professor Paul Gilbert OBE, author of the bestselling The Compassionate Mind which set out his ground-breaking approach, to treat those with high levels of shame and self-criticism. It uses the proven, research-based techniques of CBT and other therapies with a special focus on the importance of developing inner compassion, in order to alleviate feelings of shame, develop a more balanced outlook and promote resilience. It incorporates elements of mindfulness and Tibetan Buddhism with recent research on human development and studies of the brain. It is increasingly used to treat a wide range of emotional and psychological problems including depression, overeating, shyness, trauma, anxiety and anger.

Dr Dennis Tirch is the Founder and Director of The Center for Mindfulness and Compassion Focused CBT in Nyack, New York, and serves as the Associate Director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy (AICT) in Manhattan. He is a New York State licensed psychologist, and Diplomate and Fellow of The Academy of Cognitive Therapy. As an educator, Dr Tirch serves as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College. He has also served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Albert Einstein Medical School, and as an instructor to psychiatric residents at New York Medical College. He is a founding member of the New York City Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Association