All of us experience complicated thoughts and feelings as we negotiate the day, and these feelings can be difficult to manage. Sometimes we are aware that the way we think contributes to our difficulties, but don,t know what to do about it. This book demonstrates how we tend to respond to stressful events with self-defeating thoughts and behaviours. It explains how it is within our ability to interrupt and challenge these patterns and change habitual responses. Learning to recognise when negative perceptions contribute to stressful situations and how to dispute these thoughts can lead to much greater personal contentment and a sense of control. The methods outlined in this book are based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), the standard psychological technique used by therapists. It brings these principles within the grasp of the non-specialist and shows how to apply them to deal with such difficult emotions as anger, depression, anxiety and guilt.