Customer Rating:
Summary: If you only read -one- book this decade...
Comment: Ancient as it may be (orginally published in 1961) in a field where "current" almost always means "superior owing to more recent discovery," Ellis's -Guide...- is the bomb if you're going to -do- cognitive, evidence-based therapy, as either a therapist or a patient.

His ten screwy ideas are nothing short of the unfortunate attitudinal watershed of the decline of Western culture. Identified, questioned, examined, uprooted and replaced with more realistic -- and functional -- notions, they can become the foundation for a belief and appraisal system by which anyone can cope with pretty much any curve ball life pitches at them.

However radical, as well as grandiosely expressed some of his ideas may seem; Basco, Beck, Seligman, Wessler, Young and all who have ridden on his coattails owe a debt to Albert... not to mention the millions whose lives have been saved and/or greatly improved by disovering for themselves how things really -are-... as opposed to what they -think- they are.

There are a lot of Ellis-authored books available, but having read several of them (as well as many of Aaron Beck's), it seems to me that this one stands out as the seminal piece for professional and lay readers alike. This is Ellis at his no-holds-barred, free-wheeling, no-nonsense best.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Nothing more to ask...
Comment: If you are going to read one self-help book in your life, this is it. Ellis has changed my life completely. No more anger, much less anxiety and depression, and a greater acceptance of myself and others. Nothing more to ask...

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Customer Rating:
Summary: how to change your life
Comment: if i could make it a law that this book be read by everyone, i would. basically, ellis and harper teach us how to understand that it is up to us whether we want to be happy. it is all within our reach. all it depends upon is our thoughts and what we tell ourselves. you can be truly happy, enjoying your life, no matter where you have been, no matter what is going on!

the authors use many examples via their clients' lives to show their readers how to live a happy, rational life.

seamingly over-simplified! but truly amazing! liberating! and awesome! when you actually do live this way.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Comment: I have never posted a review on this site before despite buying hundreds of books. I purchased this book about two months ago because of severe anxiety issues. I have recieved immediate benefits from it. The concept of awfulizing has truly changed my outlook on my entire thought process. While I know I have a long road to follow I believe this book has put me on the right track. I would highly recommend giving this book a try if you are dealing with depression or anxiety. Best of luck.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Choose a Different Book to Purchase
Comment: This review is directed to anyone deciding whether to purchase this book and also read this book. Save your time and your money; there are books far better than this one. I don't agree with any of the 5 star ratings people gave this book. The authors are writing from an ego-centered perspective; they are critical of the patients they use in examples, and they are critical of readers in that they don't believe any of us are able to "self-help" correctly. If we are not able to self-help, it is because they do not explain how in this book.

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