Clinical psychologist Nancy Stella’s nonfiction debut lays out six steps to overcoming trauma and self-defeating behavior with the promise that it’s based on the “latest discoveries on the human brain.” Drawing on examples from her own life as well as her clinical practice, Stella establishes a clear framework for working through anxiety and provides straightforward, relatable examples for practical application of steps designed to help “Create a Courageous Brain” and face fears of failure, being alone, confrontation, and more. Readers will be challenged to explore their own “patterns of self-sabotage” through Stella’s detailed review of these same patterns evident in her shared anecdotes, and she demonstrates how to “imagine the worst-case scenario,” prompting readers to put their fears into a healthier perspective.

Stella addresses a common, limiting fear (fear of rejection; fear of the unknown) in each of the guide’s six chapters and illuminates each with anecdotes to help readers understand her first step toward facing it: “tell your story.” She emphasizes the importance of recognizing mental and emotional triggers, such as a person with abandonment issues experiencing anxiety when their partner forgets a date or a promised phone call. Once a fear and its triggers have been thoroughly identified and described, she urges meditation to help readers move forward with courage and purpose, and includes meditation exercises tied to specific “fear traps.” Dr. Stella ends each chapter with a description of her anecdotal patients living their lives free from the anxieties that chained them before.

Readers who have experienced talk therapy or dived into much mental health-related literature will already be familiar with the basic steps of identifying and engaging with anxiety in order to move past it. Regardless of novelty, this is a solid primer, written with clarity in the voice of an encouraging coach, offering a good reminder of how to examine thoughts as objectively as possible to remove the power of past traumas and anxieties.

Takeaway: A good primer for readers starting out on the journey to cope with anxiety and trauma.

Great for fans of: Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear, Craig Groeschel’s Winning the War in Your Mind.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A