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David Carbonell calls panic a trick your body plays, one that feels life-threatening but isn’t. This workbook shows you, exercise by exercise, how to stop falling for it. It’s hands-on in the best way.
What this book is about
Carbonell, a clinical psychologist who treats anxiety full time, offers a guided program for panic built on cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. The focus is practice, not theory: you learn by doing, with worksheets and real exercises.
Who this book may help
It fits well if you:
- Have panic attacks and want a step-by-step program to work through
- Learn best by doing exercises rather than just reading
- Are ready to practice facing the sensations you fear
- Want a warm, experienced guide leading the way
Key tools in the book
You’ll map your panic pattern, practice meeting physical sensations rather than fighting them, and rehearse going into situations you’ve been avoiding. Carbonell’s approach to accepting discomfort, instead of bracing against it, runs through the whole program.
Clinical strengths
The workbook format turns good ideas into daily practice, which is where change actually happens. Carbonell writes with warmth and hard-won experience, and the updated edition sharpens the exercises. The “panic trick” framing helps many people stop feeding the fear.
Limitations
Facing feared sensations on purpose takes nerve, and some people need a coach’s steady presence to do it. A workbook can’t rule out medical causes of your symptoms, either. If panic is frequent or severe, please work through this with professional support.
My recommendation
I like this for people who want to get to work on panic in a concrete way. It complements panic disorder treatment nicely, since the exposure exercises are easier to attempt with someone in your corner. Do the exercises in order, keep at the harder ones, and let practice build your confidence.
View Panic Attacks Workbook on Amazon
This review is for general education and isn’t a substitute for professional care. If you’re struggling, a licensed mental health professional can help you find the right next step.
Dr. Joseph S. Weiss is a psychologist in Seattle, WA. He works with people dealing with anxiety, OCD, panic, insomnia, and phobias, drawing on CBT, EMDR, and other approaches with strong research behind them. He thinks of anxiety as a solvable problem.
