In healthy, moderate amounts, anxiety is a helpful tool meant to alert a person to danger and prepare the body for response. However, when levels of anxiety rise out of control, signaling the body to brace itself when there isn’t, in fact, any danger present, anxiety can become an exhausting, debilitating source of pain. When left unmanaged, intense and excessive fear over everyday situations can rob individuals of opportunities and satisfaction and deplete their self-esteem. Fortunately, there is hope, and people suffering with anxiety can learn simple techniques to help them regain ground and lead a happier, more fulfilled, and less anxious life.

In First Steps Out of Anxiety, psychologist Kate Middleton reveals how anxiety works, explaining the roles of thought patterns and the body’s chemical balances. Drawing on real-life stories as well as her own experience of overcoming a phobia, Kate lays out a path to recovery that is compassionate, easy to follow, and perfect for anyone wishing to take the first steps to recovery.