Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts Audiobook By Sally M. Winston PsyD, Martin N. Seif PhD cover art

Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts

A CBT-Based Guide to Getting over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts

By: Sally M. Winston PsyD, Martin N. Seif PhD
Narrated by: Senn Annis
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

You are not your thoughts! In this powerful book, two anxiety experts offer proven-effective cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills to help you get unstuck from disturbing thoughts, overcome the shame these thoughts can bring, and reduce your anxiety.

If you suffer from unwanted, intrusive, frightening, or even disturbing thoughts, you might worry about what these thoughts mean about you. Thoughts can seem like messages - are they trying to tell you something? But the truth is that they are just thoughts, and don’t necessarily mean anything. Sane and good people have them. If you are someone who is plagued by thoughts you don’t want - thoughts that scare you, or thoughts you can’t tell anyone about - this book may change your life.

In this compassionate guide, you’ll discover the different kinds of disturbing thoughts, myths that surround your thoughts, and how your brain has a tendency to get “stuck” in a cycle of unwanted rumination. You’ll also learn why common techniques to get rid of these thoughts can backfire. And finally, you’ll learn powerful cognitive behavioral skills to help you cope with and move beyond your thoughts, so you can focus on living the life you want. Your thoughts will still occur, but you will be better able to cope with them - without dread, guilt, or shame.

If you have unwanted thoughts, you should remember that you aren’t alone. In fact, there are millions of people just like you -good people who have awful thoughts, gentle people with violent thoughts, and sane people with “crazy” thoughts. This book will show you how to move past your thoughts so you can reclaim your life!

This book has been selected as an Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Book Recommendation - an honor bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools listeners can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

©2017 Sally M. Winston, PsyD and Martin N. Seif, PhD (P)2020 New Harbinger Publications Anxiety Disorders Compulsive Disorders Mental Health Personal Development Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Health Inspiring Thought-Provoking Obsessive Thoughts

Critic reviews

“This important book is essential and mandatory reading for anyone affected by unwanted and intrusive thoughts, and their health providers. The authors crystallize decades of experience into a perfectly clear and readable guide. The solution to this misunderstood problem is in this book.” (Joseph A. Adams, MD, medical director at Baltimore Health Systems and Step By Step of Maryland, LLC, and past president at Smoke Free Maryland)

“I wish I would have had access to this book twenty years ago! Sally Winston and Martin Seif have put all the pieces of the puzzle together to help people understand and overcome unwanted intrusive thoughts. This is a must-read book, packed with information to help people suffering with anxiety-provoking intrusive thoughts, as well as clinicians who are trying to help them.” (Kimberly J. Morrow, LCSW, maintains a private practice in Erie, PA; specializes in the treatment of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); provides training and case consultation for clinicians through www.anxietytraining.com; and is author of Face It and Feel It)

“It turns out that commonsense approaches to stopping our worries, such as pushing thoughts away, arguing with them, or seeking reassurance, actually feed these worries and help them grow. Sally Winston and Martin Seif—two of the brightest minds in our field - deliver a simple yet powerful two-step process for change.” (Reid Wilson, PhD, author of Stopping the Noise in Your Head)
Practical Coping Strategies • Compassionate Approach • Soothing Narration • Insightful Explanations • Immediate Relief
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
The woman’s voice is very calming and an excellent narrator.

Fantastic content.

Only complaint is the book closing on what NOT to do. It leaves you with what you’d best forget! Would prefer to leave off on the correct response to intrusive thought.

Otherwise, great book!

A game changer

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The narration is superb!! The way she switches between the 3 voices of the mind (worried voice, false comfort and wise mind) in the highlight of this audiobook.

This is a good book to understand how intrusive work.
I cut down 1 star because there should have been an accompanying PDF attached. Atleast for the 2 chapters where they explain the right response to the intrusive thoughts and the exposure techniques. About 10 of them for each chapter are provided but I don't seem to remember most of them. I'll have to go back and listen to those chapters again.

Narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book is the best anxiety CBT self training book I have ever read it is amazing.

The Best!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Very helpful with anxiety and intrusive thoughts. This book helped me immensely. It’s a nice book to have also if you need to read back and get your mind out of the repetitive thoughts

Life changing book !

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am so glad that I found this book and wish that everyone who needs it will also find it

worked when everything else failed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent advice and insight! Would recommend for anyone who struggles with unwanted repetive thoughts. Narrator had a pleasant and shooting voice.

The book I've been looking for!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I would recommend this book . Really helped me to keep practicing my exposure therapy and keep me on track with how to manage OCD from a mental perspective .

Understood OCD all types extremely well & provided real solutions , in the way of exposure therapy .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Worth the read, educational and functional, for those either suffering with intrusive thoughts or looking to help someone recover from intrusive thoughts.

Worth the read, educational and functional

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book is the medicine that I need. Every day I’m learning to apply the steps and not allow the thoughts to take control of my life.

Great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved this book. Just the opposite of what I thought. Thank you for the advice.

Opposite of what is known

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews