You’ve Got This: Seven Steps to a Life You Love

In her first book, clinical psychologist Dunbar addresses self-doubt, anxiety, and other debilitating emotions that often affect women. A clinical psychologist in the UK who has worked for both the NHS and in private practice, Dunbar presents her book as an “ongoing guide.” She combines a variety of techniques and exercises to change negative feelings into positives. She examines adverse behaviors such as anxiety, overthinking, imposter syndrome, people-pleasing, and perfectionism/fear of failure. Each chapter includes a description of a particular emotion (often accompanied by helpful drawings), case studies that describe how a paralyzing behavior can undermine an individual or their confidence, and reflection exercises to confront these feelings. The author includes a chapter related to highly sensitive people, a trait not often discussed outside of psychology. She also introduces the concept of neuroplasticity with an exercise that allows readers to trim away unhealthy thought conduits and create new, beneficial ones.