"Embracing Anxiety" by Karla McLaren offers a refreshing perspective on anxiety, presenting it not as a burden to be eradicated but as a natural and essential aspect of the human experience. McLaren's approach is compassionate and empowering, encouraging readers to embrace their anxiety as a valuable source of information and insight. Drawing on her extensive experience as an emotions researcher and educator, McLaren provides practical tools and exercises to help readers understand and navigate their anxiety more effectively. However, some readers may find the book overly theoretical, with a lack of concrete strategies for managing anxiety in everyday life. Additionally, while McLaren emphasizes the importance of self-compassion, the book could benefit from more explicit guidance on cultivating this mindset. Overall, "Embracing Anxiety" merits a three-star rating for its innovative perspective and valuable insights, but may leave some readers wishing for more actionable advice.

This was an interesting read, well written and not hard to digest or comprehend. The author works through how we can learn to embrace anxiety, practice different coping skills and hold other emotions with our anxiety. Overall, a good read.

I'm a big fan of Karen McLaren's books, and this book does not disappoint. McLaren offers useful insights into anxiety and how to address it. Highly recommended.

My son suffers from Anxiety, I read this book hoping for suggestions to help him with this often debilitating condition. Some very interesting points and thoughts we are going to try out.

This was a different approach in dealing with anxiety. The author details how the reader can not only accept their anxiety, but utilize it to assist in performing tasks. The concept of Hidden Emotion Professionals was unique and something I had never heard of before reading this book. I suffer from anxiety and am going to try this approach.

In Embracing Anxiety, Karla McLaren suggests that all of our emotions, including anxiety, are messengers with special gifts to support us. I found her unique perspective on how to identify and work with emotions very interesting. I don’t know that I agree with all of her ideas, but they have certainly given me a lot to think about and experiment with.

I really liked this book’s focus on the ways each of our emotions can help us, and I was fascinated by her concept of hidden emotion professionals (people whose work requires them to stay in one emotion). However, while I liked the ideas presented here, I struggled with the repetitious presentation. After my initial excitement wore off, I found reading the book a bit of a slog. It was worth sticking with it though, because I do think the author’s suggestions will help me develop a more positive relationship with my emotions.

The book includes an appendix on helping children embrace their anxiety, notes, and recommended resources.

I recommend this to anyone who is interested in understanding emotions.

I was provided an unproofed ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

Embracing anxiety helps the reader get to know their emotions on a personal level and teaches the purpose for each emotion. Focusing on anxiety, the author offers strategies that we can individualize to help us find our balance with anxiety.
I read this during the global pandemic and it couldn't have come at a better time. I was able to find the balance necessary to continue to work remotely and navigate the change to isolation.
This author does a wonderful job of repetition on purpose. Since I didn't read this in one sitting, I never had to go back and refresh my memory on different strategies or acronyms. I was also able to try these strategies in a layering format - start with one and add on another when I felt ready.
I highly recommend this book. I feel a deeper understanding and a stronger connection to my own emotions, especially the one that has challenged me all my life - anxiety.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is surprising good. I'm confident it won't work for everyone, but there are some unique approaches here that are bound to help lots of people. I'm lucky that I don't feel anxious very much, and didn't read the book for that reason. I thought it would be interesting, and it is, as well as being helpful. One of the most helpful aspects is identifying and clarifying anxiety and other emotions, which can be surprisingly subtle. This is not a quick read, and requires thought and self exploration. I think a lot readers will benefit from this one.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!