If Only… Finding Freedom from Regret

Its hard to envision a life without some regrets.You imagine what might have been if you had taken a different path at some key juncture, whether about a past relationship, a missed job opportunity, or choosing where to live. Regret can be immobilizing, filling us with disappointment and shame--but it also can be a powerful tool for self-knowledge and change. In this uplifting guide, renowned psychologist Robert Leahy demonstrates how to make regret work to your advantage. Using cutting-edge skills based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, Dr. Leahy shows how to get unstuck from regret and make decisions with more clarity and confidence. Downloadable practical tools help you implement the strategies in the book. You are the author of your life, so go out and write the next chapter--and then live it.

Introduction Step 1. Understand Regret 1. What Is Regret? 2. How Regret Works Step 2. Learn to Make Good Decisions 3. What Assumptions Drive Your Decisions and Feed Your Regret? 4. How Do You Perceive Risk? 5. Does Anticipating Regret Lead You to Action or Inaction? 6. Making a Choice Step 3. Make Regret Work for You 7. Coping Effectively with Disappointing Outcomes 8. Stepping Away from Rumination 9. Learning from Guilt 10. Using Productive Regret A Final Word. Looking Back While Looking Ahead Resources References Index

Robert L. Leahy, PhD, is Director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York City and Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Leahy is Associate Editor of the International Journal of Cognitive Therapy and is past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy, and the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. He is a recipient of the Aaron T. Beck Award from the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. Dr. Leahy is author or editor of 29 books for mental health professionals and the general public, including If Only and The Worry Cure. His books have been translated into 21 languages.