Clay Tucker-Ladd spotlights his work

Psychological Self-Help (http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/) is a free, entirely online text reviewing and summarizing thousands of self-help books and articles. It is thorough and comprehensive, being over 1000 pages, citing more than 2000 references in print, and linking to hundreds of Web sites. Being online also means it is searchable, included on hundreds of search engines and Web directories, and capable of being modified and updated within hours of important findings being published. Internal links also make it quick and easy to connect with other related parts of the text.

The book, which has been 30 years in the making and used with over 3000 students, deals with all kinds of problems. This encyclopedic coverage is necessary, if you are dealing with groups or classes in which individuals have their own unique problems and/or hopes for improvement. The Table of Contents makes problem-oriented topics easy to find.

There are chapters on How to Change Yourself; Finding Values and Morals to Live By; Behavior, Motivation & Self-Control (including procrastination, addictions, bad habits); Stress, Trauma, Anxiety, Fears and Health; Depression and Self-Concept (including suicide, loneliness, perfectionism, guilt); Anger and Aggression (including abuse, prejudice, jealousy); Dependency and Conformity; Personality and Relationships (including family problems, gender roles); Dating, Love, Marriage & Sex (including marital problems, unfaithfulness, divorce, premarital sex, sexual problems); Methods for Changing Behavior; Methods for Changing Emotions; Methods for Learning Useful Skills; Methods for Changing Our Thinking; Methods for Gaining Insight into Ourselves. Very detailed instructions are given for when and how to make the changes you want to make. The research, if any, supporting each method is described, along with a discussion of common problems encountered in the use of the method.

As a brief illustration of the process, a procrastinator who reads Psychological Self-Help might take these steps. He could use the search engine to find procrastination in chapter 4 (or go to the chapter index). By reading that section, he gets some idea what kind of procrastinator he is, e.g. the relaxed, fun-seeking type or the tense-afraid type. If he decides to make changes, different treatment plans are needed depending on the dynamics of his style of procrastination. Next he will read chapter 2—How to Change—and develop a simple but individualized strategy. For example, if he is a "fun-seeking type", he will probably use cognitive methods (chapter 14) to challenge his distaste for work, to become more acutely aware of his self-cons and diversions, and to make realistic life plans to achieve his goals. The task here is to do what needs to be done and still have some fun. If he is a "tense-afraid type", cognitive methods might be needed to reduce the dread of work and the fear of failing, to change his procrastinating ways of thinking into productive ways, and to faithfully provide enjoyable breaks from work.

Either way, the final plan will surely involve To-Be-Done Lists to help him remember and prioritize detailed daily schedules, keep careful records of what has been accomplished every day, and implement a powerful reward system (Chapter 11) to reinforce daily, weekly and long-term achievements. What is the outcome for our procrastinator? He graduates from college with honors and is offered graduate assistantships by three prestigious universities!

If one pays attention to the prevalence of social-emotional-psychological problems in the world, it becomes clear that the solution is not individual psychotherapy at $100+ an hour or reading a couple of chapters in Health Studies school books. Consider this: 50% of all Americans between 15 and 54 have had a diagnosable (that means it is serious) mental or emotional disorder sometime during their lives. Twenty-five percent have had a serious psychiatric problem within the last year. Twenty percent are having a psychological problem right now. Fifty million are at least mildly depressed (200,000 attempt suicide every year). Yearly, 20 million are highly anxious, 10 million+ are alcoholic, 10 million arrested, 5 million schizophrenic, 12 million abused by a spouse, and 10% to 20% of our children and teenagers have "serious emotional problems."

And that is just in the USA, where we have lots of psychologists, social workers, doctors, hospitals, clinics and health insurance. We must not shut our eyes to all this pain. We--the world, not just the United States--need much more education directed at coping with problems early and preventing so many major life-disrupting problems. Except for years of education, what other approach is possible?

How much could psychological material put online add to this mental health educational process? The feedback I have received from 272 readers offers some encouragement:

About 92% of the people giving feedback rated Psychological Self-Help as "comprehensive enough," but 7% said that more information was needed in specific areas. 97% judged the information in the text as "easily understood" (but some commented they didn't have the time to read and use the information). On a 5-point Overall Rating scale, 63% rated Psychological Self-Help as a 5--"one of the best," and 34% rated it a 4—"a very good source." There were two ratings of 3—"average," one rating of 2—"Not great," and three ratings of 1—"Well, you tried!"

A sample of reader comments: "excellent source;" "it has helped me;" "where can I buy the book?" "very supportive;" "persuaded me to seek therapy;" "led me to great material;" "a detailed and in depth review;" "my problems are ____ (a request for help);" "I'm telling everyone about Psychological Self-Help."

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Clay Tucker-Ladd Bio

Clay Tucker-Ladd, who has a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology, has taught psychology and/or done psychotherapy for 42 years. Writing this Psychological Self-Help has taken 32 years, thus far. He has also been Chief Psychologist in a Psychiatry Clinic, Director of a Counseling and Testing Center, Chairman of a Psychology Department, Professor, and now Professor Emeritus.

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