120,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery πŸš€ Auckland Bookstore β€’ Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

When Thoughts Get Stuck

Peace of Mind in the Battle Against OCD
Brief Description
If you have felt like you are fighting against your own mind, When Thoughts Get Stuck will help you understand why. Showing you a gentle pathway to peace, it will reintroduce you to the unshakeable love of God in the midst of fear. Written by two... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of When Thoughts Get Stuck. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

If your mind feels stuck in loops of fear, doubt, or what-ifs - especially about your faith - this book offers a way forward. When Thoughts Get Stuck is the grace-filled, shame-breaking companion every Christian with OCD - and anyone who loves them - needs to read.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

If you have felt like you are fighting against your own mind, When Thoughts Get Stuck will help you understand why. Showing you a gentle pathway to peace, it will reintroduce you to the unshakeable love of God in the midst of fear.

Written by two people who live with OCD, this book combines personal experience with psychological insight and spiritual wisdom. Well-being Chaplain Rev Will Van Der Hart and mental health communicator Thea Joshi expose the hidden struggle of obsessive thinking - especially when it gets tangled with Christian faith.

In this book you'll discover:

  • What OCD really is (and what it's not)
  • How biblical principles and OCD mindsets interact
  • Why we can let go of persistent guilt and condemnation
  • Practical tools for handling obsessions and compulsions when they appear
  • Biblical truth and clinical insights that break the cycle of fear

Each chapter includes spiritual encouragement, expert-informed guidance, and a prayer to help you to embrace the love of God for you.

"Written with pastoral care and the warmth of personal experience, Will and Thea do a superb job of providing readers with practical tools for breaking cycles of rumination. This empowering book is a must read for church leaders and for those who struggle with OCD and obsessive thoughts."

Cheryl Donaldson, Psychologist, MA, LMFT, LCPC

"Full of hope and help."

Reverend Simon Ponsonby, Priest, author and chaplain

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781399826532

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 16 July 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: John Murray Publishers Ltd

Illustration: 8 b/w diagrams

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 176

About the Author

Will Van Der Hart (Author)

Will Van Der Hart is an executive coach and has been an Anglican priest for over twenty years. He was a founding director of the Mind and Soul Foundation, exploring the interface between faith and mental health. He is passionate about equipping people to look after their own emotional health as well as empowering them to support the emotional needs of their communities. Will is the author of a number of books including Mind Fuel, The Worry Book, The Perfectionism Book, The Guilt Book, The Power of Belonging, The Stuff of Life, The Pregnancy Book and Mind Fuel for Young Explorers. You can follow him on Instagram at @willvanderhart

Thea Joshi (Author)

Thea Joshi is the communications director for a national mental health charity. She is fiercely passionate about churches becoming safe spaces for anyone living with a mental health difficulty. She lives in Nottingham and loves tea, dogs and the facepalm emoji. You can follow her on Instagram at @theajoshiwrites

Also by Will Van Der Hart

View all
  • Mind Fuel for Young Explorers
    Pre-order
    Mind Fuel for Young Explorers
    Bear Grylls draws on his survival experience to share the principles that have helped him overcome fear, develop a positive mindset, and live life with confidence. Written with emotional health advocate Will Van Der Hart, Mind Fuel for Young Explorers offers you practical ways to increase your resilience, combat stress, and learn more about yourself. Brilliantly illustrated throughout and including...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    Pre-order
    Out 19 Jan 2027
  • Mind Fuel for Young Explorers
    Bear Grylls draws on his survival experience to share the principles that have helped him overcome fear, develop a positive mindset, and live life with confidence. Written with emotional health advocate Will Van Der Hart, Mind Fuel for Young Explorers offers you practical ways to help you increase your resilience, combat stress, and learn more about yourself. Brilliantly illustrated throughout...
    Hardback
    Sold Out

More from Health & Wellness

View all
  • Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story (Expanded Edition)
    Honour his legacy with the greatest gift of allβ€”his story. The Official Hear Your Story Collection Your dad's story is more than just memoriesβ€”it's a journey filled with wisdom, experiences, and defining moments that shaped his life. Dad, I Want to Hear Your Story is a guided journal that gives him the chance to share those stories in his own...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Age Code
    What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' β€” Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' β€” Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' β€” Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe there’s one...
    Paperback
    $2999
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Crescent City Paperback Box Set
    A beautiful box set containing all three paperback instalments of the Crescent City series from #1 bestselling global phenomenon Sarah J. Maas. BOUND BY BLOOD. TEMPTED BY DESIRE. UNLEASHED BY DESTINY. Maas has established herself as a fantasy fiction titan - Time Think Game of Thrones meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a drizzle of E.L. James – Telegraph Spiced...
    Set
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    "What Were You Thinking!?"
    Everything parents need to know about their baby, child or teen's developing brain to raise resilient, emotional intelligent kids, by globally renowned neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis. 'What were you thinking!?'If you've ever asked this in despair while watching a toddler melt down, a tween push boundaries or a teenager make a truly terrible decision, this book is for you.InΒ "What Were...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Surviving White Island
    Surviving White Island - Surviving the unsurvivable. Healing from the unhealable. This is an inspiring memoir of physical and mental recovery, from someone who lived through the Whakaari White Island volcanic eruption. "I heard someone say, 'Wow!' And someone else exclaimed, 'Look at that!' I had my back to the crater. I turned around. The moment I saw it, I...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Strangers
    The must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, based on the iconic Modern Love essay in the New York Times and perfect for fans of Glennon Doyle. "A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship" β€” Joyce Carol Oates How do we go on when a loved one betrays us?...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • 2027 Witch's Diary - Southern Hemisphere
    From the bestselling authors of Spellcasting, which has now sold over 250,000 copies worldwide, comes the essential witchy journal to plan your days, harness magick, and connect with higher powers. Features include: 8" x 6" (8" x 12" open) Beautiful glossy gold gatefold cover Compact size, perfect to carry in your bag and keep on you throughout the day 12-month...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Power of Hormones
    For decades, three vital hormones in the female body, progesterone, estrogen andtestosterone, have been misunderstood, dismissed and feared. Their critical roles inimproving function of women's brains, bones, hearts and long-term health have beenignored. Confusion between natural, body identical hormones and synthetic, chemically altered'hormones' has fuelled fear, distorted medical guidelines and shaped media narratives.The result? Countless women struggling with hormone imbalances...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Eat Your Ice Cream
    The New York Times bestseller that presents a bold new vision for living well and ageing with purpose from a world-renowned health expert THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a leading doctor and world-renowned health expert, the simple, uplifting and practical guide to cutting through the wellness noise, living well and ageing with purpose. β€˜Essential reading for anyone who...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Atomic Habits
    Atomic Habits by James Clear is a transformative guide that demonstrates how tiny, incremental changes in behaviour can fundamentally reshape your life. Rather than urging sweeping transformations, Clear advocates for the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions. Whether it’s performing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes earlier, or making a brief, focused phone call, these minuscule adjustments,...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Baby Food Bible
    Baby Food Bible takes the fuss out of introducing solids to your baby with 100+ nutritionist-approved recipes that the whole family will love. Forget about making a separate meal for your baby; the simple recipes in this book are family favourites that everyone can enjoy. Featuring highly nutritional, easy meals and snacks, many of the recipes in this book can...
    Hardback
    $4700
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Better Never Stops
    New Release
    Better Never Stops
    The Art and Science of Continuous Improvement From delinquent to doctor, Paul Wood knows first-hand how far we can take our lives if we address what holds us back. At the age of 18, Wood was sent to New Zealand's toughest prison. Almost 11 years later, in 2006, he walked out a free man, escaping his past and becoming a...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.