Shrinking the Smirch

Shrinking the Smirch is a unique workbook for anybody who is living with a long-term physical or psychological condition, including MS, Parkinson's, brain injury, epilepsy, chronic fatigue, stroke, cancer, depression, eating disorders, trauma, or anxiety.

The workbook asks the reader to think about their symptoms as something external to them - a smirch. A smirch is an annoying little imaginary creature who seeks to make humans sad and unhealthy. It helps you work out what your smirch makes you think, feel, and do, and create an image or description of your own smirch.

It includes twenty practical ways to shrink your smirch, based on psychological approaches that have been proven to work, including narrative therapy, CBT, ACT, systemic and solution-focused models, as well as mindfulness and positive psychology. This book offers a dynamic approach to managing mental and physical health challenges.

Written in an accessible but unpatronising manner, with marvellous pictures and some positive humour, it is an easy read and will be a very useful resource for individuals with health conditions, as well as therapists, teachers, life coaches, and health professionals.