As an individual that struggles with anxiety and depression that have worsened in the last few years, Taming Fear in the Age of Covid by Dr. Winfried Sedhoff is the perfect place to begin tackling fears. This beautiful book is divided into two parts: Fear is a Charlatan and From Fear Monster to Friend.

The first part of the book goes into detail about the trauma experienced by most human beings and the power it takes to tame this fear. Through real-life experiences (including his own), Dr. Winfried goes into the science of the human brain and how it can rewrite fears.

The second part of this book goes into actionable steps that one can take to overcome their fear. He shares the feeling of lack of interpersonal communication and isolation during COVID, transmission and how it occurs, and unknowns associated with the COVID-19 virus. One of the tips that he gave that has increased my productivity instead of obsessing over unfinished work is the notepad trick. He shares that when he was an intern, he carried with him a large notepad everywhere, and he wrote down everything. A daytime task diary has become part of his routine and is now part of my routine to increase efficiency. This helps us stay in the present and not stress about the future. After all, “Mindfulness taps into a secret about the fear we have just learned: the brain can only be afraid if it considers the future.”

It is important to know that this is not the kind of book one can read in one sitting. The actionable steps in part two of the book require practice and mindfulness before moving on to the next stage of practice. Yes, there are stories about how certain people overcome anxiety and depression. However, healing does not take one day, just as Rome was not built in a day. I rate the book four out of five stars. Through the practices that Dr. Winfried gives, one releases so much tension and anxiety that one was not aware they carried, which is both a beautiful and sad experience.   

Pages: 304 | ASIN : B0BF8213Z6