Joelle's Bibliofile

Be Mighty: A Woman’s Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance by Jill Stoddard promotes a novel therapeutic approach within contemporary context and leverages cultural references in a way that is accessible and entertaining.  Stoddard begins by explaining why there is such a prevalence of anxiety in western culture, particularly among women. She points out that inherent inequality, unrealistic expectations, shifting gender roles and competition have exacerbated a problem that is already endemic to our society.  The author lays out the ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) theory by clearly explaining its concepts and terminology; and demonstrating how the theory is uniquely suited for today. ACT uses the popular ideas behind the Mindfulness movement, adding acceptance and committed action goals to propose a new way of viewing and managing anxiety. The book reinforces the concrete steps for adopting this approach with interspersed journal prompts and summarizing “Takeaways” at the conclusion of each chapter.  Personal anecdotes and case studies help to illustrate outcomes that have been experienced using ACT and underscore its easy implementation.  Potential obstacles, both internal and external, are addressed with suggested strategies for overcoming some common pitfalls. The book is concise and well-structured for the non-clinician, and Stoddard’s warm colloquial tone is inviting for the reader. Pop culture references and some humorous metaphors make for easy digestion, but occasionally miss the mark and may serve to date the book prematurely. Overall, Be Mighty is a solid introduction to ACT and a helpful tool for those seeking an alternative approach to managing the distress faced by many modern women.

Thanks to the author, New Harbinger Press and Library Thing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.