Anxiety is a huge issue for me. This book has a lot of useful information and tips to help with nervous energy. Definitely a book to read more than once.

An interesting book providing strategies for "high functioning" people to manage their anxiety. I did like the SLOW method for the three step breathing technique, I don't know if I will use it very often but I found it was easy enough to do and could be helpful for grounding yourself in a high stress situation.

I loved this book. The author lays it straight for high-functioning adults like me. The exercises she includes aren't overly complex and they are really helpful. I have always had trouble with the breathing part of yoga, Carmichael breaks it down into a tangible way for me to practice breathing!
I have already recommended this to friends!

I have anxiety and I'm always looking for ways to harness that energy. This book is broken up into easy-to-digest chucks, structured around nine techniques. Most of these techniques are not new: for example, scheduling worry time, or breathwork. However I like the way these ideas are presented in a structured way that will appeal to those of us who are "a little OCD." My favorite part, and something I haven't seen in other books, are the lists of "basic functioning" and "high functioning" markers. I didn't realize I've been actually functioning at a very high level! As the author states, we Nervous Energy havers tend to be very hard on ourselves. So that was a big revelation for me. I would recommend this book for recovering perfectionists, but maybe check it out from the library before purchasing.

“Amy felt stuck—and the worst part was, she was keenly aware that she was actually the person holding herself back. Her ‘nervous energy,’ which had once been a friend that provided an excited drive to be ‘on point,’ was now becoming a ‘rabbit hole’ of excessive self-criticism, anxiety, pessimism, or analysis paralysis.”

Nervous energy (often the result of being a go-getter with a high personal drive) was once was an asset to many high functioning people and has become a hinderance. Dr. Carmichael shares the nine techniques she uses in her own practice that allow people to regain their edge: The Three-Part Breath, The Zone of Control, Mental Shortlist, To-Do List with Emotions, Mind Mapping, Worry Time, Response Prevention, Thought Replacement, and Anchoring Statements.

With each technique, the author shares a case study, tools to help with implementation, and troubleshooting considerations. Of the techniques, my favorites are the zone of control and mental short list. The author also shares some reasons for high-functioning people to consider seeking therapy and tips on determining whether the therapist is a good fit as well as personal stories, such as her own experiences in finding the right therapist.

While many of the techniques felt familiar from previous self-help books and the numerous psychology courses I’ve taken, I like how they are presented in this book. The book approaches dealing with one’s nervous energy in a positive, self-compassionate way. The case studies help show the normality of dealing with the issues that many successful people struggle with. The book is well-structured for easy implementation of the techniques.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Essentials, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

I really love this book. I've honestly applied a lot of the information from this book to my own life. I did not relate to everything the author wrote, but I do feel like they provided helpful information. I recommended this book to some of my high school students who suffer from extreme anxiety.

It was a long time i read this book but I’m not the usual person to share my review, This book even short was very refreshing and was able to point down 2,3 points of it, I wish to have the physical copy and reread

Nervous Energy gives readers several tools to use to help manage anxiety. I found the 9 techniques outlined to be very helpful. The "Zone of Control" technique helps to focus what can be controlled and I can see using that tool in the future. The real life examples in the book are very helpful in relating back to something we might be dealing with ourselves. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to manage their high functioning anxiety.

The most successful among us might seem effortlessly put together, but a tendency to over-think and over-analyze can hold them back. Drawing on research evidence, CBT best practices, and her own experiences as a therapist, Dr. Carmichael offers strategies for high-functioning individuals on how to successfully manage the worst of their thinking patterns.

Our nervous energy can lead us down a path of self-criticism, anxiety and pessimism. This book offers nine tools to help you harness your nervous energy and be able to live a more productive and fulfilling life. Great tips! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is a well-researched book with a fascinating premise, and it's a valuable addition to the self-help field.

So often anxiety is seen as an incredible burden, and it is. But this book turns something that many people with anxiety can't turn off into something useful. It turns something that can feel absolutely awful into something helpful. More, the detailed worksheets the author, Chloe Carmichael, makes available on her website are also quite useful.

Chloe Carmichael does a great job at not bogging down the the book with overly esoteric language, and at keeping her examples fresh and relatable. The techniques discussed are also practical and easy to apply, and definitely gives hope to people suffering from anxiety, like me, that we don't have to fight to eliminate it (which is impossible) but can actually use our anxiety to make our lives better. Well done!

This book really hits home for a “Capital A Type A” like me, particularly in an 18 month period that’s held this much change personally (caring for ill, aging parents; heartbreak), professionally (a promotion and managing a much larger team) and globally (pandemic, racial injustice). From the intro’s “suddenly there’s more work to do than any human being could possibly double-check, there’s no syllabus or clear objectives, and there’s a team of people whose approval you’re seeking rather than just one person,” Dr. Carmichael captures the sense of languishing overwhelm I’m feeling. Though at times the author’s examples from working with exclusively highly privileged, highly functioning people in NYC can seem aloof and off-putting, the practical tips like the Three-Part Breath, speaking to yourself the way you would a good friend who asked for candid feedback, and the “To-Do List with Emotions” — since many ‘overachievers’ like me are used to accomplishing a ton and ‘powering through’ by putting emotion aside— could be useful for anyone who’s looking to harness their nervous energy and remember that (particularly in moments that need an anchoring statement), “My number one job right now is to breathe.” Here’s to continuing to grow in ways that enable us to take control of our nervous energy rather than letting it take control of us.

Nervous Energy is a guide "for high functioning individuals to take control of their anxiety". So, what is a high functioning individual? Think of someone that pretty much has their life together and is a perfectionist, but, in this case, is getting overwhelmed by anxiety. In "normal life" I may be considered a high functioning individual, but during COVID quarantine, I am more of a "just keeping it together"-slouch in sweatpants.

In this book, Dr. Chloe Carmichael offers up her techniques to help get a handle on anxiety. Carmichael has a pHD in psychology and has spent some time as a yoga/mindfulness instructor as well. Her tips are a blend of the two. The first 33% of the book is an intro of sorts and the last two thirds discuss the techniques, with a full 10% of the book dedicated to "The Three-Part Breath". I am a fan of breathing. But I don't need 30+ pages about how to breathe deeply. I would've strongly preferred if the book was more succinct. I am someone who strongly believes in K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple, Stupid) when it comes to guides, so all of the extra words and such in each section started to make me....well, a bit anxious. Overall, the techniques were good things to try to reduce anxiety, but I think the book could've been notably shorter.

This book, to me, is like a crab cake that misses the mark due to too much filler and not enough crab.

Your run-of-the-mill, typical self-help book. Yes, it does address evidence-based approaches. Yes, it probably will be helpful. However, there is nothing in my opinion that sets this book apart from so many others that will do the job.

NERVOUS ENERGY by psychologist Chloe Carmichael is subtitled "Harness the Positive Power of Your Anxiety." It seems that the intent is to give high functioning people ideas about how to effectively leverage extra energy and cope with anxiety. The concept of designated worry time sounds intriguing and emphasis on other techniques (breathing, mind maps, etc.) would definitely be worth a look. Unfortunately, access was withdrawn prior to my downloading the text. Therefore, I am giving this title a neutral rating of 3.

"Nervous Energy" will be a beneficial book for many people. Dr. Carmichael sets out the material she presents in a clear understandable manner. One thing I liked about the book is that Dr. Carmichael explains how she utilized some of the techniques to assist her in her own life and in her clinical practice. When discussing each technique, she uses a real client as an example (with names changed), explaining what the client was struggling with, why this particular technique was useful in this situation, and specifics as to how the technique was utilized. Dr. Carmichael also includes troubleshooting tips for each technique, addressing common concerns about or struggles with the technique that clients have raised. Another positive about this book is that Dr. Carmichael does not insist that any particular technique is the "right" one for particular people or situations or that her approach is the "correct" one. Rather, she encourages people to try out the techniques that seem the best fit for them and she encourages people to seek therapy or utilize other resources if appropriate for their situation.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Nervous Energy by Cloe Carmichael is a book that talks about tools and techniques to handle anxiety. After reading this I realized that I am high functioning. I look forward to using some of the techniques mentioned in this book.
Thank you, NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Nervous Energy by Chloe Carmichael.

I am reading this book as a reviewer and at first when I read the introduction, I was not sure I was the target audience based on the description of who has nervous energy. But as I started reading I realized this book is applicable to everyone! In fact, the author says the techniques in this book are geared toward people who recognize there is something about their own thought patterns or skills they'd like to change or improve. What I really loved about the book, is that Dr. Carmichael shares a variety of techniques that are practical, easy to learn and do on my own, and are extremely effective. The book is very well structured - it starts with a story as an illustrative example, then an overview of a tool and technique used to help, and then more tips on how to use the tool- "DIY" as she calls it. Part II goes into a deeper dive on each tool/technique. I have highlighted many pages in this book so that I can use the appropriate technique when I am either feeling anxious or overthinking something. I started using two tools immediately - "The Three Part Breath" - which helps me reconnect with myself and calm my thoughts and nervous system, and "Zone of Control" - great to use when I am overwhelmed with worry because it helps me focus on things I can control vs. things I cannot control and define actions for those things I can control.

I highly recommend this book particularly during this time of the pandemic where everyone is feeling high levels of anxiety.

Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety
by Chloe Carmichael

Do you identify as type “A”? More to the point, do you identify as type “A” that is bold , italicised, underlined and in a specific font? (Me!) If so, Nervous Energy by Dr. Chloe Carmichael may be a book worth exploring.

Nervous Energy, is a book for those with ‘high-functioning’ anxiety - people in leadership positions; those who battle doing alongside anxiety in equal measures; and those struggling against competing needs and expectations to perform while also successfully enjoying life. Sound like a perpetual battle of odds and wits? It is. And, it is exhausting. Despite outward appearances of success and looking like you have it together, high-functioning anxiety (and depression for that matter) is debilitating and an enjoyment sucker. In Nervous Energy, Dr. C offers readers insight along with tips and tricks that may help to calm, align and harness the power of your energy, that is anxiety, so that you can find balance so you can breathe.

Admittedly, I went into this read seeking new ideas and techniques not previously tried. While I did not find that per say, Dr C does offer many anecdotes and insight into the use of methods as it relates to high functioning anxiety. It’s a perspective shift. And that is a very important and valuable distinction. This is a book that I intend to return to for specific sections so I can reflect on my own practice and keep her take on techniques top of mind.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Essentials and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Nervous Energy" was a good, shorter read. The book is focused on people who have high anxiety/nervous energy levels who need a few coping skills to help them step back from perfectionist tendencies that keep them highly strung. Dr. Carmichael elaborates on nine tools that can be helpful for these cases. For instance, the very first skill that is discussed is a breathing technique that can be used as a base-level calming down skill. The book is written very thoroughly, with each chapter detailing a human example, how to do the technique, and how to troubleshoot it if you don't find it is working for you. It is a great read if you are looking for a little help on how to put away intrusive thoughts, react in situations better, etc.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.