Has anyone ever had any success trying the Dr Claire Weekes method for dealing with fear/anxiety:
Facing
Accepting
Floating
Let time pass
It makes so much sense and perfectly describes my situation and how I struggle, but I just can’t put it into practice.
She sounds like an amazing woman, so advanced and ahead of her time
I just ordered it so early days ....step 1 to recovery ...get the book
I have the book, it resonates with me a lot i just struggle to put it into practice
Yeah I struggle to read books like this ...I’ve had depression anxiety issues for decades...been on all the meds so have just accepted it now I can skip that chapter at least maybe
Sounds like you’ve been through an awful lot, sounds positive that you can at least accept it now, that’s what I’m striving for now but don’t think I’ll ever get there
Well best wishes...try louise hay stuff also it’s the same message but more modern approach lots of stuff on you tube enjoyable to watch stuff.I think as claire week is very dated ...good luck you will get there I’m sure.
@sillysausage Is there any book from Louise that would you recommend?
I read this one years ago it helped me get over a tough time
Peronsally I don't care for Louise Hay. But to paraphrase Richard Simmons anything you can stick to will work. So stick to it! Good Luck. We're here.
Thanks I appreciate it, I’ll give those a go, thanks
You’re welcome
I’m actually reading the book now! I’m working on using it and I’m struggling to put it into practice as well but I’m not finished with the book yet!
It’s a great book isn’t it and makes so much sense! I hope it clicks for you and you can achieve success from it, I have highlighted sections and been re-reading them constantly in the hope it can sink in and register with me, I don’t know how to not fight!
JP26, I think the answer to your question is that you won't find many people on this forum who have successfully recovered by following Claire Weekes' method - because once you've recovered there's no need to remain on this forum!
Except for a few of us who remain to spread the word to others in the hope that it will do for them what it did for us.
Acceptance, not fighting and floating take lots of practice, to begin with you may only be able to 'glimpse' these things for a few minutes a day. But with perseverance this period extends.
Doctor David Barlow said of Claire Weekes: "By thinking outside the box, and exercising extraordinary clinical sensitivity, the brilliant physician Claire Weekes created a treatment protocol to the unending benefit of tens of millions of patients over the years."
Tens of millions? Barlow is Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry at Boston University so is qualified to give an opinion.
Although the 1960s social background she sets her examples against is outdated, as Sillysausage rightly points out, I think her style of writing in which you feel she knows you personally and is talking directly to you by far outweighs the time dimension.
She rejected psychoanalysis which even Freud had to admit towards the end of his life was not producing many successes. More controversially she had little time for what we would call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Glad you piped in, Jeff. You're our resident Claire Weekes expert and I was hoping for your words of wisdom and support. I've not read Weekes myself, but do not discount any treatment which works for so many people. I'm a big fan of the 12 Steps and could go on about their benefit for hours. Whatever works. Right?
Right, LilyAnnepuppy, if it works don't fix it.
Wow I wasn’t expecting that sort of answer/knowledge but it’s more than I’d hoped I get back in response.
I do try and accept my anxiety/fear but then my mind starts to think about medication, therapy, courses etc and then I beat myself up because by thinking about those things means I’m not accepting. I want so much to accept and float but as I say my mind won’t stop searching for answers and solutions so it just seems impossible that I can ever truly accept so I only ever get as far as step 1 ‘facing’ then fail.
JP26, there's nothing wrong with putting your faith in medication and therapy, many find respite and recovery through those methods.
But if you want to recover using Weekes' teachings you have to have confidence in her method. Absolute confidence and it has to be utter acceptance (for the time being).
Working on acceptance and floating whilst still hankering after other methods seems like you aren't yet sufficiently convinced by Weekes' method. It would be best to resolve this in your own mind before going further: choose either medications, personal therapy or Weekes' self help method or you fall between three stools.
Hi Jeff
Can you explain the last sentence regarding PTSD?
Yes Dolphin14, I believe Claire Weekes didn't believe that present problems of anxiety disorder could be the result of things that happened years before and even in childhood. I don't share that belief, I have come across several people who were mentally damaged in childhood and have a devil of a job coming to terms with it and finding closure in adulthood.
Hi Jeff
Thank you for the response. Makes sense and I'm happy to hear you understand PTSD.
Is it fair to say then that the Claire Weekes' approach may not help those who were damaged by childhood emotional neglect or abuse? Perhaps they would need alternative or additional therapies in order to overcome the core issue?
Of course my question is not specific to just trauma from childhood, it encompasses any trauma that leads to the debilitating symptoms of PTSD.
Her approach sounds like it revolves more around GAD?
I'm just looking for your thoughts. I'm not challenging you. But, as many years have passed since she studied, there have been more breakthroughs in the psychiatric field. Perhaps she was part of the foundation work and much more has been added to it.
I appreciate your knowledge in the field. That's why I'm always asking you questions. I hope it's not a bother.
Hi Dolphin, To be honest I'm not competent to answer your question about PTSD as from memory I don't think she dealt with the subject and the only knowledge I have comes from her books. I think her area was Anxiety Disorder and Depression and her teachings were confined to these fields. But I will have a quick scan through her books and if she did have anything to say on this subject I'll get back to you.
Hi Dolphin, I did have a look through Weekes' books but there was not references to anything like PTSD that I could find. Sorry about that.
she saved my life well her two books did anyway back years ago when I was just 24 I had a breakdown and without her two books I doubt I would be here now, I still have those books in my cupboard they are precious to me as over the time if ever I feel down or anxious I dig them out and reading the words again which mostly I now know by heart soon puts me back on track you cannot go wrong with the advice from Dr Weeks as it is the only method that works work with it and once you have come through using this method you will never get as bad again and will have tools for life xx
Thanks Pat that’s very encouraging to hear. Some of her words and descriptions of the symptoms and thought I have are frighteningly accurate. As I previously said I’m just struggling massively with the accepting and therefore the floating which is frustrating me hugely
when I got the books I had got to the stage where I couldn't sleep eat read watch TV nothing I was closing down and when I started to read the books she mentions that we will read this as it is about us and she was right, try to take your time read the books a couple of times over if you have to and let her word become familiar to you in time you will get to see all she is saying basically is stop fighting and let time pass it is way easier than trying and trying to fight the feelings as that is what leads to breakdown I do wish you luck as this is the key to getting well again xx
You Hit the nail on the head, Pat9. Trying to fight the feelings has gotten me nothing but suffering. It’s understandable why many of us try to. But it just doesn’t work. It’s like quicksand....the more you wiggle the faster you sink.....
Hi there that’s right as fighting adds to the tension in us already which escalates feelings, but letting go relaxes the body and mind so reduces the feelings and allows healing xx
Thank you that advice and support means so much, it gives me hope and belief that maybe I can do this and get my life back
Hello, I am a big fan of Claire Weeks, I have her book Hope and Help for your nerves, had it 30 years, and like Pat9 I pull it out when I need support. It is not easy to put in practice when you read it the first time. I went back with my Yellow Marker, read it slowly, underlined anything that stood out, went over the writing and practiced, practiced and practiced the lessons. Once you get the hang of it, you will give up the search for answers, learning to let things go. I really like the lessons, and frequently recommend it to people on line that are suffering with anxiety & depression, which are two things that bring me down. I hope my words are of comfort for you. I send you peace of mind, love, strength, courage, big hugs....Sprinkle 1......
Hi Sprinkle thank you very much for taking the time to respond. I had thought about getting a highlighter pen and going over the key points for me, I think I will do that now you have said that.
When you say you like the lessons, where are they? I only have the ‘self help for your nerves’ book are the lessons in another book?
Also can you tell me what you practiced if you can I just seem to be stuck not knowing where to start or what to do!
Sorry for asking you prob wish you hadn’t commented now!
She says them at the end of each chapter, accept, float and let time pass. She discusses them in each chapter then repeats them several times thru the book.
Read each chapter slowly and mark anything that grabs you with your yellow marker, I also put paperclips on some pages. Just start with one chapter, do not rush reading, you need time to accept it all and let it be absorbed. It takes time to get our ill brain to accept new directions, we did not get sick over night, so we will not get well over night, we need to be patient, keep busy during your day, doing things you like, go for a walk, if you have a close friend, go to lunch this is part of letting time pass. If you need further help, go and talk with a therapist.
I hope this clarifys some points for you. Sending Peace, love/hugs....Sprinkle 1....
I just recommended Weekes to someone on here, and wanted to see what others were saying. "Hope and Help For Your Nerves" was recommended to me back in the mid-1980s. Her approach was not a cure, but it was helpful. It made sense to me, both as explained and in practice.
I'm interested to hear what others think about this opinion:
Dr. Weekes' approach of accepting, "floating," and letting time pass seems most appropriate for breaking the cycle of acute, recurring panic attacks, specifically the fear of panic attacks or anything that's become associated with them. It is less applicable to generalized anxiety and depression.
I'm not a professional, and have little experience with trauma or complex trauma, so I have no opinion about that.
I think that floating is helpful in overcoming general anxiety as much as panic attacks. That's my experience anyway. I've only ever had one panic attack but her method helped me overcome general anxiety.
I have severe GAD and this book has been the best treatment for me, yet. It works, but you have to want it to work. Panic attacks are something I have experienced on occasion, only, yet I can sincerely see how Dr. Weekes advice on how to cope with them is spot on.
I had tremendous success with Dr. Weeks. I highly recommend her to anyone who will listen. She saved my life and gave me back myself. Bless Dr Weeks where ever you are.
Claire Weekes died 30 years ago at a good age after a lifetime of helping people to recover through personal consultations, lectures, TV, newsletters, radio appearances and the 5 books she published.
The problem is not so much the difficulty in coming to terms with Accept and Float but the difficulty in Letting time pass. We live in an age where we expect instant gratification and Claire Weekes teachings don't offer that. Some think that by just reading her first book brings the knowledge brings an instant cure. If only.
Acceptance is difficult to get your head round in the beginning but with persistence and practice in eventually becomes second nature. As I often say, her method may be hard but nowhere near as hard as putting up with high anxiety and depletion for year after year.
About a year ago I added up all the reviews for all her books on both the U.K. and U.S. versions of Amazon. I found 1,600 reviews that had been added in the past few years and 90% rated her 'Excellent' or 'Very good'. Not bad for someone who passed on 30 years ago!
Her recent biography 'The woman who cracked the anxiety code' does justice to her life. She was awarded an O.B.E. in the Queen's birthday honours and was nominated for a Nobel prize for services to psychiatry.
When something is true & right it is timeless. How long since Jesus died? Buddha? Mohammed? I am glad she was recognized by the Queen. As far as Nobel is concerned they lost my respect when they awarded Obama before he even took office.
From Claire Weekes' Hope and Help For Your Nerves
Dr Claire Weekes - FACE, ACCEPT, FLOAT, LET TIME PASSI am a disciple of Claire Weekes. Her 'Self help for your nerves' is my bible.
For those who are following a Claire Weekes type approach for anxiety (don't resist, accept...) couple questions for you!
Clair Weekes Books Recommendation
