Take Charge Now!: Powerful Techniques for Breaking the Blame Habit

by William J. Knaus

Book Overview

"Comprehensively covers many deadly aspects of blaming-blaming oneself, other people, and external conditions-and does so in an exceptionally clear, readable, and charming manner."-Albert Ellis, Ph.D., President, Albert Ellis Institute for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
"Dr. Knaus provides a clear path away from fault-finding and condemnation to a tolerant, assertive, and fufilling modus vivendi. I heartily recommend it "-Arnold Lazarus, Ph.D.,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471325635
• ISBN13: 9780471325635
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Trade Paper Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Brilliantly Observant and Informative. Great, simply put.

I learned so much from this book that I can't praise it enough. It reads more like a philosophical treatise than a psychology self-help book. It is jammed to the brim with information and insight. This is a keenly intelligent book which analyses many aspects of the tendency for humans to blame, and how this tendency undermines our peace of mind. There are no overly simplistic, hokey self-help exhortations here. The sophisticated deconstruction of what blame is and how we engage in it excessively is itself a powerful tool for growth, and one intuits that Dr. Knaus inductively put together his ideas over many years of scientifically observing patients on his couch. The aura of empirical science- factual propositions created and tested by observation-courses throughout. There are no bizarre, unverifiable metaphysics to be found here. This is a wonderful companion to Albert Ellis's books. Psychology used to be subsumed under philosophy, and this book straddles both areas effectively. A great intellectual achievement! We need more books like this!

Take Charge Now is Great

In this book, Dr. Knaus points out that we live in a blame culture. This is an important and powerful idea. Stress, strain, depression, and a host of other painful emotions come from self-blame, blaming others, and dealing with blame directed our way.This book is jam packed with great ideas. I especially liked the insights Dr. Knaus placed at the start of each chapter--the practical tips I could use to take the burden of blame from my shoulders, his original stories that helped me to understand blame at a deeper level, and the five phases of change. In this book, Dr. Knaus encourages you to look honestly within yourself and to stretch to improve. I think "Take Charge Now" is a book for people who believe that they can do better and feel better, but need some help getting started. This book provides direction, good ideas, and exercises to help you get started on your way to improvement. More than a book about blame, this is really a book about self-development and positive change. It helps you learn how to take charge of your feelings.

Free yourself from blame

Blame affects our lives in ways we rarely think about. In fact,the blame game begins as soon as we understand language. Children are bombarded by blame: Research shows they are subjected to about 200 complaints every day from parents and teachers, says Dr. William J. Knaus. But make no mistake. Knaus isn't blaming anyone. In his remarkable new book, "Take Charge Now! Powerful Technqiues for Breaking the Blame Habit,'' Knaus teaches the reader how to steer clear of blame and the traps that accompany it. It's not easy and Knaus is the first to acknowledge it. We blame others for things that go wrong, blame ourselves for our shortcomings and blame society and politicians for the ills we see around us. Some people are so afraid others will disapprove of them, they stifle their own potential in an attempt to ward off something that may never happen. Knaus educates the reader about the insidious ways in which blame affects our lives. He also teaches people how to avoid blame, shame and the negative emotions that accompany it as well as how to communicate effectively and stop causing their own misery. The best-selling author details 13 ways to kill a relationship, most of which have a blame component. He teaches people how to rewrite their life story and improve the narrative, even though they can't change the events. Knaus' background as a licensed clinical psychologist and the former director of training at the Institute for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy shines through in this book. He understands how difficult it is for people to change. The book, which deals with everything from losing weight to changing careers, uses a five step plan in which people learn how to avoid the blame trap and take charge of their lives. "Instead of blaming, we need to look at the consequences of behavior,'' Knaus says. "If we don't like what's happening, we need to take steps to change it.'' The book is easy to read and understand. People will see themselves in stories Knaus employs and learn how to get out of any rut they are in by busting free of blame. "Take Charge Now,'' is a complete self-help manual written in a realistic manner. If we can learn to avoid blame, we can take a a good look at our strengths, accomplishments and what we need to do to meet our future goals. Since the book covers so many aspects of life in which blame affects our personal and professional goals, it's a shame there's noone to blame for not buying it.