Contents
Foreword to new edition 7
Introduction 15
Part 1: Rock-climbing for Lemmings
1 Instant cures? 18
2 Why rock-climbing? 21
Part 2: How Did I Get Here?
3 Sitting on the rocks at the foot of the cliff 26
4 Finding the cave: ideas for the very bad days 30
5 What is depression? 33
6 What causes depression? 38
7 Being kind to ourselves 47
Part 3: Is Climbing for Me?
8 Someone to talk to 50
9 The 'goodenough' principle 52
10 Strategies for living 54
11 What about professional therapy? 59
12 Preparing for the bad days 62
13 Clarifying our coping strategies 69
Part 4: First Steps
14 How can I get started? 74
15 What preparations can I make? 78
16 Things we need to take 86
17 Life is difficult 89
18 Things to leave behind 97
19 Negative thinking 102
Part 5: Hanging On
20 Getting to know ourselves 116
21 Emotions are OK 119
22 Overcoming fear, worry and panic 123
23 Understanding our anger 128
24 Managing guilt 132
25 Understanding how we see ourselves: our self-esteem 134
26 Boosting our self-esteem 135
27 Understanding the 'losses' in our lives 141
28 Understanding stresses 144
29 Fears 148
Part 6: Falling Off
30 Falling off 154
Part 7: Making Progress
31 Picking ourselves up and having another go 160
32 Using our dreams to help us 168
33 Loneliness 171
34 Reaching the overhang and facing the impossible 175
35 'You'll be glad this happened'? 178
36 Missing the foothold 182
37 Reaching the top 185
38 Now for the mountain! 189
39 On reflection 194
Resources 201
Further Reading 204