Difficult personalities : a practical guide to managing the hurtful behavior of others (and maybe your own)

Title:

Author:

McGrath, Helen (Helen Lorraine)

ISBN:

9781615190133

Publication Information:

New York : Experiment, c2010.

Physical Description:

xviii, 285 p. ; 20 cm.

General Note:

"Includes dozens of ways to deal with conflict."--Cover.

Contents:

Incompatible personality traits -- Frustrating and annoying personality patterns -- Confusing personality types -- Damaging personalities -- Strategies -- Following up

Subject Term:

Behavior modification.

Interpersonal conflict.

Reasoning.

Social interaction.

Interpersonal relations.

Communication -- Social aspects.

Added Author:

Edwards, Hazel.

Summary:

An approachable guide to dealing with the difficult personalities we encounter at work and in the home, as well as our own sometimes hurtful personality patterns. It offers strategies such as anger and conflict management, and helps readers make decisions about difficult relationships.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Stillwater Public Library	158.2 MCG	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

We all have people in our lives who frustrate, annoy, or hurt us: workplace bullies, those who always claim to be right, or those with anxious or obsessive personalities. And most of us hurt others occasionally, too. Now, authors Dr. Helen McGrath, a clinical psychologist and professor, and Hazel Edwards, a professional writer, offer this highly readable, extremely practical guide to dealing with the difficult personalities we encounter every day--in others, and in ourselves.

Taking the American Psychiatric Association's widely used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) as its starting point, Difficult Personalities helpfully outlines over a dozen different personality traits and types, detailing their common characteristics and underlying motivations. It also equips readers with numerous strategies for dealing with difficult behavior, including:

* Anger and conflict management

* Optimism and assertion training

* Rational and empathic thinking

* Reexamining your own personality.

Readers will also benefit from sections on making difficult decisions and maintaining romantic relationships. Perfect for anyone who has ever wished that other people came with a handbook, Difficult Personalities illuminates the personality differences that so often serve as barriers to cooperation in the workplace and harmony at home.

Summary

¿QUÉ HARÍAS EN UN MUNDO SIN ADULTOS?

Author Notes

Helen McGrath, Phd, is a clinical psychologist in private practice and an adjunct professor at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) University in Melbourne, Australia.
Hazel Edwards, MEo, writes fiction and nonfiction for adults and children. Her more than 200 books include the children's classic There's a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake, which is approaching its 30th anniversary.

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

What do you get when a clinical psychologist (McGrath) and an experienced author of adult and children's literature (Edwards) team up to write a handbook for dealing with troublesome people at work or in one's personal life? You get a no-frills resource that is both easy to understand and highly informative. As with many such manuals, it's not necessary to read cover to cover (especially when the book's only shortcoming is its slightly repetitive tips and strategies) but, rather, to read the chapter about whichever personality causes stress in your life, from the anxious to the passive-aggressive, bullies, and narcissists. Whether the problem person is a chronic complainer, a fount of insults, or a perpetual martyr, you are guaranteed to find in-depth analysis, including what they do, why they do it, and strategies to help cope with that person in a positive, healthy way. The authors also have advice for people who recognize bothersome traits in themselves. McGrath and Edwards have avoided scientific jargon and created a handbook people can put to use immediately. There's nothing difficult about this book, except for the subject it gracefully explicates. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Library Journal Review

Eddie (Chump Change) and Lynch, who collaborate on the advice column "Damage Control" in the Globe and Mail, write in the style of Car Talk as they present recovery rules for saying/doing stupid things to family members, office mates, or potential dates. Their basic premise-that most people are ready to forgive as long as the offender is humble, hubris-free, and human-is delivered with guy humor that readers will either find entertaining or coarse. Clinical psychologist McGrath and writer Edwards discuss 11 difficult personality types and offer coping strategies. For every type (e.g., bossiness), they provide key words, typical behaviors, reasons behind the behaviors, and approaches for dealing with the bossy person (e.g., using humor) and ways to change one's own behavior (e.g., use courtesy). While Damage Control can help after the fact, Difficult Personalities gets to the heart of the matter and offers a real plan for change and coping. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Introduction General Principles Underpinning This Book	p. xi
Part I Incompatible Personality Traits	p. 1
1 What Are Incompatible Personality Traits?	p. 3
2 Variety Plus or a Rich Inner Life? Extroverts and Introverts	p. 7
3 Let's Get Organized or Go with the Flow? Planners and Optionizers	p. 17
4 Which Rules, the Head or the Heart? Thinkers and Feelers	p. 24
Part II Frustrating and Annoying Personality Patterns	p. 33
5 Built-in Flaw Detectors Negativity	p. 35
6 I'm Better Than You! Superiority	p. 42
7 I Have All the Power, I Know All the Answers Bossiness	p. 49
Part III Confusing Personality Types	p. 59
8 The World Is Such a Dangerous Place! The Anxious Personality	p. 61
9 Getting on Top of Anxiety General Strategies	p. 87
10 Everything Is Under Control Anxiety-Based Behavior	p. 96
11 I'm Always Right The Inflexible Personality	p. 126
12 Don't Ever Leave Me The Demanding Personality	p. 132
Part IV Damaging Personalities	p. 143
13 You'll Never Get Me The Passive-Aggressive Personality	p. 145
14 A Silent Nightmare The Bullying Personality	p. 155
15 Everyday Predators Among Us The Sociopathic Personality	p. 172
Part V Strategies	p. 203
16 Strategies for Coping with Sociopaths	p. 205
17 Making Decisions About Difficult Situates and Relationships	p. 215
18 Rational and Irrational Thinking	p. 222
19 Healthy Self-Assertion	p. 233
20 Managing Your Own Anger and the Anger of Others	p. 239
21 Managing Conflict	p. 247
22 Skills for Maintaining a Strong Romantic Partnership	p. 254
Part VI Following Up	p. 267
Finding a Good Psychologist	p. 269
Books You Might Like to Read	p. 271
Index	p. 275
About the Authors	p. 206

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Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Library Journal Review

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