Clinical psychologist Jeremy Stevenson joins Toni Jones on The Shelf Help Podcast to ask: beneath all the books, theories and advice, what actually helps us change?

Jeremy and his co-author Spencer Greenberg examined more than 100 self-help books and 23 therapeutic approaches, gathering hundreds of techniques before finding that they could be grouped into 12 broad “levers”.

Jeremy's interest in self-help is personal as well as professional; in his twenties, a self-help technique helped him challenge the thoughts that were making him miserable and ultimately inspired him to become a psychologist.

And in this conversation, he explains how we can all use the levers as tools to ease our suffering and support our wellbeing when we start by understanding what’s happening, then choose a technique that fits.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How to break down an anxious experience using the ABC method and spot what you may be able to change.
• Why gradually approaching something you fear can help with social anxiety, and how our unconscious 'safety behaviours' might actually be getting in the way.
• What 'parts work' means, and how speaking kindly to an anxious part of yourself might help you take the next step.
• Why self-compassion can support change without letting you off the hook.
• How to decide when to work on a feeling and when acceptance may be the more helpful response.
• Why doing more activities you’re glad you did afterwards can lift your mood, even when you really don’t feel like starting.

And you'll learn that you don’t have to master all 12 levers or use them in order. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, feeling a little flat, or simply curious about how to put self-help into practice, this conversation offers a place to begin.

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