"I don’t struggle with anxiety, I’m actually pretty good at it"
What is a work book?
A workbook is a book you actively use, with exercises, questions and space to write, draw or reflect. Rather than simply reading advice, you can explore your thoughts and practise useful skills at your own pace—one page at a time.
I am not an early bird or a night owl. I am some form of permanently exhausted pigeon
Written by D A De Ste Croix from her own experience of peri menapause and post menopause anxiety, it combines approachable science with tips, drawing exercises, journal space and a gentle 30-day challenge. From hot flushes and broken sleep to brain fog, overthinking and health anxiety, each section offers a small way to pause, understand what is happening and try something that might help.
There are no perfect streaks to keep and no pressure to fill every page. Just bring a pen, your messy thoughts and perhaps a little sympathy for the permanently exhausted pigeon.
A loving heart is the truest wisdom.”
— Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
“Calm on the surface, paddling like f*ck underneath.”
The Total Anxiety Workbook is for anyone whose brain turns a small worry into a full production. Written by a fellow sufferer, not an expert, it mixes practical exercises, doodling, journaling and a little humour to help you untangle your thoughts.
Grab a pen, take it at your own pace, and forget perfect answers. Even swans need a breather.
I wrote The Total Anxiety Workbook after years of living with anxiety and PTSD, with perimenopause adding its own helping of chaos. People often see me as confident and outgoing, but underneath I’m paddling like mad!
Putting pen to paper helped me untangle my thoughts, and my husband encouraged me to turn those pages into something others could use. I’m a fellow sufferer, not an expert—sharing what helped me, with practical activities, creativity and a little humour.
You’ve retired. Apparently, your worries didn’t get the memo.
Inside you’ll find:
No artistic talent required. No stopwatch. And absolutely no obligation to become the busiest person at the coffee morning.
Whether you’re newly retired or well into this chapter of life, these pages invite you to pause, reflect, laugh a little and discover what helps you feel more settled.
A flexible 30-day challenge built around small, manageable steps
Plenty of journal space to put your thoughts on paper
Word searches and varied puzzles, with answers
Alternating doodle boxes and relaxing patterns to colour
A different inspirational quote on every page
Gentle exercises exploring health worries, changing routines, loneliness, grief and independence
Empathy
Let worry wait.” — You don’t have to answer every anxious thought.
Practicality
“Feel it. Keep going.” — Gentle encouragement without demanding bravery.
Accessibility
Let your brain babble.” — A playful fit for your workbook humour
I glide along with poise and grace,
A lovely, calm, collected face.
“Oh, you’re so chilled!”—that’s what you think,
My brain’s flung in the kitchen sink.
Above the water: charm and luck.
Below? I’m paddling like a duck!
Louise Brooks
Job title
Connect with me for questions about the workbook
E-mail: totalanxietyworkbook@gmail.com