Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda: Overcoming Regrets, Mistakes, and Missed Opportunities

Who of us can claim never to have made a mistake, missed a goal, regretted a choice, or suffered because of another's action? For those who suffer from a constant sense of regret about the past, who feel their present lives have been immutably shaped by actions they could or should or would have taken but didn't, real help is at hand. In clear, uncomplicated language, Dr. Arthur Freeman, a leading exponent of cognitive therapy, and his colleague Rose DeWolf, a skillful translator of the cognitive method, describe the techniques and provide exercises that will enable readers to actually "unblock" the past. The authors demonstrate that wouldo/coulda/shoulda thinking can be unlearned and that this process can be accomplished in a relatively short period of time.

Highly readable and filled with practical advice, Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda analyzes case studies and provides exercises for recognizing and changing negative thought patterns in a practical program to enable people to get rid of crippling regrets about the past and regain control of their lives.

Who of us can claim never to have made a mistake, missed a goal, regretted a choice, or suffered because of another's action? For those who suffer from a constant sense of regret about the past, who feel their present lives have been immutably shaped by actions they could or should or would have taken but didn't, real help is at hand. In clear, uncomplicated language, Dr. Arthur Freeman, a leading exponent of cognitive therapy, and his colleague Rose DeWolf, a skillful translator of the cognitive method, describe the techniques and provide exercises that will enable readers to actually "unblock" the past. The authors demonstrate that wouldo/coulda/shoulda thinking can be unlearned and that this process can be accomplished in a relatively short period of time.

Albert Ellis

An excellent handbook of the main self-defeating beliefs with which people needlessly upset themselves, with some very practical ways to change them.

Dr. Arthur Freeman is a senior faculty member of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden. He is also a member of the Department of Psychiatry at Cooper Hospital — University Medical Center in Camden, New Jersey.

Rose DeWolf is a Philadelphia journalist, TV personality, and lecturer. Freeman and DeWolf coauthored Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda.