Acknowledgements

I am grateful to many people for their help in my writing of this book. In particular, I thank the many hundreds of patients who have been prepared to share the most private and often the most painful aspects of their lives with me. This book was written for all of you, and I hope it reflects the love and compassion I hold in my heart towards you. Your huge efforts in recovery have been completely inspiring.

I thank the Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria (ADAVIC) for their support throughout the project. ADAVIC has been instrumental in providing help for people within the community who are anxious and distressed. The work is carried out by volunteers who are truly dedicated to their work. In particular, I want to thank Anna Kouloubos, Cathleen Geoghegan, Megan Sloley, Noel Brown, Catherine Madigan, Frank Duke, Michelle McMichael, Maria Villani, Danny Kelly, Merryn Snare, and Ruth Rosalion—a wonderful group of people.

I thank the team at Scribe for helping me with preparation of the book. Special thanks to Henry Rosenbloom, who read the draft, ran with it, and made extensive editorial changes to improve the manuscript. Thanks also to Beryl Hill for her editorial recommendations.

I thank Dr Graham Bradley, who first introduced me to psychology at undergraduate level and made me feel passionately about it. I am forever grateful to associate professor Simon Crowe and professor Kim Ng for their supervision of my various theses at university and for their capacity to think outside the square.

Many other people helped along the way. Neile McLaren taught me how to construct arguments logically and rationally. Corinna Hente provided kindness and numerous detailed comments on the manuscript for which I am extremely grateful. David Paterson has been a fantastic support and a huge inspiration to me. Gill Finch has always been a brave and true friend. Gray McLaren, Gloria Gardiner, Jane Finch, Jan Browne, Helen, Jack, Glenda and Greg Stroud, Joanne O’Sullivan, Tim Humphrey, Madeleine Flynn, Michelle Weston, Robin Mullens, Lawrie Horner, Nancy Betten, Clem Elston, Kevin Gilding, and Liz Newnham are all close friends and family who have given me encouragement, support, and warmth.

Finally, this book would not have been written without three people. My passionate, smart and charismatic father, Richard McLaren, died suddenly, leaving me inconsolable but with a burning desire to do right by him. My son Kim taught me how to open myself to love. My husband Michael Gilding gave me shelter, and cradled and coaxed me out of my own difficult past into a truly optimistic future.