Difficult Personalities: A Practical Guide to Managing the Hurtful Behavior of Others (and Maybe Your Own)

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 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 listeners 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