Be Mighty – A Woman’s Guide To Liberation From Anxiety, Worry, And Stress

“Discover your inner superpowers and become a real-life superhero with this empowering, step-by-step guide. Learn how to manage your obstacles, create your armor of super skills, and unveil your true strength. You are mighty. You are worth it. You are a superhero.” — Janina Scarlet, PhD, award-winning author of Superhero Therapy

“In Be Mighty, Stoddard offers a bold and compassionate approach to understanding the gendered impacts of anxiety, worry, and stress—and navigating those struggles with vulnerability, strength, and vitality in ways that are fiercely female. I highly recommend this book to anyone who identifies with the pressure to have and do it all, or else.” — Emily K. Sandoz, Emma Louise LeBlanc/BORSF Endowed Professor of Social Sciences at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and coauthor of Living with Your Body and Other Things You Hate

“Be Mighty is an empowering guide to living with more joy and courage. Stoddard writes with a refreshing mix of compassion and humor. Every chapter is peppered with ideas and strategies that have the potential to change readers’ lives.” — Kelly McGonigal, PhD, author of The Joy of Movement, The Upside of Stress, and The Willpower Instinct

“Be Mighty by Jill Stoddard is mindfulness and acceptance for the post-#metoo woman. It’s chock-full of anecdotes written in an informal language that grabs your attention right from the start. It validates current gender disparities through intelligent and witty repartee — all of which aim to help the reader live a full, vital, and self-compassionate life, without the need for bulletproof bracelets à la Wonder Woman. It’s acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in a nutshell, made easy and yet not oversimplified, adapted to the currently evolving gender identity context. It’s just the right length and tone for those of us juggling self-care, work, family, and life!” — Jacqueline Pistorello, PhD, licensed psychologist; director at University of Nevada, Reno Counseling Services; and coauthor of Finding Life Beyond Trauma

“Constantly battling worry, anxiety, insecurity, and self-criticism is physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Even worse, the attention and effort we invest in keeping up the fight leaves us with little time and energy for the relationships and activities that matter most. Be Mighty is an inspiring and empowering guide that offers women a way to disengage from their ongoing battles with fear and anxiety, and bring purpose and meaning to their daily lives. Drawing from evidence-based methods for treating anxiety, Stoddard offers women the practical advice and support they need to harness their inner courage and live boldly and fully.” — Susan M. Orsillo, professor of psychology at Suffolk University, and coauthor of Worry Less, Live More

“Be Mighty is a call to arms for all women! Reading this brilliant book was like sitting down to a glass of wine with your best friend. Jill is all at once every woman’s longtime companion, biggest cheerleader, and tell-it-to-you-straight champion. This is much more than a self-help book for anxiety — it’s a compassionate manual for how to navigate the ever-evolving challenges of being a woman in the modern age.” — Jamie R. Forsyth, PhD, licensed psychologist, and international ACT workshop leader

“If you want a book that reads like the author is in the room with you, exuding warmth, compassion, and humor while tackling the complexities of anxiety, then Be Mighty is for you. Jill Stoddard offers lots of down-to-earth, practical ideas to give us hope and relief amidst a very troubled world. Be Mighty offers simple yet powerful ways to help us identify what matters most, and experiential acceptance and mindfulness practices to help us take anxiety out of the drivers’ seat. Be Mighty is an empowering, practical, and essential book for women of all ages.” — Sheri Turrell, CPsych, clinical psychologist, and owner of Life in Balance Therapy in Toronto, ON, Canada; adjunct lecturer in the department of psychiatry at the University of Toronto; Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) peer-reviewed ACT trainer; and coauthor of ACT for Adolescents

“Jill Stoddard offers women a true gift in Be Mighty — an accessible set of strategies we can employ to manage the overwhelm of worry and stress inherent in our modern age. Jill’s humor, compassion, authenticity, and wise insights offer a guide that is practical and accessible, and which open us up to new opportunities for living well. It’s just what every woman needs to become her mightiest self.” — Yael Schonbrun, PhD, assistant professor at Brown University and cohost of the Psychologists Off The Clock podcast

“Whimsical and wise in equal measure, this fresh perspective on ACT identifies and addresses the unique hurdles women face while experiencing worries, fears, stress, and anxiety. I highly recommend this to both practitioners and clients alike.” —M. Joann Wright, PhD, founder of ACT One; peer-reviewed ACT trainer; ACBS fellow; and coauthor of Learning ACT for Group Treatment and Experiencing ACT from the Inside Out “Be Mighty is packed full of wisdom and practical exercises to help you understand your anxiety, worry, and stress, and find a way to courageously connect to and become who you’ve always dreamt of being.” — Aisling Leonard-Curtin, MSc, CPsychol, PsSI, chartered psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland; codirector of Act Now Purposeful Living; and coauthor of the Irish Times #1 bestseller, The Power of Small

“If you’re a woman, take this book home and read it — today — right now. Be Mighty provides the foundation for growth and the path to living life to the fullest. Now is the time in history to help women do that. Jill Stoddard takes the reader on a journey deep inside their fears and anxieties, and has them connect with the life of hope and vitality. I loved this book and will be recommending it to many women, those I work with as well as my dear friends and family. If you care about strengthening women, this book is a breath of fresh air and lays a clear path to a mighty life.” — Louise Hayes, PhD, clinical psychologist and senior fellow at The University of Melbourne and Orygen, Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health; ACBS fellow; and coauthor of The Thriving Adolescent and Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens

“The book you hold in your hands is a gift to women everywhere! In an age of increased stress and unrelenting pressures, this workbook is a must-read. It is filled with concrete, helpful exercises and advice that will change your relationship with your worry and anxiety. Jill Stoddard provides wisdom and warmth as she guides the reader in developing the courage and conviction to face your fears and live your best life.” — Laura Silberstein-Tirch, director of The Center for Compassion Focused Therapy in New York, NY; author of How to Be Nice to Yourself; and coauthor of Experiencing ACT from the Inside Out

“Be Mighty provides accessible, effective guidance to help women live full lives, even as anxiety arises. Readers will find it informative, comforting, and inspiring. Jill Stoddard’s clinical wisdom will be of great benefit to everyone who reads this book.” — Lizabeth Roemer, PhD, coauthor of Worry Less, Live More

“I can’t say enough about Jill Stoddard’s Be Mighty. Helpful metaphors, excellent storytelling, practical tips, and a large helping of humor make this the book easy to read, digest, and apply to real life. If you’re a woman who worries—in other words, if you’re a woman — you should read this book.” — Sara Schairer, founder and executive director of Compassion It — a nonprofit and global movement inspiring compassionate actions and attitudes

“Be Mighty is a must-read for any woman who wants to break free from self-limiting narratives, and take steps toward emotional freedom and self-empowerment. This book incorporates evidence-based strategies and practical tools to help women live according to their values. It offers a step-by-step guide with concrete methods, including worksheets and exercises to help women recognize their core beliefs (schemas), clarify their deeply held values, overcome the barriers that hold them back, and take actions toward what matters. I highly recommend this book to all women who are ready to break through their hurdles and live authentically.” — Avigail Lev, PsyD, psychotherapist, director of the Bay Area CBT Center, and coauthor of ACT for Couples, ACT for Interpersonal Problems, and The Interpersonal Problems Workbook

“I have never read a book that speaks as directly to my experience as a stressed-out woman in today’s world. This book will give you a refreshing perspective on how to cope with anxiety and stress, and help you live a vital and meaningful life. Be Mighty is short, fun, and useful — which is exactly what a busy woman like me needs in a book!” — Debbie Sorensen, PhD, clinical psychologist at ImpACT Psychology, Colorado; and cohost of the Psychologist Off The Clock podcast

“Every once in a while, a rare book comes along that changes its readers’ lives. Be Mighty is such a book. Jill Stoddard sets out to empower women with research-supported coping skills for life’s hurdles. Not only does she surpass this goal, but she provides groundbreaking strategies that challenge established beliefs on anxiety and stress. Powerful, funny, soulful, and inspiring, Stoddard’s book is an entertaining yet deeply empowering journey. This is a must-read primer for all women.” — Katherine Nguyen Williams, PhD, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego; and coauthor of Modular CBT for Children and Adolescents with Depression

“I started reading this book on a Monday, and finished it on Wednesday; that’s how captivating it was! There are so many highlights in it that I would need a full page, but because of space, I will share the more important ones: Jill does a beautiful job laying out why a book like this is written at this time; she shares the background of it, and from there, takes the reader into the benefits of applying behavioral science to day-to-day living, while tackling the most common hooks—stories, anxieties, worries — that women face nowadays!… I absolutely appreciate Jill’s ability to make ACT accessible in plain language. A must-read and a treat to do so!” — Patricia E. Zurita Ona, PsyD, author of The ACT Workbook for Teens with OCD; director of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center; and ACBS fellow

“Nowadays, it seems that taking care of the self is yet another thing women are expected to do perfectly. In Be Mighty, Jill Stoddard offers practical, accessible techniques that honor our growth, our discoveries, and our journeys while also helping us discard the overwhelming and unrealistic sociocultural expectation that we must create the perfectly balanced, glossy, Goop-consumed lifestyle for ourselves. Using her direct, to-the-point approach, Stoddard brilliantly blends the ingredients of effective stress management strategies with the spirit of self-activism. The realness in Be Mighty is the freshest air I’ve had in a while.” — Andrea Letamendi, PhD, psychologist and consultant; and associate director of mental health training for Intervention and Response for Student Resilience and Residential Life at the University of California, Los Angeles

“Mighty good! Be Mighty is engaging, empowering, and full of easy-to-follow information and exercises for women from all walks of life. This is the ACT book I have been waiting for to recommend as a stand-alone self-help book, or as an adjunct to therapy (by the way, men might like it too!).” — Patricia A. Bach, PhD, psychologist at Carter Psychology Center, past president of ACBS, and coauthor of ACT in Practice

“With Be Mighty, Jill Stoddard has brought ACT to life in a warm, uplifting, and humorous way, helping women who struggle with stress and anxiety to find their footing on a values-based path. In this book, she invites women into living fierce—a courageous step into vitality! A book for all women seeking mightiness.” — Robyn D. Walser, PhD, author of The Heart of ACT; coauthor of Learning ACT and The Mindful Couple; and assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley

“Jill Stoddard’s Be Mighty is a bold, motivating, and down-to-earth guide. Stoddard’s encouraging prose informs the reader about utilizing ACT, a behavioral therapy she has used for fifteen years. Be Mighty empowers us to make profound changes in our routines so we can live more fulfilling, authentic lives, and become magnificently mighty in the process!” — Dyane Harwood, author of Birth of a New Brain