How to Stop Backing Down and Start Talking Back

Here's a book for all those times you said 'yes' but really meant 'no.' Every day we encounter difficult people with whom we're tempted to agree to anything-if only they will go away. The list of characters is virtually endless: the rude acquaintance, the dismissive relative, the passive-aggressive coworker.

Of course, the best way to deal with all of them is to hold your ground, communicating your needs and feelings openly and assertively. But, of course, this approach is always easier said than done. The less-than-assertive among us sometimes need a little help to take charge of these difficult exchanges and start getting what we want. This concise, witty book reveals the secrets you need to know to make the most of difficult conversational situations.

The book offers an arsenal of rhetorical weapons you can use to stop verbal assailants in their tracks like the snappy comeback, the well-argued response, and the simple truth. From ways to answer the ubiquitous 'How are you?' honestly to strategies for talking to an unresponsive physician, the book offers up fun, easy ways to deal effectively with common situations. In no time, you'll learn to hold your own in family discussions and relate to significant others with confidence, savvy, and tact.

Patrick Fanning is a professional writer in the mental health field, and founder of a men’s support group in Northern California. He has authored and coauthored eight self-help books, including Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, Couple Skills, and Mind and Emotions.

Lisa Frankfort, PhD, LMFT, is a psychotherapist in private practice and clinical coordinator of Haight Ashbury Psychological services in San Francisco, CA. She holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and has been a licensed marriage and family therapist since 1991. She is coauthor of The Community-Building Companion.