The Tools

Transform Your Problems into Courage, Confidence, and Creativity

By: Barry Michels, Phil Stutz

Narrated by: Phil Stutz, Barry Michels

Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “I love the life these tools have allowed me to have.”—JONAH HILL, director of Stutz

Change can begin right now. Learn to bring about dynamic personal growth using five uniquely effective tools—from psychotherapist Barry Michels and psychiatrist Phil Stutz, subject of the Netflix documentary Stutz, directed by Jonah Hill.

“These tools are emotional game changers. They do nothing less than deliver you to your best and most powerful self.”—Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness

The Tools offers a solution to the biggest complaint patients have about therapy: the interminable wait for change to begin. The traditional therapeutic model sets its sights on the past, but psychiatrist Phil Stutz and psychotherapist Barry Michels employ an arsenal of techniques—“the tools”—that allow patients to use their problems as levers that access the power of the unconscious and propel them into action. Suddenly, through this transformative approach, obstacles become new chances—to find courage, embrace discipline, develop self-expression, deepen creativity.

A dynamic, results-oriented practice, The Tools aims to deliver relief from persistent problems and restore control and hope right away. Every day presents challenges—big and small—that the tools transform into opportunities to bring about bold and dramatic change in your life. Stutz and Michels teach you how to:

• Get Unstuck: Master the things you are avoiding and live in forward motion.
• Control Anger: Free yourself from out-of-control rage and never-ending grudges.
• Express Yourself: Learn the secret of true confidence and find your authentic voice.
• Combat Anxiety: Stop obsessive worrying and negative thinking.
• Find Discipline: Activate willpower and make the most of every minute.

With The Tools, Stutz and Michels allow you to realize the full range of your potential. Their goal is nothing less than for your life to become exceptional—exceptional in its resiliency, in its experience of real happiness, and in its understanding of the human spirit.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2012 Barry Michels and Phil Stutz (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"With deceptively potent visualization exercises, psychiatrist Stutz and psychotherapist Michels promote a rapid and streamlined method of self-improvement.... The clear, user-friendly approach plus a belief that "the power of higher forces is absolutely real" is a winning combination. Here is the rare self-help book that doesntt end with the self" (Publishers Weekly)

"Barry Michels and Phil Stutz are profoundly talented guides to the inner workings of the psyche. The Tools is breakthrough material that ignites your own capacity to transform your life" (Marianne Williamson)

"These tools are emotional game changers; they can help you work through conflicts, get happier, and feel a deep sense of purpose. As simple and practical as they are, they do nothing less than deliver you to your best and most powerful self" Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness: A Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness)

Life changing

I am going to listen to this again. The concept and tools provided could change society. I am beyond grateful for the insights provided in this book. ♥️

I’m so grateful for this book!

Wow! I can’t put it away. After listening to a few chapters, I feel lighter and very hopeful again. I sought to buy the book asap! Pls give it a listen, you will not regret it.

Loved the unification of multiple psychotherapeutic approaches

Loved the unification of multiple psychotherapeutic approaches, with the overarching goal of action to help people instead of just talking about their problems in a session.

I've listened 40-50 more Times and still learning

I've got a few relatively complex questions. I'm not sure they, would be welcomed in this setting...
However, how Aware of us are you guys meaning to suggest and depict Higher forces to be of us?
I know notifed that you've somewhat addressed this question in the FAQs...

And I've been helped greatly by my efforts towards applying thankfulness. ... Which
seems to get me pass my preoccupations with it most of the time...
But is it possible to avoid some of the false interpretations presented or does that really matter?

Still working on it

good way to remind yourself, you are always a work in progress. Use these tools and you'll find your life improving in tremendous ways.

I Loved the Visualisation exercises and the Story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have recommended this audiobook to many of my facebook friends. I love the visualisation or I like to call them mini meditations. You don't have to believe in God or a higher power but I took the authors challenge to just try the exercises. The authors also say you don't have to do these tools perfectly. I feel like the tools are helping me already. I was drawn to this book by the interview I heard on the WTF podcast that Marc Maron did with Ron Perlman. Ron said that Phil Stutz didn't just hellp him but he worked a miracle in his life and healed him over night with the use of the tools. That's one hell of a recommendation! And of course, I read the reviews on Amazon and here on Audible and I read the 1 and 2 star reviews and there were a lot of the negative reviews. I hesitated to buy the book but thought to myself that I did enjoy hearing them speak about the tools on their own podcast and they even interviewed Ron Perlman and Ron explained a lot more there about how the tools worked for him in his life. So I figured if I didn't like it I could turn it in to Audible for a refund on my credit.

What did you like best about this story?

I couldn't stop listening to it and loved hearing the story about how Phil came up with these tools in his practice. To me it's also a story about how creatvity reallly works and can work in each of our lives. The authors read this together and I didn't feel like they were reading a book to me but instead if felt like they were telling me their story from their hearts. I felt like I got to know these guys on a personal level.

What does Phil Stutz and Barry Michels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

They brought their personalities as expressed in how they speak about how they created the tools to help their struggling patients and I heard stories of others lives and how these tools worked for them when they used them and how their lives fell back apart when they didn't use them. It helps to know that I'm not alone struggling to live my life and that it's possible I can navigate my life better if I use these tools as needed.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from The Tools?

I use these tools every day and only in one week I do feel better about my life already. I also use the tool (The Outflow of Love) of the yellow liquid light of cosmic love surrounding my whole body every morning when I meditate. And whoever comes to my mind in my life I imagine beaming a ray of light from my heart to theirs. I realize its more for me than for them really.

Any additional comments?

Get the audiobook and use the tools. This is the first review I've given for an Audible book in the six months that I've been listening to these and for now on I'm using this book as the ruler to measure every other book by and if they don't measure up, I'm turning them in for a refund and if I'm previewing it I will pass on it.

Amazing book!

This book is truly amazing. I finished it and then started listening to it right away again

Life changing!!

In thier own voices Phil and Barry get you closer to living your fullest life. xo

10/10 Will Read Again

This book has really simple frameworks and practical approaches. The accompanying PDF is great to illustrate some of the concepts.

Validating

As one who doesn’t appreciate the label “Christian” but spends time in prayer and the Living Word, I have found the tools mentioned in this book to be most validating to personal experiences and my faith walk with the higher power. With that in mind, this is not a “God” book, however it lends well to a variety of beliefs.