The Linden Method - Charles
Linden
"The Nine Pillars" Complete Review
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| Review Introduction: The Linden Method was developed by Charles Linden, and is based on his "Nine Pillars," very useful in understanding and treating Panic and Anxiety Disorders. The Linden Method is one of the most thorough and complete Anxiety and Panic Attack treatment products available through the internet today. |
Review of the Cost and Contents of The Linden Method Program: $177 - The Linden Method Printed - Includes all materials mailed to you, plus all materials immediately downloadable. $99 - The Linden Method Download - Includes all materials immediately digitally downloadable. $197 - The Linden Method Junior Version, for age range 7-15. Includes The Linden Method in print and downloads, plus an additional: "2 bonus audio CD's," and the book, "The Story of I Can't." "The Linden Method Download" (which is what I ordered for review below) is comprised of: - Unlimited telephone and email access to Linden
support staff Free Bonus Videos: Free Bonus ebook: Free Bonus Audio Program - Client Membership Card mailed to your location. - 15% discount on recommended products |
Review of The Linden Method Developer, Charles Linden:
Charles Linden, from the United Kingdom, describes having his first Anxiety Attack in the late 80's, while working in Germany. Feeling certain he was having a heart attack, Charles went to the local German hospital. He was diagnosed and misdiagnosed with "Panik Attackn," Depression, and / or Hypochondriasis. Over the next five years, Charles Linden was placed on a variety of medications in the antidepressant, antianxiety and even antipsychotic classifications. Charles gained weight, continued to experience "acute anxiety," worsening into as many as 10 Panic Attacks a day. He became dependent on some of his medications, and even developed an intolerance to some foods. Linden describes experiencing "depersonalization," "derealization," and "agoraphobia" "to the extreme." Charles Linden provides on his web site many pages and a great deal of information for review about his struggles with Anxiety, including scanned notes from his family doctor. He even provides a scanned copy of his "Challenging Automatic Thoughts Diary" from some of his cognitive behavioral treatment. Charles Linden goes on to state, "I had visited every kind of specialist, quack, herbalist, alternative therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist and dietician that exists and none had given me a spark of hope, although they all took huge amounts of money from me." After his negative experiences with Anxiety, his difficulties in proper diagnosis and treatment, and "after massive research and evaluation of other sufferers ... " Charles Linden, a self-proclaimed "born researcher," says he discovered and developed "The Linden Method" which he has used "to help many people from all around the world." Charles describes his "Linden Method" to be an "Anxiety Elimination Process." Charles Linden makes it a point to emphasize that he is not a medical doctor or a psychological practitioner. He explains that he sees this to be an "advantage" because he is not "constrained" by having to learn about Anxiety from everyone else. I don't necessarily see this to be an "advantage," as it can sometimes cause people to think that what was helpful for them will automatically be helpful for everyone else, as well. In the treatment of Anxiety, there is no "one size fits all." Charles Linden perhaps contradicts himself by stating that he has completed maybe two decades of review, research and learning from other people. Charles states, "My solution is far-removed from psychological practices," (in bonus video "Conquering Agoraphobia and Social Phobia." however, his "Solution" IS consistent with at least SOME psychological practices, and certainly psychological principles. Rather, Charles Linden emphasizes that he struggled with his own symptoms of Anxiety and has "reverse-engineered" and reviewed what "works and what "doesn't work." Charles Linden has opened anxiety treatment centers that he calls "The Linden Centre" in the United Kingdom, the United Stated and in Germany. |
Review of Charles Linden's Writing and Teaching Style in The Linden Method Program: Charles Linden's writing and teaching style is very direct and definite. He writes and speaks in "everyday," non-clinical language. Charles Linden is informative, very supportive and consistently encouraging towards his readers. The content of Charles Linden's manual is organized by his "Nine Pillars," to which he often refers as the "core" information in his "Linden Method." His "Nine Pillars" are loosely organized into information about the causes and treatment of Anxiety, and emphasize a good deal of information about the symptoms and struggles with Panic and Anxiety. Charles often provides information and suggestions about Anxiety treatment "interlaced" throughout his many descriptions of the experiences of Anxiety sufferers. |
Review of the Types of Anxiety Addressed in The Linden Method: Charles Linden refers often to Generalized Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Phobias. He addresses less frequently and specifically Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and "Separation Anxiety." |
Review of the Range of Techniques Discussed in The Linden Method: Charles Linden speaks over and again about his "Method," providing an in-depth explanation and description of the symptoms of Anxiety, with treatment perspectives and techniques interspersed throughout. Charles discusses and describes a good number of perspectives and techniques for review, including cognitive behavioral exercises, relaxation techniques, writing exercises, nutrition, physical posture, and physical exercise. Charles Linden's bias, as he clearly spells out, is that he does not favor the use of prescription medications in the treatment of Anxiety. He also specifies that The Linden Method has no spiritual or religious bias. Charles states that The Linden Method does not use "hypnotherapy" or "subliminal programming," although some of his relaxation tapes could correctly be considered by some reviewers to be at least partially "hypnotherapy" or "subliminal programming." |
Review of the Clinical Efficacy of The Linden Method: Charles Linden's The Linden Method is comprised of a very large compilation of information presented in as large a variety of formats. His "Method" includes a great amount of generally correct information about the symptoms of Panic and Anxiety, with great emphasis on the suffering that Anxiety can cause. Charles Linden talks a good bit about his personal struggles with Anxiety. Charles Linden has clearly done some studying, research and review, and has some understanding of general techniques for treating anxiety. He offers a good bit of information about the "causes" of Anxiety, although has a tendency to "overgeneralize" his explanations of the causes of Anxiety. For example, Charles Linden suggests that there is only one cause of Anxiety, that being the Amygdala in the brain. He states that all Anxiety is "learned," usually from "operant conditioning," causing "habitual" behaviors. Classical Conditioning ("Pavlovian" Conditioning) can also cause Anxiety and Panic, and clear evidence now suggests a genetic link for Anxiety that can be passed from one generation to another. Linden's information is generally correct and offers many perspectives about relieving the symptoms of Anxiety. Reviewing the information and following the suggestions in The Linden Method should definitely result in an Anxiety suffer to learn a good amount about dealing with and significantly relieving their symptoms of Anxiety. Charles Linden presents a brief discussion of prescription medications, especially benzodiazepines and SSRI Antidepressants. He is clear that his perspective and his "Method" do not emphasize prescription medications as beneficial in treating Anxiety. Linden is correct in his perspective that using "anti-anxiety" medications is generally considered to be simply treating the "symptoms" of anxiety, and not actually treating the Anxiety itself, or the "cause" of the Anxiety. After the effects of the medications wear off, the symptoms of Anxiety remain. Linden speaks a good bit, and quite correctly, about the dangers and disadvantages of withdrawing from benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety medications, including: Xanax, Ativan, Librium, Klonopin, Valium and a few others). He offers for review a chart for very conservative titration schedule to decrease and discontinue the use of benzodiazepines. Withdrawing too abruptly from these medications can be extremely dangerous, potentially causing seizures and even possibly death. The use of benzodiazepines, including the discontinuation of their use, as with all prescription medications, should be overseen by a qualified medical practitioner. Charles Linden offers a brief review of "non-prescription medications," like herbal medications, which he clearly favors more than prescription medications. The Linden Method includes a good discussion about the relationship between nutrition, smoking and alcohol as related to Anxiety. It suggests specific foods TO eat, and NOT to eat. Charles Linden is correct with his explanations that nutrition, smoking, drugs and alcohol can potentially have a dramatic causal or relieving effect on the symptoms of Anxiety. Charles Linden does discuss briefly the symptoms of anxiety in children. He discusses much less specifically Anxiety treatment perspective and techniques for children. (Note: I did not review The Linden Method Junior Version, which Linden advertises to be applicable for children in the age range between 7 and 15 years.) Charles Linden's wife, Elizabeth, has provided a video discussion of what is was like to be in relationship with Charles during his periods of Panic and Anxiety. She described how difficult and frustrating is was for her to not know how to help and support Charles, and how relieved she was to be with him as he got rid of his symptoms of anxiety. Elizabeth, as well as Charles Linden in another section of his Method, review how friends / family members might be helpful and supportive of someone experiencing anxiety. The Linden Method provides a good deal of content, and an extensive discussion of the biological factors causing uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety, eg: rapid heart rate, difficulty in breathing, sweating. Linden has put together written, video and audio information explaining a little about the human brain, especially the Amygdala, as it relates to Anxiety. Studying and reviewing these explanations, and especially the Linden Method video information about the human amygdala, should certainly be helpful for Anxiety suffers to learn, and understand how to relieve their symptoms of Anxiety. They are also very helpful in explaining that, even though Anxiety symptoms can be extremely frightening, the symptoms, themselves, are generally not harmful. Linden's "Conquering" Video Series includes five videos about just over an hour each. These videos were very nicely done, clearly by a professional videographer. Most of the video is comprised of Charles Linden talking, however, he does provide information from other experts and Anxiety sufferers. Charles' videos include content generally the same as the rest of The Linden Method. Additionally, these videos are comprised of perhaps 60% of video information duplicated exactly from the other four videos in the "Conquering" video series. In the Free Bonus Ebook: Stress Free in 30 Days: Charles Linden discusses what stress is and how it manifests itself. He discusses stress as related to a variety of "life" situations, and offers a review of a helpful variety of suggestions as to how to minimize stress (and Anxiety) in your life. The Relaxation Audios that Charles Linden includes with The Linden Method are generally comprised of Charles Linden's voice speaking to you with relaxing music in the background. These audios are nicely produced, and reviewing these audios should be expected to be helpful for Anxiety suffers, especially those who are musically or auditorilly inclined. Charles Linden includes a Qi-Kung video of his Tai Chi master, teaching and demonstrating several slow, calming, no-impact, Tai Chi exercises. A review of the psychological literature regarding the treatment of Panic and Anxiety reveals over and again that physical exercise is consistently one of the best methods of controlling and relieving symptoms of Anxiety, as well as offering many other health benefits. To the degree that individuals could tolerate the physical movements of these Tai Chi movements, this video could be one of the most beneficial single sections of The Linden Method. Users of The Linden Method Qi-Kung video might want to review this video prior to "plunging in" too quickly. A small bit of Charles Linden's information is overgeneralized, or even incorrect. For example, he generally refers to all Anxiety as being the same, especially in both its cause and its treatment. Linden explains that Anxiety is a "learned behavior learned through repetition." His review and limited explanation does not account for the research describing that some Anxiety has a biological or genetic cause. Charles' perspective also does not account for some forms of anxiety which can be developed with a single "repetition" or a single exposure, for example, potentially a Phobia or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Additionally, some treatment techniques clearly work better in treating some forms of Anxiety than other forms, and some techniques are clearly more effective with, and / or preferred by, one person over another. Linden is, however, correct that Anxiety can surely be reinforced, exacerbated and even generalized through repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Charles Linden explains early in The Linden Method that Anxiety is caused by having too much "mind space," and by being bored. His review and explanation about "mind space" is not correct. Being "bored" does not cause Anxiety. Although for people who already HAVE Anxiety, being bored might more easily allow repetitive anxious thoughts, worry, nervousness, perseveration, which could result in an increase of repetitive anxious behavior, and / or an increase in Anxiety symptoms. Linden is quite correct that by tightly structuring a daily activity schedule to take greater control of thoughts and behaviors, an anxiety-sufferer will very likely experience a reduction in Anxiety symptoms. In his "Conquering" videos, Charles Linden describes Alcoholic beverages to be a "stimulant," which is not correct. Alcohol is classified as a "depressant" because of its "depressing" or "slowing down" effects on the human neurological system. However, other than these few overgeneralizations and incorrect statements, the information that Charles Linden offers in The Linden Method is generally correct. And it is much more thorough and complete than other Internet-available Anxiety treatment products. |
Review of the Ease of Use of The Linden Method: Charles Linden's The Linden Method is a very large,"content rich" collection of materials available in several different formats, including ebooks, audios, videos, and unlimited access to Linden support staff by email and telephone. Linden encourages users of his "Method" repeatedly to review and use his information and to contact his "qualified Linden Method specialists" for clarification or support. His information is digitally downloadable and / or viewable on the internet. For an additional price, Charles has made his Linden Method available be mailed to you in paper format and on multiple compact disks. Charles Linden's writing style is "down to earth," easily understood, and not at all clinical. Users of The Linden Method should find Linden's reviews, descriptions and explanations of Panic and Anxiety, and what to do to treat it, to be quite adequately easy to follow and adequately descriptive. NOTE: If you order the downloadable version of The Linden Method, be sure to pay attention to these few things: - First, review your 2-page guide, Introduction to The Linden Method, and take note of the password provided (and required!) to open your 226 page Linden Method Manual pdf file. This manual will not open without your individual password. - Be sure and check your email "spam folder" for emails from Charles Linden and his staff. My experience was that SOME of their emails came through correctly to my Yahoo email, and some got caught in my spam filter. I have no idea why only SOME of Linden's emails went to my spam folder. The email with Download Page for The Linden Method got caught in my spam filter, and I thought, incorrectly, that I had not yet received this email from Charles Linden. - When you get the link for your download page (through email, maybe in your spam folder), and you download The Linden Method materials, be SURE to note that the five Free Bonus Videos (the "Conquering" video series) are downloaded in zip files, each with a SEPARATE PASSWORD. You'll find the password immediately below the digital download for each zipped video (and you can go back to this page if you miss it the first time). You have to have the password for each zipped video file to unzip the file. - If you know how to unzip these video files, and have the proper software, you'll be fine, IF you have the correct password. If you don't know how to unzip these video files,
you have at least three other options: or ... The Linden Method's download page also says you HAVE to use WinZip to unzip these video files, and provides a link to get a "free" copy of WinZip. I used 7-Zip to unzip these video files (once I had the correct passwords!) which worked fine. Or ... You can follow the link provided on the download page to the WinZip web site, and download and install WinZip. However, the WinZip site surely does NOT tell you that you can download a review or "trial version" of their software, preferring, instead, to "funnel" you towards purchasing their software. You really can, however, obtain a completely free review copy of WinZip. On the WinZip web site, when you follow the "download" link (NOT the "purchase" link) to get WinZip, and install the review copy of the software in your computer, the installation wizard will take you through the section where you can select the "free trial" of WinZip, or you can purchase WinZip. If you select the "free trial," you can use WinZip for free for a limited review time and you can unzip your Linden Method video files. |
Review of the Method of Delivery of The Linden Method: Print information and CD's shipped to your location, ("The Linden Method Printed") or 100% digital downloads ("The Linden Method Download") |
Review of the Return Policy / Guarantee of The Linden Method: Charles Linden offers a 1-year, unconditional, "no questions asked," money back guarantee, just return the materials. As such, you can purchase, review and use the entire Linden Method Program with complete confidence that you can definitely get all of your money back at any time within a year. (Charles Linden's Linden Method is sold through ClickBank, which is the world's largest online distributor of digital, downloadable, informational products. ClickBank is quite reliable and will ensure that your refund is processed through ClickBank properly if submitted within 45 days. Be sure to request your refund within the 45-day time period, or directly to Charles Linden within his 1-year guarantee period. This clearly provides adequate time to review and use for yourself the Panic Away Program) |
Review Comments about The Linden Method: Charles Linden's "The Linden Method" is the largest, most thorough and complete Anxiety treatment program that I've seen available through the internet. Charles Linden says he makes a donation to UNICEF in the United Kingdom from each Linden Method Pack he sells. He provides a link to the UNICEF site, but does not mention what sort of "donation" he provides. |
Overall
Rating: 8 |
