From the day New Harbinger began publishing in 1973, founders Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning held that self-help books should teach readers how to combat destructive patterns of behavior and reach their fullest potential, not merely inspire them to adopt a new philosophy of life or encourage them to imitate pop gurus. These books should be based not on the trends of pop psychology, but on well-researched psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that clinicians use in their practices.
A licensed clinical psychologist, McKay coauthored New Harbinger’s first bestseller, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook. This workbook has sold nearly a million copies and is now in its sixth edition. Seven years later, McKay and Fanning coauthored Self-Esteem, another of New Harbinger’s bestsellers. Three editions later, it has sold more than 750,000 copies.
McKay and Fanning’s partnership has yielded a dozen highly successful titles. Their books provide the model for other New Harbinger titles and exemplify their three-pronged approach to teaching self-help skills:
Bestselling New Harbinger author Ed Bourne modeled his Anxiety & Phobia Workbook on McKay and Fanning’s books with great success. Now in its fourth edition, The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook has garnered sales in excess of 800,000 and has become a staple for both lay readers and mental health professionals. Today, we continue to apply New Harbinger’s practical, successful approach to self-help in books such as Stop Walking on Eggshells, Calming Your Anxious Mind, and in hands-on, cutting-edge workbooks such as The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety.
Soon, New Harbinger began to apply this successful formula to health books such as The Chemotherapy Survival Guide, the groundbreaking Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome, and The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook. Our health titles consistently flourish because of the straightforward and simple techniques they offer. And like our psychology titles, each book undergoes extensive editorial scrutiny and is supported with a targeted marketing plan.
In December of 1999, Patrick Fanning resigned as president of New Harbinger to pursue his dream of being a full-time artist and writer. He continues to author books for us including How to Stop Backing Down and Start Talking Back, an assertiveness guide for women. Pat’s creativity and business savvy were es¬sential in establishing the secure foundation from which New Harbinger continues to profit.
Always on the cutting edge of new developments in psychology, New Harbinger has become the leading publisher of titles based in the revolutionary acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) model and other mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies. The founder of ACT, New Harbinger author Steven Hayes, was featured in an in-depth Time Magazine article (“Happiness Isn’t Normal”) on February 13, 2006. His book, Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life, has now sold over 100,000 copies, and interest in ACT and other mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies continues to grow. New Harbinger has met the demand for information on these “third wave” therapies by publishing training books and resources specifically for mental health professionals in addition to trade books.
In spring of 2008, New Harbinger expanded its collection of resources for kids and teens through the acquisition of Instant Help Books, a unique line of workbook titles for young people and their parents developed by renowned child psychologist Lawrence Shapiro. Each workbook in the Instant Help line is designed to foster healthy development by teaching children and adolescents coping strategies they can use to manage difficult feelings, life transitions, or mental health conditions.
New Harbinger has also begun publishing beautifully packaged gift books held to the same editorial standards as our psychology titles. The Five Good Minutes® series and books such as The Gift of Loving-Kindness make relaxation and meditation techniques recommended by therapists widely available to general readers.
In this fast-paced age of anxiety, demand for quick and effective, New Harbinger-style self-help is at an all-time high. As we enter our fourth decade, all of us at New Harbinger feel confident that our company will continue to thrive financially, building on our established strengths and pursuing exciting new avenues for growth.