Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a popular form of psychological therapy that works with our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT is an integration of principles from behavior therapy with theory and methods from the cognitive therapies developed by Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis. The CBT that is practiced today has evolved with new developments in basic and applied research; it is grounded in empirical research and clinical practice. CBT is a broad church: the family of ‘cognitive and behavioral therapies’ encompasses many approaches including cognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and compassion-focused therapy (CFT). Beck’s cognitive model identifies different levels of human cognitions: automatic thoughts are the most superficial level of cognition and describe the thoughts, words, ideas, and images that seem to pop into our minds; rigid and over-generalized core beliefs about ourselves, the world, and other people; and intermediate attitudes, rules, and assumptions that are influenced by our core beliefs. The cognitive model proposes that how we feel emotionally, and how we act, are determined by how we interpret and think about a situation. It argues that psychological problems and disorders are the result of dysfunctional thinking, and are maintained by self-defeating behavior influenced by inaccurate beliefs. Cognitive behavior therapists understand that by changing the way we think and act in the here-and-now we can change the way we feel, and CBT often begins with a focus on what is maintaining a problem in the present. For lasting change, CBT therapists often work with the deeper levels of their client’s beliefs and assumptions. Read more

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100 of 303 resources

CBT Model – Past And Present

Formulation is a key component of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and essential to effective practice. This CBT Model – Past And Present is a des ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-model-past-and-present/

Positive Core Belief Evidence Record

Core beliefs are deep-rooted, global, and absolute judgments about oneself, other people, and the world. According to the cognitive model, activated c ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/positive-core-belief-evidence-record/

What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

Our ‘What Is … ?’ series is a collection of one-page information handouts for common mental health conditions. Friendly and explanatory, handout ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-is-generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/

Managing Social Anxiety (Third Edition): Workbook

Managing Social Anxiety – A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Workbook. Click on the following link t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/managing-social-anxiety-workbook/

CBT Model – Here And Now

Formulation is a key component of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and essential to effective practice. The CBT Model – Here And Now worksheet is ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-model-here-and-now/

Exposure Practice Form

Exposure is an effective treatment for many forms of anxiety. The Exposure Practice Form is a CBT worksheet which guides therapists and clients throug ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposure-practice-form/

Lapse And Relapse Management

Recovery has a fluctuating course and so Lapse And Relapse Management is necessary when learning any new skill. It is applicable to most CBT work, as ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/lapse-and-relapse-management/

Social Comparison

The Social Comparison information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effecti ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/social-comparison/

Therapy Blueprint

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Therapy Blueprint (Universal). Older versions of a resource may be archived in the event ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/therapy-blueprint/

Exposures For Fear Of Uncertainty

Fear of uncertainty is commonly associated with many psychological difficulties, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive compulsive di ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-uncertainty/

What Keeps Health Anxiety Going?

The “What Keeps It Going?” series is a set of one-page diagrams explaining how common mental health conditions are maintained. Friendly and concis ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-keeps-health-anxiety-going/

Self-Monitoring Record (Universal)

Developing self-monitoring skills teaches clients to systematically observe and record specific targets such as their own thoughts, body feelings, emo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/self-monitoring-record-universal/

Safety Behaviors

Safety behaviors are actions carried out with the intention of preventing a feared catastrophe. In the short-term they often give a sense of relief, b ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/safety-behaviors/

Problem Solving

Problem Solving is a structured worksheet which encourages solution-focused thinking. Clients are encouraged to identify a problem, identify multiple ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/problem-solving/

Worry Thought Record

Anxiety stems from negative predictions about the future (and also from assumptions that one will not be able to cope with the magnitude of the threat ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-thought-record/

Self Critical Thought Challenging Record

Disputing thoughts is a critical skill in cognitive therapy. The Self-Critical Thought Challenging Record helps clients to identify and challenge thei ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/self-critical-thought-challenging-record/

Exposure And Response (Ritual) Prevention For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Second Edition): Therapist Guide

Exposure and Response (Ritual) Prevention for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the f ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposure-and-response-ritual-prevention-for-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-therapist-guide/

Interpersonal Beliefs And Styles

Interpersonal issues and relationship problems form an important part of what clients bring to therapy: they might present as clients’ current conce ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/interpersonal-beliefs-and-styles/

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD: Dugas, Gagnon, Ladouceur, Freeston, 1998)

Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) report significant worry which they find difficult to control and experience as distressing. Numer ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad-dugas-gagnon-ladouceur-freeston-1998/

Positive Qualities Record

This Positive Qualities Record is a specific type of positive data log designed for working with clients with low self-esteem. It aims to help individ ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/positive-qualities-record/

Trauma And Dissociation

Trauma and Dissociation is a guide written for clients who have experienced trauma and who are troubled by dissociation. It provides clear informatio ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/trauma-and-dissociation/

Boundaries - Self-Monitoring Record

Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic (Fifth Edition): Therapist Guide

Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the accompanying C ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mastery-of-your-anxiety-and-panic-therapist-guide/

Worry – Self-Monitoring Record

The Worry – Self-Monitoring Record worksheet is designed to help clients capture information about situations where they engaged in worry. Consisten ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-self-monitoring-record/

Schema Formulation

Beck's cognitive model proposes that cognition and perception in the here-and-now are influenced by our 'schemas', which shape our perception and info ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/schema-formulation/

ABC Model

ABC is an acronym for Antecedents, Behavior, Consequences. It is used as a tool for the assessment and formulation of problem behaviors and is useful ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/abc-model/

Stimulus Discrimination

Stimulus discrimination is a component of cognitive behavioral treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Clients are guided to deliberately ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/stimulus-discrimination/

Therapy Blueprint For PTSD

A therapy blueprint represents the past (the problems, what maintained them), the present (the therapy itself, new knowledge learned and skills develo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/therapy-blueprint-for-ptsd/

Longitudinal Formulation 1

Case conceptualizations (formulations) help therapists and clients come to a shared understanding of a problem. This case formulation worksheet is a t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/longitudinal-formulation-1/

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD: Ehlers & Clark, 2000)

Anke Ehlers' & David Clark's Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an influential account of the condition. The ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-ehlers-clark-2000/

Therapy Blueprint For OCD

Uncertainty Beliefs – Experiment Record

Situations which are uncertain, novel, or ambiguous trigger a state of uncertainty. Evidence indicates that individuals who are dispositionally high i ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/uncertainty-beliefs-experiment-record/

Modifying Rules And Assumptions

Assumptions are often considered dysfunctional if they are inflexible, rigid, or lead to counterproductive behaviors. Modifying Rules And Assumptions ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/modifying-rules-and-assumptions/

All-Or-Nothing Thinking

All-or-nothing thinking (often also referred to as ‘black and white thinking’, ‘dichotomous thinking’, ‘absolutist thinking’, or ‘binary ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/all-or-nothing-thinking/

Demanding Standards – Living Well With Your Personal Rules

Demanding Standards – Living Well With Your Personal Rules is a guide written for clients who have high or perfectionistic standards which cause th ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/demanding-standards-living-well-with-your-personal-rules/

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) automatically regulates the function of body systems outside of voluntary control. The Autonomic Nervous System han ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/autonomic-nervous-system/

Overcoming Depression (Second Edition): Workbook

Overcoming Depression – A Cognitive Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to acce ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-depression-workbook/

Prompts For Challenging Negative Thinking (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Prompts For Challenging Negative Thinking. Older versions of a resource may be arch ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/prompts-for-challenging-negative-thinking-archived/

What Keeps Death Anxiety Going?

What Keeps Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Going?

The "What Keeps It Going?" series is a set of one-page diagrams explaining how common mental health conditions are maintained. Friendly and concise, t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-keeps-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-going/

Catching Your Thoughts (CYP)

Before thoughts can be examined or challenged they must be ‘caught’ – they must be noticed and distinguished from events and feelings. The Catch ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/catching-your-thoughts-cyp/

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Intolerance Of Uncertainty And Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms (Hebert, Dugas, 2019)

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been defined as “an underlying fear of the unknown”. Intolerance of uncertainty is a risk factor for the deve ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-intolerance-of-uncertainty-and-generalized-anxiety-disorder-symptoms-hebert-dugas-2019/

What Keeps Panic Going?

Checking Certainty And Doubt

Psychologists have discovered interesting relationships between Checking, Certainty, And Doubt. This information handout contains an exercise helpful ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/checking-certainty-and-doubt/

Intrusive Memory Record

Intrusive (unwanted, involuntary) memories are a common feature of PTSD, but also depression and other conditions. This Intrusive Memory Record is des ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/intrusive-memory-record/

Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Worry (Second Edition): Therapist Guide

Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Worry comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the accompanying W ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mastery-of-your-anxiety-and-worry-therapist-guide/

Health Anxiety - Self-Monitoring Record

Exploring Problems Using A Cross Sectional Model

A cross-sectional formulation takes a ‘snapshot’ of what is going on during a single moment in time. The Exploring Problems Using A Cross-Sectiona ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exploring-problems-using-a-cross-sectional-model/

Managing Your Substance Use Disorder (Third Edition): Workbook

Managing Substance Use Disorder comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to access the Practitioner Gui ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/managing-your-substance-use-disorder-workbook/

Discounting In Perfectionism – The Ratchet Effect

When individuals with perfectionism successfully meet their demanding standards, these accomplishments are often discounted as “easy to do,” “no ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/discounting-in-perfectionism-the-ratchet-effect/

Understanding Panic

Our ‘Understanding…’ series is a collection of psychoeducation guides for common mental health conditions. Friendly and explanatory, they are co ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/understanding-panic/

What Keeps Perfectionism Going?

Understanding Perfectionism

Exposures For Fear Of Vomiting

Fear of vomiting is a chronic and distressing difficulty that is associated with significant impairment. Exposure is an effective treatment for addres ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-vomiting/

Sleep Restriction

Sleep restriction is behavioral intervention used in the treatment of insomnia. It is an evidence based treatment for insomnia, both as a standalone t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/sleep-restriction/

Stages Of Social Anxiety

The Stages Of Social Anxiety worksheet is a tool to record unhelpful socially anxious responses to social situations, and to map alternative ways of t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/stages-of-social-anxiety/

Anger Decision Sheet

Individuals who have a problem with anger can benefit from considering and rehearsing different responses to triggering situations. The Anger Decision ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/anger-decision-sheet/

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Childhood OCD: It's Only a False Alarm: Workbook

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Of Childhood OCD: It’s Only A False Alarm comes in two volumes. This page is for the Workbook. Click on the following ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-treatment-of-childhood-ocd-its-only-a-false-alarm-workbook/

Evaluating Your Demanding Standards

Striving to meet demanding standards can be a rewarding process and lead to significant gains. However, demanding standards can also have adverse cons ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/evaluating-your-demanding-standards/

Schema Bias

Core beliefs (schemas) are self-sustaining. They act to 'attract' confirmatory evidence and 'repel' or 'distort' disconfirmatory evidence. This inform ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/schema-bias/

Thoughts Or Feelings

Differentiating between thoughts and feelings (emotions and body sensations) is an essential skill in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Thoughts Or ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thoughts-or-feelings/

Therapy Blueprint For Social Anxiety

What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Schema Metaphors

Understanding Death Anxiety

Hotspot Record

Enhanced 'reliving' in trauma-focused CBT for PTSD involves addressing the meaning associated with 'hot spots' of traumatic memory. This Hotspot Recor ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/hotspot-record/

Cognitive Case Formulation

The Cognitive Case Formulation is a CBT case conceptualization tool that aims to help therapists derive core and intermediate beliefs from an analysis ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-case-formulation/

Rumination - Self-Monitoring Record

Managing Social Anxiety (Third Edition): Therapist Guide

Managing Social Anxiety – A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/managing-social-anxiety-therapist-guide/

Anger - Self-Monitoring Record

Depression - Self-Monitoring Record

Panic Diary

The Panic Diary is a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) diary for panic symptoms. Clients can record panic attack frequency along with information abo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/panic-diary/

Reclaiming Your Life From A Traumatic Experience (Second Edition): Workbook

Prolonged Exposure Therapy For PTSD comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/reclaiming-your-life-from-a-traumatic-experience-workbook/

Disqualifying The Positive

This Disqualifying the Positive information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists work more ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/disqualifying-the-positive/

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Of Childhood OCD: It's Only A False Alarm: Therapist Guide

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Of Childhood OCD: It’s Only A False Alarm comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the fo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-treatment-of-childhood-ocd-its-only-a-false-alarm-therapist-guide/

What Is Exposure Therapy?

Exposure is an effective evidence-based treatment for fear. This information handout describes the key principles of Exposure Therapy. Clients who are ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-is-exposure-therapy/

What Is Imagery Rescripting?

Unwanted images are a feature common to a variety of problems including PTSD and depression. Imagery rescripting is an evidence-based treatment techni ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-is-imagery-rescripting/

Understanding Burnout

What Is Burnout?

Maximizing The Effectiveness Of Exposure Therapy

Despite its position as the leading treatment technique for anxiety disorders, not all clients respond to exposure therapy and some individuals relaps ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/maximizing-the-effectiveness-of-exposure-therapy/

Exposures For Fear Of Death

Fear of death is common, and is associated with a variety of psychological disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, depression, panic disorde ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-death/

Facing Your Fears And Phobias

The Facing Your Fears And Phobias guide is written for clients who struggle with fears or phobias. It provides comprehensive information about what fe ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/facing-your-fears-and-phobias/

Belief Driven Formulation

Cognitive behavioral theory proposes that our thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the here-and-now are influenced by our schemas / core beliefs / assu ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/belief-driven-formulation/

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Health Anxiety (Salkovskis, Warwick, Deale, 2003)

Health anxiety is characterized by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, and a high level of anxiety about health. People with h ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-health-anxiety-salkovskis-warwick-deale-2003/

Overcoming Eating Disorders (Second Edition): Therapist Guide

Overcoming Eating Disorders comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the Client Workbook.&nbs ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-eating-disorders-therapist-guide/

Low Self-Esteem - Self-Monitoring Record

Health Anxiety Thought Record

Individuals with health anxiety experience clinically significant distress associated with health concerns. This thought-challenging record enables cl ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/health-anxiety-thought-record/

Intrusion Record

What differentiates intrusive congitions in OCD is the meaning that clients with OCD attach to them. The Intrusion Record is a CBT worksheet for captu ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/intrusion-record/

Hindsight Bias

Hindsight bias describes the tendency that people have – once an outcome is known – to believe that they predicted (or could have predicted) an ou ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/hindsight-bias/

Mind Reading

The Mind Reading information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mind-reading/

Avoidance Hierarchy (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Fear Ladder. Older versions of a resource may be archived in the event that they are ava ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/avoidance-hierarchy/

Functional Analysis With Intervention Planning

This classic A-B-C functional analysis worksheet can be used to collect information about what came before a behavior (antecedents), the behavior itse ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/functional-analysis-with-intervention-planning/

Anger Thought Challenging Record

Evaluating and disputing thoughts is a fundamental skill taught by cognitive therapists to their clients. The Anger Thought Challenging Record can hel ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/anger-thought-challenging-record/

CBT Daily Activity Diary With Enjoyment And Mastery Ratings

Activity diaries can be used for activity monitoring during an assessment phase of therapy, symptom monitoring during therapy, correlating activity wi ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-daily-activity-diary-e-m/

Exposures For Fear Of Body Sensations

Fearful responses to physical sensations are common in several disorders. Interoceptive exposure (or ‘symptom induction’) is an effective treatmen ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-body-sensations/

What Keeps Fears And Phobias Going?

Overcoming Depression (Second Edition): Therapist Guide

Overcoming Depression – A Cognitive Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to acce ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-depression-therapist-guide/

Panic Attack Record

Self-monitoring of thoughts, feelings, and symptoms is an essential skill for clients engaged in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The Panic Attack ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/panic-attack-record/

Challenging Your Negative Thinking (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Evaluating Unhelpful Automatic Thoughts. Older versions of a resource may be archived in ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/challenging-your-negative-thinking/

Urges – Self-Monitoring Record

The Urges – Self-Monitoring Record worksheet is designed to help clients capture information about their urges and cravings. It includes columns to ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/urges-self-monitoring-record/

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Links to external resources

Psychology Tools makes every effort to check external links and review their content. However, we are not responsible for the quality or content of external links and cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time.

Assessment

Supervisor Competency Scale (SCS) | Kennerley, Clohessy, Butler, Muse, Rakovshik | 2014
- Scale
  Primary Link Archived Link
Bern Inventory of Treatment Goals | Grosse, Grawe | 2002
Primary Link Archived Link

Cognitive therapy competence / adherence measures

Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) – James, Blackburn, Reichelt Scale Manual
Primary Link Archived Link
- Manual
  Primary Link Archived Link
- Scale
  Primary Link Archived Link
Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale (CTRS) | Young, Beck | 1980
- Scale
  Primary Link Archived Link
- Manual
  Archived Link
Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) | Muse, McManus, Rakovshik, Kennerley
- Manual accs-scale.co.uk
  Primary Link
- Feedback form accs-scale.co.uk
  Primary Link
- Website accs-scale.co.uk
  Primary Link

Case Conceptualization / Case Formulation

Cognitive conceptualisation (excerpt from Basics and Beyond) | J. Beck
Archived Link
Dysfunctional assumptions ideas
Primary Link Archived Link
Developing a cognitive formulation | Michael Free
Primary Link Archived Link
Case formulation in CBT | Caleb Lack
Primary Link Archived Link
A case formulation approach to cognitive-behavior therapy | Jacqueline Persons | 2015
Primary Link Archived Link
The case formulation approach to cognitive behavior therapy | Jacqueline Persons | 2014
Primary Link Archived Link

Information (Professional)

Cognitive- behavioural therapy An information guide | Neil Rector | 2010
Primary Link Archived Link
A therapist’s guide to brief cognitive behavioral therapy | Cully, Teten | 2008
Primary Link Archived Link
Problem solving (OCT Practical Guides | Helen Kennerley | 2016
Primary Link Archived Link
Working with Schemas, Core Beliefs, and Assumptions | Frank Wills | 2008
Primary Link Archived Link

Presentations

The role of a case conceptualization model and core tasks of intervention | Donald Miechenbaum | 2014
Primary Link Archived Link
Transdiagnostic treatments for anxiety disorders | Martin Anthony | 2013
Primary Link Archived Link
The unified protocol for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders | Ellen Frank, Fiona Ritchey | 2015
Primary Link Archived Link
Making CBT Work (Working with your CBT therapist / Making your CBT therapist work with you) | Paul Salkovskis
Archived Link

Treatment Guide

A manual of cognitive behavior therapy for people with learning disabilities and common mental disorders | Hassiotis, Serfaty, Azam, Martin, Strydom, King | 2012
Primary Link Archived Link

Video

CBT case formulation | Jacqueline Persons
Primary Link

Worksheets

Cognitive Interpersonal Cycle Worksheet | Stirling Moorey | 2007
Primary Link Archived Link

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Assumptions of CBT

people actively process information;
our appraisals (the way that we think and interpret events) determine how we feel;
dysfunctional thinking and biases in information processing (cognition/thinking) are responsible for the problems that people experience;
different problems are associated with different cognitive themes (cognitive specificity theory): depression is associated with loss and defeat; anxiety is associated with danger and threat; obsessive-compulsive disorder is associated with inflated responsibility; substance abuse is associated with permissive beliefs; eating disorders are associated with self-criticism; social anxiety is associated with fear of evaluation; and PTSD is associated with appraisals of immediate threat;
the thoughts that we have can be ‘distorted’ or biased. Common biases include over-generalization, arbitrary inference, selective abstraction, and catastrophizing;
changing how we think and act will impact how we feel: cognition, emotion, and behavior interact in a reciprocal manner;
psychopathology is a result of an interaction between stress and vulnerability;
cognition happens at multiple levels (Alford & Beck, 1997) and all can influence the way that we feel and behave: preconscious, unintentional, automatic (e.g., negative automatic thoughts); the conscious level (e.g., if a patient is asked to explain the meaning of an automatic thought); and the metacognitive level (beliefs about beliefs);
experiences, memories, thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs are encapsulated as ‘schemas’ and which may become activated and influence our perceptions and behaviors.

Principles of CBT

Judith Beck (1995) identified 11 principles of the practice of cognitive behavioral therapy, and these were expanded by Wills (2009):

cognitive behavioral therapists use formulation to focus their therapeutic work
cognitive behavioral therapists use formulation to tackle interpersonal and alliance issues
cognitive behavioral therapy requires a sound therapeutic relationship
cognitive behavioral therapists stress the importance of collaboration in the therapeutic relationship
cognitive behavioral therapy is brief and time-limited
cognitive behavioral therapy is structured and directional
cognitive behavioral therapy is problem- and goal-oriented
cognitive behavioral therapy initially emphasizes a focus on the present
cognitive behavioral therapy uses an educational model
homework and self-practice is a central feature of cognitive behavioral therapy (incorporating the use of CBT worksheets)
cognitive behavioral therapists teach clients to evaluate and modify their thoughts
cognitive behavioral therapy uses various methods to change cognitive content including thought records, behavioral experiments, surveys
cognitive behavior therapy uses a variety of methods to promote behavioral change including exposure, behavioral experiments, role-play.

Procedures and Techniques of CBT

Data gathering and symptom monitoring are used to understand problems and to measure change. CBT is an evidence-based approach that relies upon accurate data gathering regarding symptoms and experiences.
Behavioral activation is a set of techniques for encouraging engagement in meaningful activity and is an effective treatment for depression.
Case formulation is a method for understanding the origin and maintenance of a problem in cognitive and behavioral terms. CBT therapists may use a mixture of cross-sectional formulation to understand difficulties in the here-and-now, longitudinal formulation to understand the origins and precipitants of a problem, and cognitive behavioral models to understand the mechanisms underlying a problem.
Cognitive restructuring describes techniques for changing what we think. It often involves the use of thought records, behavioral experiments, data gathering, or psychoeducation.
Exposure is a technique from behavior therapy that is extensively used by CBT therapists, particularly for the treatment of anxiety. ‘Facing your fears’ is an essential behavioral component of CBT.
Problem solving describes a series of techniques that are often taught as part of a CBT intervention. Effective problem solving helps people to make adaptive choices.
Socratic methods are used by CBT therapists to help their clients explore what they know, and to form their own opinions on a topic. Aaron Beck encouraged the use of Socratic-like technique in his original treatment manual “use questioning rather than disputation and indoctrination … it is important to try to elicit from the patient what he is thinking rather than telling the patient what the therapist believes he is thinking” (Beck et al, 1979).

References

Alford, B. A., & Beck, A. T. (1997). The relation of psychotherapy integration to the established systems of psychotherapy. Journal of psychotherapy integration, 7(4), 275-289.
Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford.
Beck, J. S. (1995). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. New York: Guilford.
Wills, F. (2009). Beck’s cognitive therapy. CBT Distinctive Features Series. New York: Routledge.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

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Assessment

Cognitive therapy competence / adherence measures

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Recommended Reading

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Assumptions of CBT

Principles of CBT

Procedures and Techniques of CBT

References

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