Cognitive-behavioural therapy: An Information Guide

^{From: Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy: An Information Guide (© 2010 CAMH)}

The aim of this guide is to provide an easy-to-read introduction to a rich and complex therapy. The guide describes the nature and process of CBT—what it is and what it involves. It also outlines the goals of CBT and the tasks used in therapy to help people reach those goals. For a better understanding of the many aspects of this form of psychotherapy, the guide should be read from cover to cover; however, some readers may prefer to dip into parts of the book that are of particular interest.  

 

Contents

About the author 

Acknowledgments 

Introduction

1. What is cognitive-behavioural therapy?

• Introducing CBT 
• What happens in CBT? 
• What conditions can CBT treat? 
• Why is CBT an effective therapy?

2. The basics of cognitive-behavioural therapy

• The nature of automatic thoughts 
• Evaluating automatic thoughts 
• Patterns in automatic thoughts 
• Identifying distortions in automatic thoughts 
• Rules and assumptions 
• Core beliefs

3. CBT approaches to cognitive change

• Identifying relations between thoughts, moods and behaviours 
• Questioning and evaluating negative automatic thoughts Identifying and correcting cognitive distortions 
• Recording your thoughts 
• Targeting assumptions and beliefs 
• Behavioural experiments

4. CBT approaches to behavioural change

• Self-monitoring 
• Exposure therapy 
• Behavioural experiments

5. CBT in practice: Questions and answers

• How will I know if CBT is for me? 
• How can I find a qualified CBT therapist in my area? 
• What can I expect on my first visit with a CBT therapist? 
• What happens in a CBT session? 
• How can I get the most out of CBT between sessions? 
• How long does CBT last? 
• How frequent are the sessions? 
• Do I need to prepare for CBT sessions? 
• Will the CBT therapist be able to understand and appreciate my own unique background? 
• Is CBT an effective treatment for children and adolescents? 
• What are the common barriers that come up in CBT? 
• Should I start treatment with medications or CBT or both in combination? 
• How can I stay well after finishing CBT?

6. Alternative cognitive-behavioural approaches

• Mindfulness therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy 
• Acceptance and commitment therapy 
• Dialectical behavioural therapy 
• Meta-cognitive therapy

References

Resources

• Print
  Follow us on
  
  Share