Simon Rego - The 10-Step Depression Relief Workbook: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Approach

Copyright 2018 by Simon Rego and Sarah Fader

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Althea Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (866) 744-2665, or outside the United States at (510) 253-0500.

Althea Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books, and vice versa.

TRADEMARKS: Althea Press and the Althea Press logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media, Inc., and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Althea Press is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

ISBN: Print 978-1-939754-36-3 | eBook 978-1-939754-37-0

For the brilliant mentors who have guided me in my development as a cognitive behavioral psychologist. For the patients suffering from depression who have trusted in me (and CBT) to aid in their recovery. And for my amazing aunt Alice Rego, for the relentless courage and conviction she has demonstrated in battling this "silent killer" in our society.

Simon A. Rego, Psy.D.

This book is dedicated to anyone out there who is seeking to help themselves. We hope these tools can help you lead a more fulfilling life.

Sarah Fader

CONTENTS

HOW TO USE THIS WORKBOOK ON AN EBOOK DEVICE

This workbook is meant to be interactive. If youre reading this on a touch-screen device, you can add notes to this ebook and highlight text just like you would in a physical workbook.

Some sections will prompt you to write in answers or personal responses. Its easygive it a try right here: ___________.

With your finger, tap and hold for a few moments on the line above. Depending on the device youre using, an icon such as a magnifying glass will appear. Lift your finger and youll see an options menu. Select Note (or Notes) to add and save your own text. When youre done, an icon or highlighted area will remain, which you can always return to and tap if you want to reopen and read or edit your note.

The same tap-and-hold options menu offers Highlight or Color, which you can select if you want to highlight a passage or check a box. Experiment with it: By swiping your finger before releasing you can select entire sentences or paragraphs. The options menu also offers Bookmark for when you want quick access back to certain pages.

This method is the same on nearly all touch-screen ebook devices, but some have slight variations. If youd like more information specific to the device youre holding in your hands, a quick online search will yield best results.

Every day, countless people struggle with depressiona very real illness. Fortunately, there is a highly effective treatment for this condition: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Dr. Simon A. Regowhose work I have admired for many yearsand Ms. Sarah Fader have written an important workbook that distills the key ingredients of this evidence-based treatment.

CBT was developed by my father, Aaron T. Beck, MD, in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the first major study in 1977, researchers from all over the world have demonstrated just how effective CBT is for a wide range of psychiatric disorders, psychological problems, and medical conditions with psychological components. Leading mental health service agencies and policy makers have recommended CBT as a preferred treatment for depression.

Despite all of this, a challenge remains in delivering high-quality CBT to individuals who are depressed. Unfortunately, many clinicians dont use CBT or only use a few CBT techniques. Thats part of the reason my dad and I established the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Philadelphia in 1994, where we train clinicians regionally, nationally, and internationally.

The lack of effective treatment points to the importance of The 10-Step Depression Relief Workbook: A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Approach. This book details the core concepts and strategies from CBT. It also integrates mindfulness and acceptance approaches, as well as exercise and healthy eating. Readers will find helpful information on the nature and forms of depression, measures for assessing depression, tools to reduce their symptoms, and resources for additional help. Along the way, they will be provided with guidance on how to overcome various obstacles. Theyll learn how to increase their motivation, identify their problems, create a plan of action, and attack procrastination. Interspersed with this information are stories and examples from the lives of actual patients, making the concepts easier to understandand relate to.

This book will be useful both as a stand-alone resource and as a supplement to therapy or other treatments. It will also be useful for those who have recovered from depression, and for family members and loved ones, so they can learn about this highly effective treatment.

Whatever your reason for picking up this book, I encourage you to read it from start to finish and to practice every skill. If you do, youll benefit from nearly a half-century of research that has established the strategies and techniques that individuals with depression need to implement to overcome their illness and remain well.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D.

President, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Clinical Professor, University of Pennsylvania

While its perfectly normal for most people to experience mood fluctuations and short-lived episodes of sadness in response to lifes stressors and challenges, depression is different. People who struggle with depression suffer greatly and function poorly at work and at school, in their social and family relationships, and in their home responsibilities. This is especially true when the depression is chronic (long-lasting) and is experienced at moderate or severe levels of intensity. In these cases, depression is no different in seriousness than any other medical condition. Yet, unfortunately, because we cant see physical evidence of it (like in the case of a broken bone), it often isnt viewed that way.