Rhena Branch - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies, 3rd Edition

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Copyright 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019953011

ISBN 978-1-119-60112-8 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-60132-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-60133-3 (ebk)

1. Chapter 5
2. Chapter 6
3. Chapter 8
4. Chapter 9
5. Chapter 12
6. Chapter 17
7. Chapter 18
8. Chapter 20
9. Chapter 21

1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 6
6. Chapter 7
7. Chapter 8
8. Chapter 9
9. Chapter 10
10. Chapter 11
11. Chapter 12
12. Chapter 14
13. Chapter 15
14. Chapter 18
15. Chapter 19

Cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, continues to grow in popularity as an efficient and long lasting treatment for many different types of psychological problems. Increasingly, CBT is the treatment your doctor is most likely to offer you if you consult him with concerns about your mood. If the word psychological sends you running from the room screaming, try to consider the term referring to problems that affect your emotional rather than your physical sense of well-being. At some point in your life, somethings going to go a bit wrong with your body. So why on earth do humans assume that their minds and emotions should be above the odd hiccup, upset, or even more serious difficulty? Happily, fewer stigmas about mental health difficulties like anxiety and depression exist now than when this book first published in 2005).

This book gives you a comprehensive introduction to the theory and application of CBT techniques. Although we dont have the space to go into nitty-gritty specifics about how to use CBT to overcome every type of emotional or psychological problem, we do try to lead you in a helpful direction by giving an overview of some of the most common problems people encounter. You may not have realized just how common mental health problems can be. We aim to help you see that you arent alone, that there is help and that you certainly have no need to be embarrassed about seeking support! We believe all the CBT principles and strategies outlined in this book can improve your life and help you to stay healthy, regardless of whether youve worked with or are currently working with a psychiatrist or other psychological professional.

In addition, whether you think your problems are minimal, youre crushing this living thing, you feel mildly depressed, or youve had years of uncomfortable psychological symptoms, CBT can help you. We ask you to be open-minded and to use the stuff in this book to make your life better and fuller.

If youre embarking on a journey of self-help or self-improvement, we hope that this book provides a useful introduction to CBT techniques and will be of benefit to you. This book covers the following:

• The basics of using CBT as a scientifically tested and verified psychotherapeutic method of overcoming common emotional problems.
• Ways in which you can identify your problems and set specific goals for how youd rather be living your life.
• Techniques to identify errors in the way you may be thinking and to adopt more helpful thoughts, attitudes, philosophies, and beliefs.
• Behavioural experiments and strategies you can incorporate into your life to improve your day-to-day functioning.
• Information that can help you to understand, normalise, and address some common human problems. You may think that youre the only person in the world who feels and thinks the way you do. This book shows you that many problems such as depression, anxiety, anger, and obsessions are in fact very common human experiences, so welcome to the human race! Youre not alone.

We hope that the whole experience will be at least a little entertaining in the process. So read on, welcome new concepts, and consider trying some of the ideas we offer in the book.

Note: Depending on the degree of disruption and distress that your personal difficulties are causing you, this book may or may not be enough treatment to help you recover. The book may spur you on to get further help to really knock your emotional demons on the head. See for tips on finding and working with a professional.