Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go From Here
Part 1 Introducing CBT Basics
	Chapter 1 You Feel the Way You Think
		Using Scientifically Tested Methods
		Understanding CBT
			Combining science, philosophy and behaviour
			Progressing from problems to goals
		Making the Thought–Feeling Link
			Emphasising the meanings you attach to events
			Acting out
		Learning Your ABCs
		Characterising CBT
	Chapter 2 Spotting Errors in Your Thinking
		Catastrophising: Turning Mountains Back Into Molehills
		All-or-Nothing Thinking: Finding Somewhere In-between
		Fortune-Telling: Stepping Away From the Crystal Ball
		Mind-Reading: Taking Your Guesses with a Pinch of Salt
		Emotional Reasoning: Reminding Yourself That Feelings Aren’t Facts
		Overgeneralising: Avoiding the Part/Whole Error
		Labelling: Giving Up the Rating Game
		Making Demands: Thinking Flexibly
		Mental Filtering: Keeping an Open Mind
		Disqualifying the Positive: Keeping the Baby and Throwing Out the Bathwater
		Low Frustration Tolerance: Realising You Can Bear the ‘Unbearable’
		Personalising: Removing Yourself from the Centre of the Universe
	Chapter 3 Tackling Toxic Thoughts
		Catching NATs
			Making the thought–feeling link
			Becoming more objective about your thoughts
		Stepping Through the ABC Form I
		Creating Constructive Alternatives: Completing the ABC Form II
	Chapter 4 Designing and Conducting Behavioural Experiments
		Seeing for Yourself: Reasons for Doing Behavioural Experiments
		Testing Out Predictions
		Seeking Evidence to See Which Theory Best Fits the Facts
		Conducting Surveys
		Making Observations
		Ensuring Successful Behavioural Experiments
		Keeping Records of Your Experiments
	Chapter 5 Pay Attention! Refocusing and Retraining Your Awareness
		Training in Task Concentration
			Choosing to concentrate
			Tuning in to tasks and the world around you
			Tackling the task concentration record sheet
		Becoming More Mindful
			Being present in the moment
			Letting your thoughts pass by
			Discerning when not to listen to yourself
			Incorporating mindful daily tasks
			Tolerating upsetting images and unpleasant ideas
Part 2 Charting the Course: Defining Problems and Setting Goals
	Chapter 6 Exploring Emotions
		Naming Your Feelings
		Thinking What to Feel
		Understanding the Anatomy of Emotions
		Comparing Healthy and Unhealthy Emotions
			Spotting the difference in thinking
			Spotting the difference in behaving, and ways you want to behave
			Spotting the difference in what you focus on
		Seeing Similarities in Your Physical Sensations
		Identifying Feelings about Feelings
		Defining Your Emotional Problems
			Making a statement
			Rating your emotional problem
	Chapter 7 Identifying Solutions That Cause You Problems
		When Feeling Better Can Make Your Problems Worse
		Getting Over Depression without Getting Yourself Down
		Loosening Your Grip on Control
		Feeling Secure in an Uncertain World
		Surmounting the Side Effects of Excessive Safety-Seeking
		Wending Your Way Out of Worry
		Preventing the Perpetuation of Your Problems
		Helping Yourself: Putting the Petals on Your Vicious Flower
	Chapter 8 Setting Your Sights on Goals
		Putting SPORT into Your Goals
		Homing In on How You Want to Be Different
			Setting goals in relation to your current problems
			Making a statement
		Maximising Your Motivation
			Identifying inspiration for change
			Focusing on the benefits of change
			Completing a cost–benefit analysis
			Recording your progress
Part 3 Putting CBT Into Action
	Chapter 9 Standing Up to Anxiety and Facing Fear
		Acquiring Anti-Anxiety Attitudes
			Thinking realistically about the probability of bad events
			Avoiding extreme thinking
			Taking the fear out of fear
		Attacking Anxiety
			Winning by not fighting
			Defeating fear with FEAR
			Repeatedly confronting your fears
			Keeping your exposure challenging but not overwhelming
			Shedding safety behaviours
			Recording your fear-fighting
		Overriding Common Anxieties
			Socking it to social anxiety
			Waging war on worry
			Pounding on panic
			Assaulting agoraphobia
			Dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder
			Hitting back at fear of heights
	Chapter 10 Abolishing Addictions
		Putting a Name to Your Problem
		Familiarising Yourself with the Many Faces of Addiction
		Accepting Yourself and Your Addiction
		Securing Suitable Support
		Deciding to Desist
			Counting the costs
			Being honest about the benefits
		Transforming Intention into Action
			Making a date
			Cruising through cravings
			Extending the time between urge and action
			Dealing with deprivation
			Putting positive obstacles in place
			Leaving nothing to chance
			Creating constructive conditions for continued recovery
			Cleaning house
			Taking up supportive socialising
		Planning to Prevent Relapse
	Chapter 11 Building a Better Body Image and Beating BDD
		Making Friends with the Mirror
			Do I have BDD?
			Do I have an eating disorder?
			Considering hypothetical cases
		Taking Advertising and Media Messages with a Pinch of Salt
			Recognising your own body image issues
			Accepting yourself
			Seeing yourself as a whole person
		Saluting Your Body for Services Rendered
			Enjoying scintillating sensations
			Doing your daily duties
			Valuing your vehicle for experience
		Choosing to Change for All the Right Reasons
			Maximising enjoyment
			Bringing out your best
			Being daring
	Chapter 12 Deconstructing and Demolishing Depression
		Understanding the Nature of Depression
		Looking at What Fuels Depression
		Going Round and Round in Your Head: Ruminative Thinking
			Catching yourself in the act
			Arresting ruminations before they arrest you
		Activating Yourself as an Antidepressant
			Tackling inactivity
			Dealing with the here and now: Solving problems
			Taking care of yourself and your environment
		ACTing against Depression
			Practising acceptance
			Considering compassion
			Obtaining a new outlook
		Managing Suicidal Thoughts
		Contemplating Complex Forms of Depression
			Bipolar disorder
			Cyclothymic disorder
			Dysthymic disorder
	Chapter 13 Sleeping Soundly
		Assessing Your Sleep Situation
		Eliminating Unhelpful Sleep Expectations
		Getting Into a Clean Sleep Routine
			Tiring yourself out
			Establishing a sleep window
			Slowing down on stimulation
			Building a better bedtime routine
			Relaxing your muscles
			Limiting the (blue) light
			Making your bedroom oh-so-cosy
	Chapter 14 Overcoming Obsessions
		Identifying and Understanding Obsessional Problems
			Understanding obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
		Identifying Unhelpful Behaviours
		Acquiring Anti-Obsessional Attitudes
			Tolerating doubt and uncertainty
			Trusting your judgement
			Treating your thoughts as nothing more than thoughts
			Being flexible and not trying too hard
			Using external and practical criteria
			Allowing your mind and body to do their own things
			Normalising physical sensations, emotions and unpleasant thoughts
		Facing Your Fears: Reducing (and Stopping) Rituals
			Putting up firm resistance
			Delaying and modifying rituals
		Being Realistic about Responsibility
			Dividing up your responsibility pie
			Retraining your attention
	Chapter 15 Overcoming Low Self-Esteem and Accepting Yourself
		Identifying Issues of Self-Esteem
		Developing Self-Acceptance
			Understanding that you have worth because you’re human
			Appreciating that you’re too complex to globally measure or rate
			Acknowledging your ever-changing nature
			Accepting your fallible nature
			Valuing your uniqueness
			Using self-acceptance to aid self-improvement
			Understanding that acceptance doesn’t mean giving up
		Being Inspired to Change
		Actioning Self-Acceptance
			Self-talking your way to self-acceptance
			Following the best-friend argument
			Dealing with doubts and reservations
		Selecting the Self-Help Journey to Self-Acceptance
	Chapter 16 Cooling Down Your Anger
		Discerning the Difference between Healthy and Unhealthy Anger
			Key characteristics of unhealthy anger
			Hallmarks of healthy anger
		Assembling Attitudes That Underpin Healthy Anger
			Putting up with other people
			Forming flexible preferences
			Accepting other people as fallible human beings
			Accepting yourself
			Developing high frustration tolerance
			Pondering the pros and cons of your temper
		Imparting Your Indignation in a Healthy Way
			Asserting yourself effectively
			Coping with criticism
			Using the disarming technique
		Acting Assertively in the Workplace
			Putting your point across positively
			Remaining professional
		Dealing with Difficulties in Overcoming Anger
	Chapter 17 Healing Illness Anxiety
		Analysing the Anatomy of Illness Anxiety
		Getting to know Medically Unexplained Physical Sensations
		Minimising Your Fear of Missing an Important Symptom
		Feeling Secure in an Uncertain Body
Part 4 Looking Backwards and Moving Forwards
	Chapter 18 Taking a Fresh Look at Your Past
		Exploring How Your Past Can Influence Your Present
		Identifying What Core Beliefs Are
			Introducing the three camps of core beliefs
			Seeing how your core beliefs interact
		Detecting Your Core Beliefs
			Following a downward arrow
			Picking up clues from your dreaming and screaming
			Tracking themes
			Filling in the blanks
		Understanding the Impact of Core Beliefs
			Spotting when you are acting according to old rules and beliefs
			Understanding that unhealthy core beliefs make you prejudiced
		Making a Formulation of Your Beliefs
		Limiting the Damage: Being Aware of Core Beliefs
		Developing Alternatives to Your Core Beliefs
			Revisiting history
			Starting from scratch
	Chapter 19 Moving New Beliefs from Your Head to Your Heart
		Defining the Beliefs You Want to Strengthen
		Acting As If You Already Believe
		Building a Portfolio of Arguments
			Generating arguments against an unhelpful belief
			Generating arguments to support your helpful alternative belief
		Understanding That Practice Makes Imperfect
			Dealing with your doubts and reservations
			Zigging and zagging through the zigzag technique
			Putting your new beliefs to the test
		Nurturing Your New Beliefs
	Chapter 20 Heading for a Healthier and Happier Life
		Planning to Prevent Relapse
		Filling In the Gaps
			Choosing absorbing activities
			Matchmaking your pursuits
			Putting personal pampering into practice
		Overhauling Your Lifestyle
			Walking the walk
			Talking the talk
			Getting intimate
		Living in Line with Your Values
			Reflecting your values through action
			Staying focused on what’s most important
			Reshuffling priorities
	Chapter 21 Overcoming Obstacles to Progress
		Tackling Emotions That Get in the Way of Change
			Shifting shame
			Getting rid of guilt
			Putting aside pride
			Seeking support
			Trying a little tenderness
		Adopting Positive Principles That Promote Progress
			Understanding that simple doesn’t mean easy
			Being optimistic about getting better
			Staying focused on your goals
			Persevering and repeating
		Tackling Task-Interfering Thoughts
	Chapter 22 Psychological Gardening: Maintaining Your CBT Gains
		Knowing Your Weeds from Your Flowers
		Working on Weeds
			Nipping weeds in the bud
			Spotting where weeds may grow
			Dealing with recurrent weeds
		Tending Your Flowers
			Planting new varieties
			Being a compassionate gardener
	Chapter 23 Working with the Professionals
		Procuring Professional Help
			Thinking about the right therapy for you
			Meeting the experts
		Tracking Down the Right CBT Therapist for You
			Asking yourself the right questions
			Speaking to the specialists
		Making the Most of CBT
			Discussing issues during sessions
			Being active between sessions
Part 5 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 24 Ten Philosophies for Living That Work
		Assuming Emotional Responsibility: Owning the Way You Feel
		Thinking Flexibly
		Valuing Your Individuality
		Accepting That Life Can Be Unfair
		Understanding That Approval from Others Isn’t Necessary
		Realising Love Is Desirable, Not Essential
		Tolerating Short-Term Discomfort
		Enacting Enlightened Self-Interest
		Pursuing Interests and Acting Consistently with Your Values
		Tolerating Uncertainty
	Chapter 25 Ten Self-Esteem Boosters That Don’t Work
		Putting Others Down
		Thinking You’re Special
		Trying to Get Everyone to Like You
		Placing Yourself above Criticism
		Avoiding Failure, Disapproval, Rejection and Other Animals
		Avoiding Your Emotions
		Attempting to Feel More Significant by Controlling Others
		Over-Defending Your Self-Worth
		Feeling Superior
		Blaming Nature or Nurture for Your Problems
	Chapter 26 Ten Mythical Monsters of Mental Health
		Psychological Problems Mean You’re Weak
		I Should Be Able to Get Better on My Own
		Mental Health Is an Either/Or Issue
		You Get Better All at Once
		The Drugs Don’t Work; They Just Make You Worse
		Certain Types of Psychological Disorders Are Glamorous
		Mental Illness Is Unpreventable; It’s Just Bad Luck
		Everyone Can Tell when a Person Has a Mental Illness
		Having a Mental Illness Means You’re Dangerous
		Seeking Help Will Go on My Medical Record and Hurt My Future Prospects
Part 6 Appendixes
	Appendix A Recommended Resources
	Appendix B Forms
Index
EULA