About the Book
This book provides a concise and up-to-date guide to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), from the history and supporting theory, through to the most recent empirical evidence and practical aspects of delivery. Starting with an overview of the structure of CBT, practitioners can utilise this detailed guide to deliver therapy in clinical practice, whilst its coverage of various adaptations of CBT, such as group therapy and working with older adults, allow therapy to be tailored to different settings with different timeframes attached. Covering all the major CBT protocols necessary to work with a wide range of common mental health conditions. A comprehensive resource for a wide range of practitioners providing practical approaches, goals, and strategies to manage mental health problems using CBT. Part of the Cambridge Guides to the Psychological Therapies series, offering all the latest scientifically rigorous, and practical information on a range of key, evidence-based psychological interventions for clinicians.
Table of Contents:
Forword Judith S. Beck; Part I. An Overview of the Model: 1. An historical overview of cognitive behavioural therapy Ken Laidlaw; 2. The supporting theory of cognitive behavioural therapy Ken Laidlaw; 3. Efficacy of CBT: a brief outline and review Ken Laidlaw; Part II. The Model of CBT into Practice: 4. What is cognitive behaviour therapy Jessica Davies; 5. The goals of cognitive behavioural therapy Jessica Davies; 6. The specific techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy Jessica Davies; 7. The structure of cognitive behavioural therapy Jessica Davies; 8. Psychological assessment, formulation, and intervention in CBT Jessica Davies; Part III. Application and Adaptations for Mental Health Presentations: 9. Adaptations of the original model of cognitive behavioural therapy Jessica Davies and Ken Laidlaw; 10. Anxiety disorders Jessica Davies; 11. Specific phobias Ken Laidlaw; 12. Panic disorder Jessica Davies and Paul Salkovskis; 13. Social anxiety disorder Jessica Davies and Rachel Handley; 14. Generalised anxiety disorder Saevar Már Gústavsson and Paul Salkovskis; 15. Obsessive compulsive or related disorders Jessica Davies; 16. Obsessive compulsive disorder Jessica Davies and Paul Salkovskis; 17. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) Jessica Davies; 18. Illness anxiety disorder Jessica Davies and Paul Salkovskis; 19. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Jessica Davies and Rachel Handley; 20. Depression Jessica Davies and Ken Laidlaw; 21. CBT for psychosis and complex mental health (PCMH) Sean Harper and David Carmichael; Part IV. Application of CBT in Different Populations and Settings: 22. Adaptations for specific populations Ken Laidlaw; 23. Evidenced-based age-appropriate CBT with older people Ken Laidlaw; 24. Using CBT with family caregivers of persons living with dementia Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Jennifer Ramsey, Ann Choryan Bilbrey and Julian Montoro-Rodriguez; 25. CBT for children and young people Mike Turnbull and Markku Wood; 26. Adaptations for specific events: immediately after a traumatic event Rachel Handley; 27. Cognitive behavioural therapy in primary care Jessica Davies; 28. Group cognitive behavioural therapy Jessica Davies; 29. Conjoint format – couple's therapy Jessica Davies; 30. Internet and telephone delivery Jessica Davies and Ken Laidlaw; 31. Computerised CBT self-help approaches Jessica Davies, Ken Laidlaw and Bruno Kajiyama; 32. Developing and progressing as a CBT therapist Jessica Davies and Paul Salkovskis; Index.
About the Author :
Jessica Davies is a BABCP accredited practitioner, supervisor and trainer. She qualified as a CBT therapist in 2013 from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, and has since worked in NHSTT, student services and private practice. She is currently Portfolio Co-Director for the Masters in Clinical Associate in Psychology Degree Apprenticeship and CBT Lead for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, both at the University of Exeter. In addition, she works as a Research Therapist for the Accept Clinic at the Mood Disorders Centre, and is an Associate Editor of the BABCP Journal Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy. Paul Salkovskis is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Oxford. From April 2018 he has been Director of the Oxford Centre for Psychological Health, the Oxford Institute for Clinical Psychology Training and Research and The Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre, at the University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. He is President BABCP and Editor in Chief of the BABCP Journal Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy and an Honorary Fellow of the Association. Professor Ken Laidlaw, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with world-leading expertise in the psychology of ageing, cognitive behavioural therapy for older people and attitudes to ageing. He is Emeritus Professor in Psychology at the University of Exeter and part-time Consultant Clinical Psychologist with NHS Highland in Scotland. In 2025 he was made an honorary Fellow of the BABCP in recognition of outstanding contribution to the development of CBT in the UK. Ken is widely published in peer-reviewed academic journals and is the author and co-author of a number of the influential books on CBT with Older People, emotional disorders in late life and clinical geropsychology. He has worked as a clinical psychologist with older people in the NHS both in England and Scotland for more than three decades and in clinical psychology training since the late 1990s, leading two different Doctoral Training Programmes in Clinical Psychology. He has been responsible for developing manuals for various clinical trials and led the development of a cross-cultural Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ), which was trialed in no fewer than 20 countries across the world.
Review :
'This guide is a must-have for any mental health professional who uses cognitive behavioural therapy in their practice. Written by internationally regarded CBT researchers, teachers and clinicians, it not only provides the reader with concisely written instruction on how to deliver CBT for a variety of mental health conditions, but also neatly links such guidance to the powerful theories and evidence that underpin the application of CBT. A wide range of disorders is included, each with multiple CBT models expertly summarised and contrasted. Other chapters consider the application of CBT to different populations and settings. Both those new to CBT and expert practitioners will find this volume an essential text that supports their practice for years to come.' Richard Meiser-Stedman, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, UK
'A thoroughly enjoyable book, written by notable thinkers and experienced psychotherapists with a long history of working with populations across different age ranges. It clearly and robustly reviews the theoretical, methodological and practical arguments that make CBT an evidence-based practice for adults, including older adults, dealing with issues such as depression or anxiety. It has strong applied value, as it presents the therapeutic process in a highly practical way, with excellent examples illustrating therapy goals, techniques and structure. Across its chapters, the book covers a wide range of disorders as well as case examples of therapy applied in various contexts and populations – including children, older adults and caregivers of family members with dementia, couples, and both group and computer-based interventions. I recommend it both for students or early-career therapists and for professionals interested in strengthening their knowledge and practical resources.' Andrés Losada Baltar, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain
'This book offers a comprehensive and authoritative account of CBT, tracing its historical and scientific foundations while demonstrating its relevance across diverse mental health conditions, practice settings and populations. It is monumental in its scope by showcasing CBT as a rich and versatile treatment that is effective for numerous psychological disorders, inpatient and outpatient settings, older adults, carers, children and young people. It presents CBT as a structured, goal-oriented, and collaborative therapy, characterised by its creativity and responsiveness to client needs. The text is enriched by case examples, treatment protocols and therapist-client scripts that bring interventions to life and demonstrate their practical application. With its conversational writing style, the book succeeds in making complex ideas understandable without oversimplification. This book is invaluable for both emerging and experienced practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of CBT and enhance their therapeutic practice.' Sunil Bhar, Ph.D., Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
