About the Book
A practical CBT workbook for managing anxiety, depression, stress, and negative thinking.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, chronic stress, insomnia, or overwhelming thoughts, you’re not alone. Millions of people face these challenges every day, and many are searching for tools that actually work.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most widely researched and effective treatments for improving mental health. Used by therapists around the world, CBT helps you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact and how changing those patterns can lead to real, lasting relief.
The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook translates the latest CBT research into a clear, step-by-step program you can start using right away. Written by a leading expert in CBT, this comprehensive guide offers practical exercises and proven techniques to help you regain emotional balance and improve your overall well-being.
In this workbook, you’ll learn how to:
- Identify and challenge negative thoughts and unhelpful thinking patterns
- Manage anxiety, depression, and stress using evidence-based CBT skills
- Reduce rumination and self-criticism that fuel emotional distress
- Build self-compassion, confidence, and resilience
- Develop healthier ways of responding to anger, worry, and difficult emotions
- Create your own mental wellness toolkit for everyday challenges
Each chapter includes practical exercises, reflection prompts, and skill-building activities designed to help you apply CBT strategies to real-life situations.
Whether you're dealing with persistent worry, low mood, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm, this workbook offers a structured and supportive path forward.
You don’t have to face anxiety or depression alone. With the right tools and consistent practice, CBT can help you regain control of your thoughts, improve your mental health, and start living the life you want.
About the Author :
Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified psychologist in behavioral and cognitive psychology. He is codirector of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy, and a faculty member of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Tompkins is author or coauthor of fifteen books, and presents to national and international audiences on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and related topics. His work has been highlighted by media outlets, including in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on television (TLC, A&E), and on radio (KQED, NPR).
Review :
“Michael Tompkins has done a masterful job demystifying psychological problems, and illustrating how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills can be easily learned and applied to real-life situations. Readers gain a veritable treasure chest of tools to choose from, with step-by-step instructions for how to become proficient in utilizing the skills to improve coping, set meaningful goals, and change behavior to enhance quality of life. A must-have for anyone wishing to reduce emotional suffering.”
—Rochelle I. Frank, PhD, assistant clinical professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley; and coauthor of The Transdiagnostic Road Map to Case Formulation and Treatment Planning
“This compendium of practical, specific tools guides readers through developing both inside skills—like how to think about thinking—and outside skills like managing time and getting things done. With chapters on increasing your motivation and protecting your relationships with others, the guidance on offer is both specific and broad-based. Well organized—with clear rationales for each skill, and helpful worksheets—The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook is an excellent resource for both the general reader and for therapists.”
—Chad LeJeune, PhD, founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, and author of The Worry Trap and “Pure O” OCD
“Life-changing. Keep this book near you and give it fifteen minutes of your attention every day. You will improve your well-being, your mood, and your productivity.”
—Jacqueline B. Persons, PhD, director of the Oakland Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center; and clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley
“This thoughtfully conceived and clearly written workbook, by a leader in the field of CBT, stands out as an excellent guide to strategies found to be most effective in producing significant psychological change. I firmly believe that this important book, which contains an array of helpful practice exercises, will be of great benefit to both readers looking for practical self-help tools and, also, to clinicians conducting therapy who can augment treatment with the material found in this valuable resource.”
—John Ludgate, PhD, psychologist at CBT Counseling Centers in Western North Carolina, founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and author of CBT Resources for Therapists
“Tompkins is an internationally regarded clinician/teacher who shares his vast experience in a clear and appealing text. Readers who complete the book will learn important tools that will offer genuine life changes. For readers struggling with anxiety, depression, or other problems, the book will be highly valuable. The workbook identifies and explains the relationship between thoughts, feeling, actions, and attention. The chapters lead the reader to acquire a broad set of skills, ranging from mindfulness skills to thinking skills and interpersonal effectiveness skills. The chapters are well laid out and clearly delineate a program that offers the readers the opportunity to acquire a variety of core cognitive behavior skills to improve their lives.”
—Stuart Eisendrath, MD, professor of psychiatry emeritus; and founder of the UCSF Depression Center at the University of California, San Francisco
“The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Workbook offers a practical guide for readers who want to take charge of their mental health. I appreciated the author’s use of experiential learning throughout the book, as well as his knack for making complex concepts easily understood to appeal to a wide audience of readers. If you’re looking for a down-to-earth, science-based mental health guide, this is a book you’ll not regret purchasing!”
—Joanne Chan, PsyD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University, and coauthor of ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety
“With this book, Tompkins has authored a masterful application of self-help CBT, tied together neatly in a user-friendly package. His extensive training and wisdom grace every detail, from the strategic order of chapters to the clever exercises. This book wasn’t written as a performative academic exercise—it’s a genuine self-help tool sure to help countless readers. It’s now at the top of my self-help recommendation list.”
—Gregory S. Chasson, PhD, ABPP, licensed psychologist board certified in behavioral/cognitive psychology, and associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at The University of Chicago
“This workbook is a must-have resource to update your mental health toolbox. Tompkins gives us a refreshing new take on the tried-and-true methods from CBT—which has a long track record of successfully helping people manage painful situations—by weaving in techniques from the fields of positive psychology and mindfulness practices. The user-friendly format makes it accessible to anyone who wants to boost their mental health self-care.”
—Valerie L. Gaus, PhD, ABPP, psychologist in private practice, and author of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Living Well on the Spectrum
