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This focused, problem-solving therapy was developed back in the 1970s by Aaron T. Beck, M.D., the recognised founder of cognitive therapy. Even today, so many years later, it is still a state-of-the-art, highly effective approach to psychological treatment.

Cognitive therapy is a methodology that helps an individual to identify and correct specific errors in what he or she is thinking thus reducing and often eliminating negative or painful feelings attached to those thoughts. These erroneous or distorted thoughts influence them on a behavioral level and often results in inappropriate choices or reactions.

Perhaps the person who has done more to bring CBT into the public awareness is David D. Burns M.D and his ground breaking books Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy and the Feeling Good Handbook (Plume). In 1994 the results of a nationwide survey into the use of self help books by mental professionals were published in the Authoritative Guide to Self -Help Books.

These therapists were also asked which self-help books, from 1000 published, they most frequently recommended to their depressed patients. No 1 was ‘Feeling Good - the new mood therapy’ and no 2 - ‘The Feeling Good Handbook’. No 1 & 2 out of a thousand. Not too shabby is it? In fact, ‘Feeling Good’ itself has sold well over 3 million copies.

Cognitive therapy’s elegantly simple model has proven to be one of, if not the most powerful and successful type of psychological treatments in controlled studies conducted over the past several decades. I strongly advise you to get yourself a copy of either of these two books today.

You know it makes sense.