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Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Severe Mental Illness

An Illustrated Guide

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D., Douglas Turkington, M.D., David G. Kingdon, M.D., and Monica Ramirez Basco, Ph.D.

  • ISBN 978-1-58562-321-1
  • Item #62321
British Medical Association Mental Health Book of the Year 2009!
DOWNLOAD: Appendix 1: Worksheets and Checklists.

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Description

Mastering cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for the common, yet difficult-to-treat aspects of severe mental illness has now been made easier with Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Severe Mental Illness. A proven, effective treatment for patients with severe mental illness, CBT is illuminated in an insightful volume that boasts an abundance of learning exercises, worksheets, and checklists—plus video demonstrations on DVD that offer an inside look at CBT methods in use.

This is the only book to present a comprehensive CBT approach that can be used across the broad range of severe Axis I disorders to prevent relapse, promote treatment adherence, reduce symptoms, and maintain treatment gains. The authors, all internationally recognized experts in using CBT for severe mental illness, provide a host of functional strategies for treating patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and treatment-refractory depression. Their easy-to-read guide covers specific symptoms in detail and promotes practitioners' skill building—including how to design useful interventions, provide effective psychoeducation, and engage patients in effective therapeutic relationships. The eighteen videos show CBT in action, demonstrating such scenarios as tracing origins of paranoia and formulating an antisuicide plan. Readers seeking to learn or improve their use of CBT for severe mental illness will

  • Master the key processes of engaging, assessing, normalizing, educating, and formulating
  • Learn methods to help patients reduce delusional thinking, cope with hallucinations, and target hopelessness, suicidality, low energy and interest, and poor self-esteem
  • Prevent relapse in bipolar disorder through such methods as monitoring symptoms and promoting good sleep
  • Address interpersonal problems common in patients with severe mental illness, showing how to build support and cope with dysfunctional or terminated relationships
  • Help patients become better organized in their thinking and reduce problems with maintaining concentration
  • Apply CBT procedures to improve negative symptoms in schizophrenia, such as attention deficit and anhedonia

The book is an ideal companion to the authors' popular introductory text Learning Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, building on its critically acclaimed methodology to offer guidelines for effective treatment. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Severe Mental Illness shows how CBT enhances pharmacotherapy and helps practitioners develop important skills in treating challenging clinical problems.

Contents

  • Preface. Introduction. Engaging and assessing. Normalizing and educating. Case formulation and treatment planning. Delusions. Hallucinations. Depression. Mania. Interpersonal problems. Impaired cognitive functioning. Negative symptoms. Promoting adherence. Maintaining treatment gains. Appendix 1: worksheets and checklists. Appendix 2: cognitive-behavior therapy resources. Appendix 3: DVD guide. Index.

About the Authors

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor and Associate Chair for Academic Affairs at the University of Louisville School Of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky.

Douglas Turkington, M.D., is Professor of Psychosocial Psychiatry, Department of Neurology, Neurobiology, and Psychiatry, at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom.

David G. Kingdon, M.D., is Professor of Mental Health Care Delivery, Department of Psychiatry, at the Royal South Hants Hospital and University of Southampton, United Kingdom.

Monica Ramirez Basco, Ph.D., is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychology, at the University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas, in Dallas, Texas.

This book, with its video illustrations, is filled with clinical wisdom that is based on a clear conceptualization of the treatment processes and methods. Easy to follow, engaging, and clearly written, this work is a 'must read' and 'must view' for therapists treating patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or treatment-resistant depression.—A. John Rush, M.D., Vice Chair, Dept of Clinical Sciences, Professor of Psychiatry & Clinical Sciences, Rosewood Corporation Chair in Biomedical Science, Univ of Texas Southwestern Medical Center


Forget the old canard that psychotherapy is for the worried well. This is the Wright stuff—a helpful, practical, readable book for clinicians ready to extend CBT to psychiatric patients with severe mental illness. The expert authors illustrate with video clips the CBT techniques for treating patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe and treatment-resistant depression. They explain how to use CBT in conjunction with medication to build an alliance with and help severely ill psychiatric patients address stigma, medication adherence, psychotic symptoms, and relapse prevention. I highly recommend it for therapists working with such patients.—John C. Markowitz, M.D., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University


The leading experts in the field of cognitive-behavior therapy of psychosis, bipolar disorders, and treatment-resistant depression show us in an outstanding fashion how to treat severe mental disorders using CBT. The book is filled with lively clinical vignettes, learning exercises, practical tips for clinicians, and helpful handouts for clients. These useful aids—together with a DVD of excellent video illustrations—make this book required reading for any clinician dealing with severe mental disorders.—Roger Hagen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway


As we know, most patients with psychotic disorders have symptoms and poor social functioning that more or less remain despite medication. More and more evidence-based investigations have demonstrated the efficacy of CBT. Worldwide, important clinical guidelines for psychotic disorders recommend that patients with these disorders receive CBT. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Severe Mental Illness will promote the utility of CBT for severe mental disorders in clinical settings. This concise, practical book focuses on basic theory and common clinical skills of CBT and specific situations that arise in clinical practice. The rationale and operational procedures of CBT for patients are easy to understand, and are accompanied by extensive illustrations that psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and other interested professionals can use to learn practical skills.—Zhanjiang Li, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University


This book shares all the good qualities that CBT has in addressing the challenges of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe or recurrent depression. This book is comprehensive and has clarity, it is problem focused, and it helps clinicians adopt proven ways to effectively deal with those problems that contemporary psychopharmacology cannot always manage. A clear description of case conceptualizations and consequently of effective techniques, an illustrative use of appropriate case examples, and vivid video demonstrations make this book a very clinician-friendly and unique manual for the successful management of these difficult-to-treat psychiatric disorders.—Gregoris Simos, M.D., Ph.D., Aristototelian University of Thessaloniki Medical School, Thessaloniki, Greece


Psychosis, bipolar disorder, and severe depression have been on the leading edge of CBT developments in recent years. This practical guide shows clinicians how to use CBT innovations to best advantage. Even therapists who do not specialize in working with severe mental illness will be able to manage many challenging clinical situations better thanks to the methods taught in this book.—Christine A. Padesky, Ph.D., Coauthor, Mind Over Mood


Forget the old canard that psychotherapy is for the worried well. This is the Wright stuff—a helpful, practical, readable book for clinicians ready to extend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to psychiatric patients with severe mental illness. The expert authors illustrate with video clips the CBT techniques for treating patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe and treatment-resistant depression. They explain how to use CBT in conjunction with medication to build an alliance with and help severely ill psychiatric patients address stigma, medication adherence, psychotic symptoms, and relapse prevention. I highly recommend it for therapists working with such patients.—John C. Markowitz, M.D., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York


The power of this guide is its integrated use of text and video to educate clinical providers about therapeutic techniques for managing challenging clinical situations and symptoms. Though the patients in the vignettes are not real, those portraying them use actual clinical cases to illustrate the difficulties encountered in working with severely mentally disordered patients.—Doody Enterprises, Inc., 4/1/2009


This innovative volume is a must have for clinicians who serve persons with schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. It is also a fine resource for peer support specialists to consider. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Severe Mental Illness is truly an illustrated guide not only to read but to experience, including the DVD.—Yad M. Jabbarpour, M.D., Psychiatric Service, 4/1/2009

Companion Products

Learning Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Second Edition

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D., Gregory K. Brown, Ph.D., Michael E. Thase, M.D., and Monica Ramirez Basco, Ph.D. 2017

High-Yield Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Brief Sessions

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D., Donna M. Sudak, M.D., Douglas Turkington, M.D., and Michael E. Thase, M.D. 2010

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